IPOH (July 12): The incident of Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook suffering from a shortness of breath while responding to oral questions in the Dewan Rakyat on Wednesday was not related to a heart attack, said the deputy health minister.

Datuk Lukanisman Awang Sauni said the shortness of breath was due to fitness problems faced by the minister.

He said Loke was in a hurry to get to Parliament, because he was stuck in a traffic jam earlier, and by chance, it was his turn to answer oral questions as soon as he arrived at Parliament.

"When he arrived at Parliament in a hurry, he immediately entered the hall, and there was a shortness of breath while answering oral questions.

"So, it was not related to a heart attack or anything (other diseases); it was all about the fitness of the individual. If you have been running, sometimes you can get out of breath," the deputy health minister said at a press conference after officiating the 13th Asean Congress and the 10th Perak Health Congress here on Friday.

On Wednesday, there were anxious moments in the Dewan Rakyat, when Loke was seen to be gasping for breath when he started speaking, and then asked to be given some time to calm down.

Following that, Alice Lau Kiong Yieng, the deputy speaker of the Dewan Rakyat, asked Loke's deputy, Datuk Hasbi Habibollah, to continue the session.

However, Loke later resumed his duties by answering supplementary questions posed by Subang Member of Parliament Wong Chen.

Nevertheless, the deputy health minister said all members of Parliament are encouraged to undergo a mandatory health screening to detect any disease as an early preventive measure. 

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