Materia Medica Malaysiana

No, Sir, You Are Wrong!

The Andalas Medical Centre in Klang has challenged the right of Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek to question its legality.

In a faxed statement to The Malay Mail last night, the centre said it was “deeply disappointed and perplexed by the remarks issued by the Minister of Health on the case”.

“Instead of going through the proper channels and procedures to address any potential issues with regard to the medical centre, he chose to issue damaging statements through the Press.

“We wish to remind the Minister that only through a legal process can any business entity be deemed illegal,” the statement said.

The statement, which was unsigned, said that the centre had submitted all relevant details to the Ministry of Health since September 2001 for the purpose of licence renewal.

“Since then, we have responded to the numerous enquiries and requests for clarification from the Ministry.

“We are awaiting the approval from the Ministry of Health,” it said.

Yesterday, The Malay Mail had front-paged a report quoting Dr Chua as saying that the centre had been operating without a licence since September 2001.

Dr Chua had said the centre had problems in getting its licence renewed due to failure to comply with the Ministry’s requirements.

Dr Chua had said that three reminders had been sent to the centre over the last two years, the last being in February this year.

However, he had said that the centre had yet to fulfil the requirements.

He said even though the Ministry officers were aware of the centre’s illegal operation, it did not have the power under legislation to act against the centre.

Dr Chua said although the Private Hospitals Act 1971 could be applied on the Andalas Medical Centre for its failure to comply with regulations, there was nothing much the Ministry could do due to its limited enforcement powers.

His statement came after The Malay Mail had published on March 31 a report quoting the centre’s former employee, Indian natinoal S. Malini, as alleging that she has not been paid her salary since January and that her passport was being withheld by the medical centre as they were applying her work permit for her.

She had come to Malaysia to work as a radiographer with the medical centre.