Star: SEREMBAN: The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) will not have to hold fresh elections after its successful appeal to the Home Ministry.
It is learnt that the body, which represents about 10,000 doctors in the country, can hold its next annual general meeting as scheduled in May without having to call for a re-election of office bearers for the 2011-2012 period.
Sources told The Star that the decision was conveyed to the MMA on Wednesday.
“This means the MMA will not have to declare null and void its election in May last year,” one of the sources said.
The Registrar of Societies deregistered the MMA in November last year after it failed to reply satisfactorily to a show-cause letter for flouting election-related regulations.
However, the deregistration was deferred by six months after an appeal from MMA.
Three of its former presidents had been pushing for MMA to hold fresh elections as they were concerned that the body would automatically be deregistered if it did not.
“From now on, they will have to abide by all rules and regulations, including provisions in the Societies Act and never to run foul of the law again,” a source said.
The charges against MMA included its failure to send out a complete list of candidates vying for positions seven weeks before the May AGM last year.
The MMA announced on its website that it had received a letter from the ministry dated Feb 29.
“Based on the decision of the appeal against the deregistration of MMA dated Nov 25, 2011, please be informed that the MMA should hold the AGM for 2012/2013 which will be conducted by the current executive committee (elected at the 2011/2012 AGM) within six months as directed by the minister,” its honorary general secretary Datuk Dr N.K.S. Tharmaseelan said.
Malaysian Medical News: keeping you up to date with news sourced from various online sites, put in one place for your convenience, with a searchable archive
Friday, March 02, 2012
TCM services at selected govt clinics this year
Star: KAJANG: Traditional and complementary medicine (TCM) services will be made available at selected government clinics this year.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said the ministry was compiling data and identifying locations for pilot projects.
“We initially plan to offer acupuncture treatment for patients with chronic pain as well as Malay traditional massage therapy for post-natal mothers,” he said at the opening ceremony of the private Hospital Sungai Long yesterday.
He first announced the ministry's plans to extend TCM services at the primary healthcare level in government clinics in January.
Currently, in the government sector, TCM units are only available at 10 major hospitals in 10 states.
“We will introduce it in big clinics first,” Liow said, adding that the ministry would likely introduce the service in cities where TCM units were available in nearby hospitals. “We may start in Johor Baru.”
Liow, who also launched the Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (Utar) part-time Bachelor of Chinese Medicine (Hons) programme at the event, said such part-time programmes could allow more flexibility for traditional Chinese medicine practitioners to further their studies.
Utar president Prof Datuk Dr Chuah Hean Teik explained that the five- to 10-year programme could help practitioners get the qualifications they may need when the TCM Bill is passed.
Liow said the ministry had already submitted the TCM Bill to the Attorney-General's chambers for review.
“We hope we can table it in Parliament for the first reading this month or in June,” said Liow.
The Bill, once passed, will outline minimum requirements for TCM practitioners to practise in the country.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said the ministry was compiling data and identifying locations for pilot projects.
“We initially plan to offer acupuncture treatment for patients with chronic pain as well as Malay traditional massage therapy for post-natal mothers,” he said at the opening ceremony of the private Hospital Sungai Long yesterday.
He first announced the ministry's plans to extend TCM services at the primary healthcare level in government clinics in January.
Currently, in the government sector, TCM units are only available at 10 major hospitals in 10 states.
“We will introduce it in big clinics first,” Liow said, adding that the ministry would likely introduce the service in cities where TCM units were available in nearby hospitals. “We may start in Johor Baru.”
Liow, who also launched the Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (Utar) part-time Bachelor of Chinese Medicine (Hons) programme at the event, said such part-time programmes could allow more flexibility for traditional Chinese medicine practitioners to further their studies.
Utar president Prof Datuk Dr Chuah Hean Teik explained that the five- to 10-year programme could help practitioners get the qualifications they may need when the TCM Bill is passed.
Liow said the ministry had already submitted the TCM Bill to the Attorney-General's chambers for review.
“We hope we can table it in Parliament for the first reading this month or in June,” said Liow.
