M'SIAN ATHLETES DOWN WITH FOOD POISONING

PALEMBANG, Nov 12 (Bernama) -- Ten Malaysian athletes to the SEA Games here were taken ill with suspected food poisoning since Friday. The athletes, who are gymnasts and shooters, were down with stomach ache and diarrhoea, said Malaysian chef-de-mission in Palembang Syed Mustaffa Syed Ali when contacted Saturday. He said the athletes were staying at the SEA Games' Athlete Village, Jakabaring Sports Complex here and had their meals at the dining hall there. "We do not know what was the cause of the food poisoning but I have reported the matter to the Games secretariat and they are investigating the matter," he said. Gymnast Mohd Hamzarudin Nordin, who is one of the affected athletes, said he had a stomach ache and diarrhoea since Friday night. "We only ate food prepared at the Athlete Village," he said when met at the Gymnastic hall, Jakabaring Sports Complex. Mohd Hamzarudin said he sought treatment at the village's medical centre and was recovering. -- BERNAMA