MMA believes probe on top official not done right

Star: KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Medical Association believes that certain procedures were not applied by its committee of inquiry in a probe on a senior official for alleged mismanagement of funds.
An MMA official said the association would seek legal advice before acting on the committee's report, which called for the senior official to be suspended immediately and relieved of duties and access to the association’s premises and staff.
The committee's report was submitted to the MMA executive council last September. Two weeks ago, in a special general meeting, the findings and recommendations were presented to more than 100 MMA members.
The council refused to accept the recommendations, which also called for two other office bearers to be reprimanded. A group of doctors then started a signature campaign calling for a vote of no confidence on the MMA president and the council.
The MMA official, who declined to be named, said the signature campaign to censure the officials was an internal matter, and should not be discussed in public.
“We don’t understand why some doctors have brought our issues to the media,” said the official yesterday on behalf of MMA president Datuk Dr Teoh Siang Chin, who was not available for comment.
The official said the MMA had yet to receive the signature drive calling on the president and council to step down.
Yesterday, a specialist doctor who attended the special general meeting said the committee of inquiry was elected with the approval of the president and council.
The committee investigated allegations of misappropriation of funds by the senior official following the internal auditor’s report that there were claims of thousands of ringgit without receipts as well as false claims made for printing.
It also verified the internal audit report that the official had used the association’s credit card for personal expenses and misled the council that an overseas trip was sanctioned.