Cockroach in food: Hospital to compensate patient RM67,000

Selangor Specialist Hospital Sdn Bhd, owner of KPJ Selangor Specialist Hospital, was yesterday ordered to pay RM67,000 in compensation to a Tabung Haji customer service officer after the latter realised that he had eaten the head of a cockroach contained in the meal served to him while receiving treatment at the hospital last year.

Due to the incident, Wan Hailmey Mahrawi, 38, was reported to have sustained nauseousness, vomiting, abdominal pain and high fever.

Wan Hailmey sued the company in August last year.

In his brief judgement, Judge G. Ramesh said the plaintiff had managed to prove his case and deserved to receive RM7,000 for general damage and RM60,000 for exemplary damage.

Ramesh judgement was read by Judge Nurulizwan Ahmad Zubir. Wan Hailmey, however, was not present in court.

In his statement of claims, Wan Hailmey claimed that he was warded at the hospital for five days from May 18 for slipped disc treatment last year.

He claimed that for his lunch on May 20, he was served with plain rice, fish and vegetable dishes, but when eating the vegetable, he found a cockroach in the dish and that he had in fact chewed on the head and legs of the insect.

He claimed that the company was negligent for failing to prepare meals in a safe and hygienic way.