Include donor pledge in MyKad

Star: KUALA LUMPUR: Chief High Priest of Malaysia Ven Rev K Sri Dhammaratana has suggested that information on organ pledges be included in MyKad to expedite organ extractions upon death.
“This is necessary as many organ donors have the tendency of losing their organ pledge cards.
“The information in MyKad would help to expedite organ extractions upon death and leave little room for objection or doubt from the next of kin,” he said yesterday.
Rev Dhammaratana said a donor would still need to sign a consent form to empower the authorities to extract his or her organs and another form to allow information of the pledge be made available to the National Registration Department.
“It would be better that a family member or relative be present when donors make their pledges.
“Upon death, it would be mandatory for the attending doctor to swipe the MyKad to verify if the deceased is a donor.
“If family members contest, the hospital authorities can always show them proof that someone in the family was aware of the voluntary pledge,” he said.
As of September last year, 99,000 people had pledged to donate their organs but Health Ministry parliamentary secretary Datuk Lee Kah Choon said many pledges had “gone to waste” due to family objections.
Council of Churches of Malaysia president Tan Sri Bishop Dr Lim Cheng Ean concurred with Rev Dhammaratana’s suggestion, saying “how it is done is up to an individual.”
Selangor exco member for religious affairs Datuk Abdul Rahman Palil said the third party witness of the organ donor should be her/his spouse or parents.
Hindu Sangam president Datuk A. Vaithilingam said donors should have an alternative option if they did not want information about the pledge be available on MyKad.