State Health and Culture Committee chairman Mohd Khuzzan Abu Bakar said the unpleasant odour of the bird droppings had been affecting some of the pupils for some time.

“This may also be among the factors (causing the pupils to experience shortness of breath and vomiting). So we request the ministry of education to immediately address this because you ladies and gentlemen (the journalists present there) have already seen the condition (of the area affected by bird droppings),” he told reporters after visiting the school today.

Meanwhile, state Education, Human Resources, Science and Technology Committee chairman Aminolhuda Hassan, who also visited the school, said the bird droppings were not only found on the ground floor, but also on the school’s fourth-floor balcony.

“This has been happening for a long time now. Otherwise, how can there be such a large amount of droppings?

“I was informed that the ministry had come to visit (the school) and it is hoped that action will be taken to prevent the birds from entering the roofs of the classrooms and that cleaning work can begin immediately,” he said.

He also urged the school administration to temporarily use other classes to prevent the pupils from suffering further discomfort.

Meanwhile, Johor Health Department director Dr Selahuddeen Abd Aziz said the bird droppings could cause more severe breathing difficulties for pupils compared with what they had experienced so far.

“In health terminology, we call it ‘hypersensitivity pneumonitis’ or ‘Pigeon Breeder’s Lung’ which may lead to symptoms such as shortness of breath, but it depends on how long they have been exposed to the droppings,” he said.