Former economy minister Rafizi Ramli today revealed that his 12-year-old son will undergo six months of medical monitoring following an attack with a syringe at a Putrajaya mall yesterday. The intensive testing is necessary to rule out the possibility that the boy was injected with a dangerous substance.
Speaking at a press conference in Parliament, the Pandan MP stated that doctors and police have yet to determine the contents of the syringe. This uncertainty has prompted a series of blood and other tests, as well as extended hospital observation.
Rafizi outlined three possibilities for what the syringe might have contained: drugs or poison, which doctors have largely ruled out after initial observation; a virus like HIV or hepatitis; or plain water.
“So far, there have been no immediate effects [from drugs or poison]. I take comfort in that as a father, we can rule out drugs and poison,” he said.
However, Rafizi explained that the possibility of a viral infection can only be definitively ruled out after “at least six months” of continuous monitoring. “We can only know after six months, and we will have to continuously monitor his behavior,” he added.
Rafizi also disclosed that his wife received two threatening text messages from an unknown number this morning. The messages warned her to “Be quiet. If you continue, AIDS.” He suspects the attack is linked to a case he was investigating, noting that he had met with a group of whistleblowers just last week.
According to Rafizi, the assault occurred when two individuals in black attire and full-face helmets dragged his son from the family car and stabbed him with the syringe before escaping. The boy was immediately rushed to the hospital.
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