State education, higher education and religious affairs committee chairman Rahmad Mariman said the 51, including 36 female students, experienced stomach ache, vomiting, diarrhoea and fever.

He said the state health department had ordered the closure of seven cafes within the college compound that sell various food items for 14 days, effective from 6.30pm yesterday.

“The Melaka Tengah health office conducted inspections and investigations on the affected students yesterday.

“No specific cause could be identified as all the students reported eating a variety of meals from the cafes,” he said in a statement today.

The closure of the cafes is to facilitate cleaning and proper sanitation to prevent further poisoning incidents, he added.

The college has arranged for external food vendors to provide meals and beverages to the nearly 400 students at the institution.