PUTRAJAYA: The Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (FOMCA) has lambasted the Health Ministry for not being fast enough to alert the public on the influenza A (H1N1) virus.

Its president, Datuk N. Marimuthu, said the ministry should be dealing with the issue with greater urgency.

"They keep telling the people not to worry as they are doing their best to contain the problem but they are just inept."

 His chief grouse was the ministry's failure to issue an alert after a second Malaysia Airlines passenger became ill with the flu on Friday.

 "Why did they wait until the next day (Saturday) to announce the case?"