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HUNDREDS of children have been exposed to toxic rat poison over the past three years, with a significant proportion of cases linked to illegal and unregistered products, according to the National Poison Centre at Universiti Sains Malaysia.
The centre’s Poison Information and Advisory Service reported a marked rise in calls concerning rodenticide poisoning between 2023 and 2025, describing the findings as a serious threat to consumer safety, particularly among young children.
Pharmacist Asdariah Misnan said analysis of cases referred to the centre during that period showed that more than 40 per cent of reported rat poison exposures involved illegal or unregistered products.
In 2023, 42 of 94 reported rodenticide poisoning cases were linked to unlawful products. The following year, 61 out of 143 cases involved illegal rat poison. In 2025, 51 of 118 total cases were attributed to unregistered products.
“Between October and December 2025 alone, there was a sharp increase of 35 rat poison exposure cases, with 18 cases, or 51.4 per cent, involving illegal or unregistered products,” she said.
Children aged between one and four accounted for 60 to 70 per cent of reported cases, making them the most vulnerable group within the home. About half of all exposures were accidental, often involving bait mixed with food and placed in open, easily accessible areas.
A review of reported incidents identified several unregistered brands frequently implicated, including Smell to Death, Morat, Mao Wang, Hai Zhen Wei, Super Rat Killer, Victory, RTV Rat Poison and Tomrat, as well as various products bearing Chinese-language labels without valid registration numbers.
Most of these products were purchased online via e-commerce platforms, while others were obtained from unlicensed traders at night markets.
Asdariah warned that illegal pesticides are frequently associated with misrepresentation and inaccurate labelling. Monitoring efforts have revealed cases in which the concentration of active ingredients exceeded the percentage stated on packaging.
“Even if the active ingredient is not itself illegal, a higher concentration increases the risk of poisoning, even when ingested in small amounts.
“More worrying, laboratory tests have detected active ingredients different from those listed on product labels or websites, and these are often more toxic or banned substances.
“Highly toxic substances such as Tetramethylenedisulfotetramine (TETS), Sodium monofluoroacetate (SMFA), Fluoroacetamide and Fluoroacetic acid, which are banned in most countries, can cause recurrent seizures and death even in very small quantities,” she said.
She noted that the deaths of two children in Kulim, Kedah, in July 2024 after consuming crackers laced with rat poison were linked to an unregistered toxin capable of triggering seizures.
Asdariah called for stricter enforcement and tighter regulatory controls to curb the sale of illegal rodenticides. She said sellers, particularly operators of e-commerce platforms, must ensure that only licensed vendors registered with the Pesticides Board are permitted to sell approved and registered pesticide products. - February 26, 2026
