State education department director Raisin Saidin said Mifzal Anaqi Rizal, 10, did not suffer food poisoning from food sold at the school’s canteen.

Raisin said Mifzal had eaten food at home with his mother, who also experienced food poisoning, Utusan Borneo reported.

He said no other students in the school suffered food poisoning, showing that it was not caused by the school canteen’s food.

“On July 23, the class teacher was informed that the pupil (Mifzal) was on MC for two days after suffering food poisoning and being treated at a clinic.

“The teacher was later informed on Wednesday night that the boy had suddenly fainted and was warded in the intensive care unit after being rushed to hospital. The next day, at 7am, the teacher was told that the boy had passed away,” he said.

The case involving Mifzal, a pupil at SK Taman Rimba Sandakan, was the latest in a spate of food poisoning incidents nationwide, including one case in Gombak, Selangor, which led to the deaths of a 17-year-old boy and a two-year-old girl.