Residents at the Seri Era Apartment, Jalan Naga
Sari, Shah Alam near Klang, have been advised to go for health checks following the discovery of two radioactive canisters at the premises last Saturday.

South Klang district police chief ACP Alzafny Ahmad said the reason being that the canisters, which were part of the components from a radioactive scanning device, were found with the seal open.

He said the gamma rays from the canisters, if exposed to the public, could cause various health problems.

According to the Atomic Energy Licensing Board (AELB), the canister has the gamma ray capacity of up to 300 milisievert per hour and is dangerous to human body which is capable of receiving only 20 milisievert gamma ray a year, he said.

As such, he advised residents of the apartment, especially those who had been nearby the Rukun Tetangga Room between 4am last Thursday and 6pm last Saturday to contact AELB at 03-8922588 or 1-800-88-799 for advice, he told a media conference today.

Also present was AELB director (ray regulatory division) Hasmadi Hassan.

Among the symptoms suffered by those who are exposed to the gamma ray are dizziness, nausea and vomiting.

In an incident last Thursday, two radioactive scanners belonging to an oil and gas company were reported stolen from a car.

Following which, a special team was set up to investigate the matter and this led to the arrest of eight people in Klang and Shah Alam.

According to Alzafny, the team made a breakthrough last Friday when it found several pieces of the scanners at a scrap metal shop in Kampung Jawa in Klang and arrested three suspects.

The arrest of the suspects led the police to the apartment where they found the two canisters last Saturday. A suspect was also arrested there.

Alzafny said four employees of the oil and gas  company were also arrested last Friday to assist investigation.

- Bernama