Doc loses right to practise

Star: PETALING JAYA: Penawar state assemblyman Dr Mohd Azam Rauzan has been struck off the Malaysian Medical Council register and is no longer allowed to practise medicine in Malaysia.
Council president and Health Ministry director-general Tan Sri Dr Ismail Merican said in a statement yesterday that Dr Mohd Azam had admitted to “abusing his professional privilege as a registered practitioner by causing untrue information to be provided to the Registry of Births in reports certified and signed by him.”
Another doctor, Dr Albert Lim Kok Hooi, was suspended for six months from Oct 10, while one Dr Mohamed Padzil Daros was reprimanded for other reasons.
Dr Ismail said Dr Mohd Azam's offence concerned the supposed delivery of four babies at his clinic at No. 7, Jalan Padi Mahsuri 15, Bandar Baru Uda, 81200 Johor Baru, but records in the clinic did not show any such entry.
Dr Mohd Azam’s name was removed from the register with effect from Dec 28, after he contravened Section 2.1.4 of the council’s code of professional conduct.
His case was one of three decisions made by the council between October and December involving various offences.
Dr Ismail said cases of doctors being struck off the rolls was not rampant, adding that the council will continue to release names of errant practitioners to the public.
“We are coming down hard on errant practitioners. This is to protect the public and the profession,” he said.
Since the Medical Act was enacted in 1971, the names of five doctors have been struck off the register.
Dr Lim of the Gleneagles Oncology Centre in Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur, had his licence suspended for six months from Oct 10, after being found guilty of “abusing his professional privilege and skills by engaging in an emotional relationship with the wife of the complainant” during the period when his mother was under the doctor's care.
Dr Lim, who breached Section 2.2.4 of the council's code, has appealed against the sentence at a High Court.
A reprimand was issued against Dr Mohamed Padzil of Klinik Famili Sri Damansara in Bandar Sri Damansara, Kuala Lumpur, after he was found guilty of “conduct considered derogatory to the reputation of the profession.”
He had admitted to displaying a signboard at his place of practice which had the words “Klinik & Farmasi” (Clinic & Pharmacy), indicating that he was selling drugs and other medical items not only in treating his patients but also over the counter to non-patients.
This was contrary to Section 3.4 of the code.
Jurisdiction of the council over professional conduct of its registered persons is governed by the Medical Act and the Medical Regulations. The council maintains a register of eligible medical practitioners and has regulatory and disciplinary powers for the profession.