Students poisoned during initiation

UJUNGPANDANG, South Sulawesi (JP): At least 52 new students of Makasar University here were rushed to the hospital on Monday suffering from food poisoning.

"I think our lunch was stale," said one of the 1,500 students taking part in the university's initiation program, referring to the meals provided by the initiation organizers.

A number of organizers provided the food, including the lunches served in the cafeteria of the School of Education and Social Sciences. Hundreds of students ate lunch in the cafeteria, and 52 of the students were severely affected.

They complained of headaches, nausea and vomiting, and were taken to Labuang Baji Hospital and Faisal Islamic Hospital here.

The president of the student body, Chaeruddin, accepted responsibility for the incident, also laying some of the blame on cafeteria managers.

Dr. Etty Suharti of Faisal Islamic Hospital confirmed the students were suffering from food poisoning. "Fortunately they were immediately brought to the hospital ... a delay would have caused dehydration (which could be fatal)," she said.

University spokesman Arifin Pasingringi blamed the incident on initiation organizers, who were mostly students. He said they should pay for the hospitalization of the students, adding that the university would pay only a small amount of the hospital bills.

The students were still hospitalized as of late Monday. (27/06)