Friday, April 25, 2014

MMA says would seek axe for docs who amputate under hudud



KUALA LUMPUR, April 24 — The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) today vowed it will seek to disqualify surgeons who perform the unethical amputations on criminals convicted under hudud in Kelantan.
Datuk Dr NKS Tharmaseelan, the MMA president, criticised the Kelantan government’s plans to have surgeons to perform amputations on criminal offenders convicted under the strict Islamic penal code.
“I implore the Kelantan government to rethink getting surgeons to do the ‘menial’ task of implementing a law that is against medical ethics and practice,” he said in a statement.
As the World Health Organisation (WHO) has told doctors not to be a witness or certify the whipping and caning of criminals, Tharmaseelan said the amputation of criminals’ limbs would be even more “serious”.
“Asking a surgeon to perform amputation is far more serious and definitely is opposed by the MMA,” he said.
Tharmaseelan stressed that doctors are bound by their professional ethics to do no harm.
He said any surgeons who carry out amputations under hudud risk being ejected from the profession, as the MMA would report them to the Malaysian Medical Council for breach of ethics.
“This may lead to him being expelled from the medical register as a doctor. The MMA will also take action against him, and expel him from the association,” he added.

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