The Bill, once passed, will outline minimum requirements for TCM practitioners to practise in the country.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Mahsa ticked off for ‘misleading’ ad
FMT PETALING JAYA: PSM central committee member Dr D Michael Jeyakumar took former Health Ministry director-general Ismail Merican to task over Mahsa University College’s (Mahsa) full-page advertisement in an English daily for its nursing diploma programme.
“Mahsa and its pro-chancellor are being highly irresponsible in taking out a full-page advertisement in the Sunday Star to entice parents to send their children to a course where there is now a gross over-supply.
“If Mahsa and its pro-chancellor took out the full-page statement despite knowing these facts, then their action crosses the line demarcating irresponsible from despicable,” Jeyakumar said in a press statement yesterday.
Ismail is also Mahsa College’s pro-chancellor and chairman.
Jeyakumar revealed that the Health Ministry does not recruit a large number of nursing graduates from private colleges.
“In the five years from 2006 till 2010, only 993 graduates from private nursing colleges were offered jobs by the government, which works out to fewer than 200 a year,” said Jeyakumar, who is also Sungai Siput MP.
He added that those in the nursing industry had told him that annually 7% of the nurses needed to be replaced.
As of December 2010, there were 69,110 staff nurses. Of this, 47,992 are in the government service and 21,118 in the private sector.
“Seven percent (in the private sector) is equivalent to 1,478 vacancies. Annually there are 12,000 graduates but 10,332 will not get job placements for the next few years,” Jeyakumar said.
A challenge to Mahsa
Jeyakumar was piqued by Ismail’s claim that Malaysia needs thousands more nurses to achieve a 1:200 nurse-to-patient ratio, which is the World Health Organisation criteria for a developed nation.
“It reveals extremely muddled thinking or is it a cynical attempt to mislead people? His [Ismail's] assertion seems to imply that Mahsa is contributing to Malaysia becoming a developed nation by training more nurses,” Jeyakumar said.
He said that the ratio can be achieved in advanced countries as they had more health institutions and specialised nursing programmes for specific ailments unlike Malaysia.
He also accused Mahsa and Ismail of promoting the nursing course to rake in profits in the form of National Higher Education Loan (PTPTN) funds.
“Mahsa and the other private colleges can earn an average of RM25,000 from PTPTN loans that the Higher Education Ministry unquestioningly approves for each of the students registered in the nursing programme.
“Let’s face facts… this is the motivating factor for your [Mahsa's] nurses training programme, it’s neither nationalistic nor altruistic,” said the physician-turned-politician.
Jeyakumar dared the college to secure jobs for its nursing graduates and repay students’ loans in the event graduates do not get a job.
“Until this employment problem faced by Mahsa graduates can be solved, the only decent thing Mahsa and its pro-chancellor can do is to stop taking in any more students for the nursing diploma course,” he added.
“Mahsa and its pro-chancellor are being highly irresponsible in taking out a full-page advertisement in the Sunday Star to entice parents to send their children to a course where there is now a gross over-supply.
“If Mahsa and its pro-chancellor took out the full-page statement despite knowing these facts, then their action crosses the line demarcating irresponsible from despicable,” Jeyakumar said in a press statement yesterday.
Ismail is also Mahsa College’s pro-chancellor and chairman.
Jeyakumar revealed that the Health Ministry does not recruit a large number of nursing graduates from private colleges.
“In the five years from 2006 till 2010, only 993 graduates from private nursing colleges were offered jobs by the government, which works out to fewer than 200 a year,” said Jeyakumar, who is also Sungai Siput MP.
He added that those in the nursing industry had told him that annually 7% of the nurses needed to be replaced.
As of December 2010, there were 69,110 staff nurses. Of this, 47,992 are in the government service and 21,118 in the private sector.
“Seven percent (in the private sector) is equivalent to 1,478 vacancies. Annually there are 12,000 graduates but 10,332 will not get job placements for the next few years,” Jeyakumar said.
A challenge to Mahsa
Jeyakumar was piqued by Ismail’s claim that Malaysia needs thousands more nurses to achieve a 1:200 nurse-to-patient ratio, which is the World Health Organisation criteria for a developed nation.
