KOTA KINABALU, Dec 25 — The Sabah State Health Department (JKNS) has denied allegations that it had removed the internal organs belonging to an Indonesian man found dead on a ship here.
JKNS director Datuk Dr Rose Nani Mudin said after the post-mortem was conducted on Dec 7 at Queen Elizabeth Hospital here, all the organs had been returned along with the body of one Sadiman Hamal, 38, who was found dead on Dec 1.
The post-mortem investigation confirmed that he died due to a lung infection and heart disease, she said.
She said the forensic medical officer had explained to the victim’s relatives that several small tissue samples from the organs would be sent to the laboratory to find out the cause of death.
“The hospital was informed by police that the victim did not have any next of kin in the country but they managed to track down several individuals who claimed to be Sadiman’s relatives and know his next of kin in Indonesia before one of them identified the body,” she said in a statement here today.
Dr Rose Nani said the forensic medical officer who conducted the post-mortem had explained the results to the individual believed to be Sadiman’s relative who would then pass on the information to the deceased next of kin in Indonesia.
She said Sadiman’s employer had arranged for his remains to be sent home which arrived safely in Indonesia on Dec 20.
“Our sympathy goes out to his family. All post-mortem related matters and the process of sending the body home had been carried out following the set guidelines,” she added.
Recently, Indonesian media alleged that Sadiman’s internal organs were removed before the body was sent to his next-of-kin.
