The rat infestation has triggered public concern about the diseases the critters carry, especially after six people involved in a search-and-rescue mission in Pahang died from leptospirosis, a disease caused by exposure to the urine of infected rats, last year. -- ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN
A MALAYSIAN lawmaker had Parliament in stitches last month when he noted that during his walkabouts, he had seen some rats so large that even cats were afraid of them.
The felines aren't the only ones who appear to be losing the battle against the rodents, though.
So is Kuala Lumpur.
There are now about 4.4 million rats in the city - or two for every resident - with the most drastic increase coming in the past five years, according to officials and pest-busters.
Jokes aside, Federal Territories Deputy Minister M. Saravanan knows that Kuala Lumpur's rat problem is no laughing matter. This needs to be tackled quickly, he told Parliament most seriously.
The rat infestation has triggered public concern about the diseases the critters carry, especially after six people involved in a search-and-rescue mission in Pahang died from leptospirosis, a disease caused by exposure to the urine of infected rats, last year.
Read the full report in this week's edition of The Sunday Times.