“It reveals extremely muddled thinking or is it a cynical attempt to mislead people? His [Ismail's] assertion seems to imply that Mahsa is contributing to Malaysia becoming a developed nation by training more nurses,” Jeyakumar said.
He said that the ratio can be achieved in advanced countries as they had more health institutions and specialised nursing programmes for specific ailments unlike Malaysia.
He also accused Mahsa and Ismail of promoting the nursing course to rake in profits in the form of National Higher Education Loan (PTPTN) funds.
“Mahsa and the other private colleges can earn an average of RM25,000 from PTPTN loans that the Higher Education Ministry unquestioningly approves for each of the students registered in the nursing programme.
“Let’s face facts… this is the motivating factor for your [Mahsa's] nurses training programme, it’s neither nationalistic nor altruistic,” said the physician-turned-politician.
Jeyakumar dared the college to secure jobs for its nursing graduates and repay students’ loans in the event graduates do not get a job.
“Until this employment problem faced by Mahsa graduates can be solved, the only decent thing Mahsa and its pro-chancellor can do is to stop taking in any more students for the nursing diploma course,” he added.
Doctor in video loses job
AsiaOne KOTA KINABALU - An Egyptian doctor allegedly involved in an assault case at a backpackers' lodge here has lost his job at an interior government hospital.
State Health director Dr Yusof Ibrahim said the doctor was dismissed for his below par performance and it had nothing to do with the alleged assault on two Malaysian women and a Canadian tourist.
"Our specialists have assessed his performance and established that he could not perform up to our standards and so, his services were terminated," he said, adding that a letter had been submitted to the Health Ministry recommending the termination.
It is learnt that the doctor was in Sabah for the last eight months and had been serving at an interior hospital.
Dr Yusof said there was also feedback that the doctor could not get along with the other medical staff.
A video was uploaded on YouTube showing a man flying into a rage after purportedly seeing Canadian Daniel Gunn kissing his girlfriend on the cheek at the lodge.
The Egyptian took out his frustration on a female lodge employee by slapping her in the face with a plastic bag, prompting the couple to come to her aid.
The Arab man was then seen moving to attack Gunn's girlfriend and Gunn, who recorded the video of the incident.
Sabah Commissioner of Police Datuk Hamza Taib said police had completed investigations into the case and submitted the papers to the Senior Federal Counsel.
"We are waiting for further instructions on the next course of action," he said.
State Health director Dr Yusof Ibrahim said the doctor was dismissed for his below par performance and it had nothing to do with the alleged assault on two Malaysian women and a Canadian tourist.
"Our specialists have assessed his performance and established that he could not perform up to our standards and so, his services were terminated," he said, adding that a letter had been submitted to the Health Ministry recommending the termination.
It is learnt that the doctor was in Sabah for the last eight months and had been serving at an interior hospital.
Dr Yusof said there was also feedback that the doctor could not get along with the other medical staff.
A video was uploaded on YouTube showing a man flying into a rage after purportedly seeing Canadian Daniel Gunn kissing his girlfriend on the cheek at the lodge.
The Egyptian took out his frustration on a female lodge employee by slapping her in the face with a plastic bag, prompting the couple to come to her aid.
The Arab man was then seen moving to attack Gunn's girlfriend and Gunn, who recorded the video of the incident.
Sabah Commissioner of Police Datuk Hamza Taib said police had completed investigations into the case and submitted the papers to the Senior Federal Counsel.
"We are waiting for further instructions on the next course of action," he said.
Privatisation of Healthcare Turns Election Issue
IPS KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 26 (IPS) – A plan by the Malaysian government to privatise its public healthcare system and get consumers to pay for it through salary cuts is rapidly turning into a major election issue.
Whistleblower doctors let the cat out of the bag this month by sharing details of ‘Icare’ that the government had shared with doctors and select stakeholders.
Currently, the government pays Malaysian ringitt 34 billion (11.2 billion dollars) annually for a healthcare scheme that it wants to pass on to consumers under ‘Health Care Financing’ that the public and conscientious doctors are opposing.
These doctors are fundamentally opposed to any scheme that requires citizens to pay a part of their earnings – in this case 10 percent of net monthly wages – if the cost of health financing is passed on to consumers.
