SEREMBAN: A man who died of suspected food poisoning days after consuming food from his daughter's wedding could have been saved if he had been treated earlier.

Tuanku Ja'afar Hospital director Dr Ja'afar Che Mat said Liew Kan Beng, 52, who began vomiting and having diarrhoea since Saturday was only brought to the hospital at 1.08am on Monday.

"When he was wheeled in, he had lost massive amounts of bodily fluids. The medical staff tried hard to save him. Unfortunately, whatever they gave him to compensate for the massive loss of minerals did not help," Dr Ja'afar said when contacted.

Dr Ja'afar said Liew was also a heart patient but preliminary findings showed that his cause of death was "acute gastroenteritis with decompensated hypovolemic shock" or causes related to food poisoning.

Liew from Taman Sri Pulai Impian fell ill after dinner on the eve of his daughter's wedding.

Also affected were more than 100 other guests who attended the dinner and another hosted by his son-in-law. Food for both dinners was supplied by the same caterer.

A preliminary report by the health office here said the cause of the food poisoning was suspected to be "contaminated fried pork".

When contacted, a close relative said the family had decided not to pursue the matter against the food caterer.

"Nothing we do now is going to bring him back and we just want to move on," he said, adding that Liew's funeral was held on Tuesday and the family was still grieving.

District health officer Dr Zainuddin Mohd Ali said the stall from which the food was catered would remain closed for 14 days.

"All six workers at the stall did not have the mandatory Ty-2 jabs which are compulsory for food handlers.

"The fact that the food was prepared five hours before being served was also a factor in it turning bad.

Twenty-three people were admitted at several hospitals while others sought treatment at clinics and private medical centres after the dinner.

State Health director Dr Zainal Ariffin Omar said only the Seremban Municipal Council, which issued the operating licence, could take action against the six food handlers for not having taken the Ty-2 jabs.