Materia Medica Malaysiana

Health D-G calls it a day

After devoting 31 years of his life to the Health Ministry, director-general Tan Sri Dr Mohamad Taha Arif will now be dedicating his retirement to his family.
“I have to look after my growing children. I still have to work hard to earn some money so I can educate my children,” said Dr Mohamad Taha who has five children aged between 17 and 10.
“But I am going to take a long break for now. I leave with mixed feelings because I leave behind so many friends and acquaintances,” he said.
“But I have done my part and I am going to devote myself to my family now. To balik kampung, tanam jagung (head for home) in Kuching,” he said at his farewell party on Friday night organised by the ministry. His successor has not been announced yet.
The soft-spoken and amiable Dr Mohamad Taha obtained his degree from Universiti Malaya and Masters in Public Health from the University of Glasgow.
Among the positions he held were health director at various states including Sarawak and Negri Sembilan. He is also Malaysian Medical Council president.
“I came up through rank and file. It has been 31 years of hardship. But it has been interesting and challenging,” said Dr Mohamad Taha who became director-general in Feb 2001.