The existing system, which consists of a network of government hospitals and clinics and caregivers throughout the country, provides cheap, affordable and effective healthcare.
“Why fix something that is working reasonably well,” said Dr. Ng Swee Choon, deputy president of the Private Medical Practitioners Association, a group of doctors opposed to Icare.
“Malaysia has excellent healthcare coverage as nearly 90 percent of the people stay within a five km distance from a government-run clinic or hospital,” he said.
Ng told a Feb. 18 forum that the World Health Organisation (WHO) had acknowledged in its annual report of 2007 that Malaysia had an effective and efficient healthcare system and had rated the service “excellent”.
Currently, 4.7 percent of the GDP is set aside for healthcare, way below the WHO recommendation of eight or nine percent.
“It’s more important to increase the bill of healthcare as a percentage of GDP than to go and change the system,” said another activist doctor T. Jayabalan.
The government is moving away from providing nearly free healthcare to a financing scheme that will be paid for by all citizens, he said.
The government, however, says healthcare is getting more expensive by the day and believes that a better option is one that is financed by citizens.
“Everybody is entitled to equal healthcare…there won’t be a private or government distinction,” said health minister Liow Tiong Lai of a scheme in which people contribute monthly in return for getting best medical care available.
Currently, those who can afford it patronise the expensive, well-equipped private hospitals that have sprung up all over the country while others make do with crowded government hospitals that are under-equipped and under-staffed.
Icare is expected to pool resources under the National Health Corporation (NHC) that will foot the medical bills, assign the sick to a doctor and regulate treatment according to a fixed schedule.
Many people are not confident about giving a part of their wages to a government-managed NHC and fear it will be mismanaged and overtaken by cronyism and nepotism, like other public sector outfits.
“We fear pilferage and that other forms of corruption would overtake the scheme,” said Dr. Michael Jeyakumar, a lawmaker from the small Parti Sosialist Malaysia.
“Right now the government is simply telling the people to wait quietly for them to tell what is best for them,” he said. “This type of top-down policy does not work anymore,” he said.
Health minister Liow came forward last week to say the opposition is spreading “false” details to confuse the public about Icare.
He said the assertion that 10 percent of salary would be mandatory to finance Icare is false. “I myself will oppose the scheme if that is the case,” Liow told The Star daily on Feb. 19.
But neither the health ministry nor Prime Minister Najib Razak have accepted a challenge from the opposition to release all the details.
The government has asked Malaysians not to speculate about Icare and reserve judgment for when the system has been given a chance to develop.
The opposition Pakatan Rakyat has urged the people to vote out the ruling Barisan Nasional or National Front. “The Front cannot be trusted with the people’s money,” said Jeyakumar.
The opposition has rejected Icare as exploitative and is using the issue as campaign fodder for elections that are due by April 2013.
A top-down planning system is the hallmark of the National Front which has ruled the country since independence in 1957 and is dominated by the powerful United Malay National Organisation party.
Moves to privatise state-run public healthcare can damage the National Front which has projected itself as the protector of the socio-economic interests of its main constituency, the rural Malays.
Voters rejected the Barisan Nasional’s hold on power in the 2008 general election when nearly 49 percent abandoned the Front in favour of the incipient Pakatan Rakyat opposition coalition led by Anwar Ibrahim, a former deputy prime minister in the Front government.
The Pakatan Rakyat and the National Front are nearly equally matched for a return match in their contest for state power in a general election that is widely expected to be called mid-year.
“Many members of the public are unaware of the implications of the scheme,” opposition legislator Charles Santiago told IPS.
“The federal government argues that Icare will make healthcare more affordable and its delivery more efficient to the public,” said Santiago.
“But they are actually privatising our healthcare services through a social health insurance scheme that will only further burden the people, especially the poor,” said Santiago who has started an awareness campaign in his constituency of Klang, 30 km west of the capital.
Whistleblower doctors let the cat out of the bag this month by sharing details of ‘Icare’ that the government had shared with doctors and select stakeholders.
