Docs give thumbs down to JPJ scheme

Star: PETALING JAYA: Lack of consultation, unreasonable fees and possible abuse of privacy were some of the reasons various parties gave for their reservations on the Road Transport Department’s eKesihatan scheme.
The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) expressed surprise that JPJ managed to come out with a compulsory medical examination scheme for commercial vehicle drivers in such a short time.
Its president Datuk Dr Khoo Kah Lin, in a statement, said the MMA was “not sure if the procedure has been thought out well enough.”
“There may have been unscrupulous touts who have forged signatures and fake clinic stamps, but still this should not be the reason to impose another additional surcharge,” he said.
Those applying or renewing their goods driving, passenger service vehicle and conductor licences have to pay RM80 for the test. Previously they paid RM50 for new applications and RM10 for renewals.
Dr Khoo added that the appointment of a third party, namely gateway provider Supremme System Sdn Bhd, might have a “negative impact on public road safety while increasing cost.”
As all doctors in the country were registered with the Malaysian Medical Council, Dr Khoo said there was no need for a middle person to handle the re-registering of the doctors and to create a panel for this.
Federation of Private Medical Practitioners Associations Malaysia president Dr Steven Chow said doctors were not in favour of the scheme.
“The system restricts the accessibility of patients to medical care of their choice,” he said.
Dr Chow said that under the old system, general practitioners usually would charge RM50 for this examination and report, and there were no middleman charges at all.
“The company makes RM35 for every examination of a licence a year. In addition, the company makes extra income by charging doctors RM100 just to be registered with this service provider,” he said.
Primary Care Doctors Organisation representative Dr Mahendran Markandoo said what the medical profession needed was a gateway that was fully handled by medical practitioners.