Currently, the government pays Malaysian ringitt 34 billion (11.2 billion dollars) annually for a healthcare scheme that it wants to pass on to consumers under ‘Health Care Financing’ that the public and conscientious doctors are opposing.
These doctors are fundamentally opposed to any scheme that requires citizens to pay a part of their earnings – in this case 10 percent of net monthly wages – if the cost of health financing is passed on to consumers.
The existing system, which consists of a network of government hospitals and clinics and caregivers throughout the country, provides cheap, affordable and effective healthcare.
“Why fix something that is working reasonably well,” said Dr. Ng Swee Choon, deputy president of the Private Medical Practitioners Association, a group of doctors opposed to Icare.
“Malaysia has excellent healthcare coverage as nearly 90 percent of the people stay within a five km distance from a government-run clinic or hospital,” he said.
Ng told a Feb. 18 forum that the World Health Organisation (WHO) had acknowledged in its annual report of 2007 that Malaysia had an effective and efficient healthcare system and had rated the service “excellent”.
Currently, 4.7 percent of the GDP is set aside for healthcare, way below the WHO recommendation of eight or nine percent.
“It’s more important to increase the bill of healthcare as a percentage of GDP than to go and change the system,” said another activist doctor T. Jayabalan.
The government is moving away from providing nearly free healthcare to a financing scheme that will be paid for by all citizens, he said.
The government, however, says healthcare is getting more expensive by the day and believes that a better option is one that is financed by citizens.
“Everybody is entitled to equal healthcare…there won’t be a private or government distinction,” said health minister Liow Tiong Lai of a scheme in which people contribute monthly in return for getting best medical care available.
Currently, those who can afford it patronise the expensive, well-equipped private hospitals that have sprung up all over the country while others make do with crowded government hospitals that are under-equipped and under-staffed.
Icare is expected to pool resources under the National Health Corporation (NHC) that will foot the medical bills, assign the sick to a doctor and regulate treatment according to a fixed schedule.
Many people are not confident about giving a part of their wages to a government-managed NHC and fear it will be mismanaged and overtaken by cronyism and nepotism, like other public sector outfits.
“We fear pilferage and that other forms of corruption would overtake the scheme,” said Dr. Michael Jeyakumar, a lawmaker from the small Parti Sosialist Malaysia.
“Right now the government is simply telling the people to wait quietly for them to tell what is best for them,” he said. “This type of top-down policy does not work anymore,” he said.
Health minister Liow came forward last week to say the opposition is spreading “false” details to confuse the public about Icare.
He said the assertion that 10 percent of salary would be mandatory to finance Icare is false. “I myself will oppose the scheme if that is the case,” Liow told The Star daily on Feb. 19.
But neither the health ministry nor Prime Minister Najib Razak have accepted a challenge from the opposition to release all the details.
The government has asked Malaysians not to speculate about Icare and reserve judgment for when the system has been given a chance to develop.
The opposition Pakatan Rakyat has urged the people to vote out the ruling Barisan Nasional or National Front. “The Front cannot be trusted with the people’s money,” said Jeyakumar.
The opposition has rejected Icare as exploitative and is using the issue as campaign fodder for elections that are due by April 2013.
A top-down planning system is the hallmark of the National Front which has ruled the country since independence in 1957 and is dominated by the powerful United Malay National Organisation party.
Moves to privatise state-run public healthcare can damage the National Front which has projected itself as the protector of the socio-economic interests of its main constituency, the rural Malays.
Voters rejected the Barisan Nasional’s hold on power in the 2008 general election when nearly 49 percent abandoned the Front in favour of the incipient Pakatan Rakyat opposition coalition led by Anwar Ibrahim, a former deputy prime minister in the Front government.
The Pakatan Rakyat and the National Front are nearly equally matched for a return match in their contest for state power in a general election that is widely expected to be called mid-year.
“Many members of the public are unaware of the implications of the scheme,” opposition legislator Charles Santiago told IPS.
“The federal government argues that Icare will make healthcare more affordable and its delivery more efficient to the public,” said Santiago.
“But they are actually privatising our healthcare services through a social health insurance scheme that will only further burden the people, especially the poor,” said Santiago who has started an awareness campaign in his constituency of Klang, 30 km west of the capital.
KPJ in excellent health with robust 4Q results, aggressive expansion growth Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2012/02/28/kpj-in-excellent-healt
Borneo Post KUCHING: KPJ Healthcare Bhd (KPJ) is on solid ground as seen by its latest quarterly results, solid fundamentals and aggressive expansion plans to provide healthcare to the ever-growing Malaysian healthcare segment moving forward.
The group’s fourth quarter financial year 2011 (4QFY11) core net profit of RM39.5 million, up 62.6 per cent year-on-year (y-o-y) and 20 per cent quarter-on-quarter (q-o-q) came in within expectations, making 102 per cent of consensus full-year estimates.
Revenue for FY11 came in at RM1.89 billion, yielding a y-o-y jump of 14.3 per cent, driven by the higher number of patients and heightened activities at its hospitals.
Q-o-q, revenue grew by 6.4 per cent due to higher number of in-patients and out-patients throughout KPJ’s hospitals across Malaysia.
Due to a better utilisation rate per patient, 4Q core earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) margin expanded by 0.5 percentage point q-o-q to 10 per cent from 9.5 per cent in the 3Q.
OSK Research Sdn Bhd (OSK Research) opined in a research report, “Moving forward, we expect the group’s hospital in Jakarta to register further improvement in its financial performance, driven by growing recognition of its brand, which will enable it to draw a higher number of patients.
“The counter is an excellent long term investment and the current price weakness presents a good opportunity to accumulate KPJ shares.”
In a concurrent report, RHB Research Sdn Bhd (RHB Research) noted, “KPJ is on track to open three hospitals (two new hospitals and one replacement) this year. It is set to open its first phase (comprising 90 beds) of the 200-bed Bandar Baru Klang Specialist by 1H (first half) FY12 while construction of the Pasir Gudang hospital is targeted for completion by end-2012.
“In addition, we understand that the construction of the first phase (comprising 100 beds) of the new Sabah Medical Centre (replacement to the existing facility) would be completed in 2HFY12 and thus, should begin contributing from 2HFY12 onwards.
“We view the company’s aggressive growth strategy of two new hospitals per annum positively given its high occupancy rate of 70 to 75 per cent currently (optimum level at 80 per cent) and the need to accommodate the growing number of patients.
“We remain positive on KPJ’s aggressive expansion plans which should help it maintain its dominance in Malaysia’s growing healthcare market. In addition, we expect the stock to benefit from a possible sector rerating from the listing of IHH in mid-2012.”
RHB Research noted the risks to KPJ’s earnings including lower than expected patient numbers which could be due to slower-than-expected economic recovery and serious disease outbreaks (such as SARS or swine flu) in Malaysia as well as slower than expected turnaround in loss-making hospitals.
The group declared a third interim gross dividend per share (DPS) of 2.5 sen (less 25 per cent tax), bringing the year-to-date net DPS to 12.4 sen, thus translating to a net payout of 55.8 per cent and net yield of 2.6 per cent respectively.
OSK Research maintained the fair value pegging at RM5.84 per share, based on 23.1 times price earnings ratio (PER) on FY12 earnings per share.
Likewise, RHB Research made no change to its fair value derivation of RM5.09 per share, which was based on an unchanged 2012 PER of 20.5 times.
The group’s fourth quarter financial year 2011 (4QFY11) core net profit of RM39.5 million, up 62.6 per cent year-on-year (y-o-y) and 20 per cent quarter-on-quarter (q-o-q) came in within expectations, making 102 per cent of consensus full-year estimates.
Revenue for FY11 came in at RM1.89 billion, yielding a y-o-y jump of 14.3 per cent, driven by the higher number of patients and heightened activities at its hospitals.
Q-o-q, revenue grew by 6.4 per cent due to higher number of in-patients and out-patients throughout KPJ’s hospitals across Malaysia.
Due to a better utilisation rate per patient, 4Q core earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) margin expanded by 0.5 percentage point q-o-q to 10 per cent from 9.5 per cent in the 3Q.
OSK Research Sdn Bhd (OSK Research) opined in a research report, “Moving forward, we expect the group’s hospital in Jakarta to register further improvement in its financial performance, driven by growing recognition of its brand, which will enable it to draw a higher number of patients.
“The counter is an excellent long term investment and the current price weakness presents a good opportunity to accumulate KPJ shares.”
In a concurrent report, RHB Research Sdn Bhd (RHB Research) noted, “KPJ is on track to open three hospitals (two new hospitals and one replacement) this year. It is set to open its first phase (comprising 90 beds) of the 200-bed Bandar Baru Klang Specialist by 1H (first half) FY12 while construction of the Pasir Gudang hospital is targeted for completion by end-2012.
“In addition, we understand that the construction of the first phase (comprising 100 beds) of the new Sabah Medical Centre (replacement to the existing facility) would be completed in 2HFY12 and thus, should begin contributing from 2HFY12 onwards.
“We view the company’s aggressive growth strategy of two new hospitals per annum positively given its high occupancy rate of 70 to 75 per cent currently (optimum level at 80 per cent) and the need to accommodate the growing number of patients.
“We remain positive on KPJ’s aggressive expansion plans which should help it maintain its dominance in Malaysia’s growing healthcare market. In addition, we expect the stock to benefit from a possible sector rerating from the listing of IHH in mid-2012.”
RHB Research noted the risks to KPJ’s earnings including lower than expected patient numbers which could be due to slower-than-expected economic recovery and serious disease outbreaks (such as SARS or swine flu) in Malaysia as well as slower than expected turnaround in loss-making hospitals.
The group declared a third interim gross dividend per share (DPS) of 2.5 sen (less 25 per cent tax), bringing the year-to-date net DPS to 12.4 sen, thus translating to a net payout of 55.8 per cent and net yield of 2.6 per cent respectively.
OSK Research maintained the fair value pegging at RM5.84 per share, based on 23.1 times price earnings ratio (PER) on FY12 earnings per share.
Likewise, RHB Research made no change to its fair value derivation of RM5.09 per share, which was based on an unchanged 2012 PER of 20.5 times.
We did not cut HIV cash aid
FTM KUALA LUMPUR: The Health Ministry denied that funds for HIV/AIDS-related social work had been cut earlier this year.
Its minister, Liow Tiong Lai, said that these funds – needed by many NGOs to do their work – were merely delayed.
“There is no such decision (to cut the funding)… when I checked…We didn’t cut any funding for any communicable disease,” he told reporters at the Putra World Trade Centre today.
He was responding to claims by several HIV/AIDS-related NGOs which complained that their funds had been cut, forcing many of them to sack their workers and abandon their programmes.
Since 2006, the Health Ministry had been giving a certain sum of money to the Malaysian AIDS Council (MAC) for the purposes of combating the spread of HIV/AIDS in the country.
The MAC would then disburse these funds to the many NGOs under its wing.
The NGOs would then use this money to counsel infected patients, as well as distribute items such as condoms and lubricants to sex workers.
They would also help with transgenders, drug users and children born with the virus.
(It is not clear how much the ministry gives the MAC. However, it is believed that the amount is a substantial figure.)
Earlier this year, the ministry allegedly cut its funding for these NGOs, forcing some to say goodbye to their workers.
This, was apparently done without warning, and has since raised alarm bells for the HIV/AIDS-affected community.
Liow maintained, however, that some of the programmes were merely delayed, and that the amount of funds had not changed.
“Only certain programmes may be delayed, so the funding is not there. It’s not because of funding that the programme has been delayed. Sometimes the programme is delayed, then the funding didn’t come down.”
“Once the programme continues, then the funding (will also) continue. We didn’t cut any funding,” he said.
He added that the government disbursed its funding according to the separate programmes.
“So whatever funding given to the MAC would be the same. Only that numbers may be different for different programmes,” he said.
The MAC is expected to meet with the ministry over the matter in the near future.
Its minister, Liow Tiong Lai, said that these funds – needed by many NGOs to do their work – were merely delayed.
“There is no such decision (to cut the funding)… when I checked…We didn’t cut any funding for any communicable disease,” he told reporters at the Putra World Trade Centre today.
He was responding to claims by several HIV/AIDS-related NGOs which complained that their funds had been cut, forcing many of them to sack their workers and abandon their programmes.
Since 2006, the Health Ministry had been giving a certain sum of money to the Malaysian AIDS Council (MAC) for the purposes of combating the spread of HIV/AIDS in the country.
The MAC would then disburse these funds to the many NGOs under its wing.
The NGOs would then use this money to counsel infected patients, as well as distribute items such as condoms and lubricants to sex workers.
They would also help with transgenders, drug users and children born with the virus.
(It is not clear how much the ministry gives the MAC. However, it is believed that the amount is a substantial figure.)
Earlier this year, the ministry allegedly cut its funding for these NGOs, forcing some to say goodbye to their workers.
This, was apparently done without warning, and has since raised alarm bells for the HIV/AIDS-affected community.
Liow maintained, however, that some of the programmes were merely delayed, and that the amount of funds had not changed.
“Only certain programmes may be delayed, so the funding is not there. It’s not because of funding that the programme has been delayed. Sometimes the programme is delayed, then the funding didn’t come down.”
“Once the programme continues, then the funding (will also) continue. We didn’t cut any funding,” he said.
He added that the government disbursed its funding according to the separate programmes.
“So whatever funding given to the MAC would be the same. Only that numbers may be different for different programmes,” he said.
The MAC is expected to meet with the ministry over the matter in the near future.
Sex education helps young be responsible
Star WITHOUT access to sexuality education and sexual and reproductive health services, adolescents and youth, especially girls, face daunting reproductive and sexual health problems: unintended pregnancies, unsafe abortions, maternal mortality and morbidity, violence, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including HIV, exploitation, and discrimination on the basis of gender or sexual orientation.
As in many countries, some 60% of the population of Malaysia is under 25 years of age.
Evidence shows that sexuality education programmes have a positive effect on initiation of sex, frequency of sex, number of sexual partners, condom use and other sexual behaviours that can prevent negative sexual and reproductive health outcomes.
Sexuality education also enables them to make informed decisions when they become young adults later in preventing unintended pregnancies, baby dumping and getting STIs.
While it is desirable for parents to provide sexuality education to their children, many parents dread it, and some rely on available educational materials.
Parental guidance is one of the most influential means in getting messages across to the children especially when it is delivered with warmth and openness.
Children are curious and naive, they keep looking for answers until they are satisfied. Therefore, parents have to be prepared with sufficient and appropriate information to educate their children.
The book Where Did I Come From? represents a good resource. It should not be brushed away. As long as sex education is presented in a wholesome manner – its biological and moral aspects intact – to the young, there is less danger of children becoming prey to irresponsible adults or sexual perverts. We need to teach our young to protect them, not to expose them to irresponsible sex.
Changing social conditions, rapid urbanisation, and an early start to puberty and delays in marriage, the accelerated spread of information and communication technologies across cultural boundaries, and the gradual decline of extended families have all contributed to changes in relationships and sexual behaviours among young people.
All these have prompted the Federation of Reproductive Health Associations Malaysia (FRHAM) to develop a comprehensive module called Reproductive Health of Adolescent Module.
FRHAM, as a leading sexual and reproductive health NGO, has partnered with relevant organisations in conducting numerous training sessions on how to use the module and has reached out to many young people in the country in improving their knowledge and skills with regard to issues on sexuality.
We strongly believe that it is important to inform and educate children so that they can make informed and responsible decisions in their life.
Dr KAMARUZAMAN ALI,
Secretary-General,
Federation of Reproductive Health Associations Malaysia.
As in many countries, some 60% of the population of Malaysia is under 25 years of age.
Evidence shows that sexuality education programmes have a positive effect on initiation of sex, frequency of sex, number of sexual partners, condom use and other sexual behaviours that can prevent negative sexual and reproductive health outcomes.
Sexuality education also enables them to make informed decisions when they become young adults later in preventing unintended pregnancies, baby dumping and getting STIs.
While it is desirable for parents to provide sexuality education to their children, many parents dread it, and some rely on available educational materials.
Parental guidance is one of the most influential means in getting messages across to the children especially when it is delivered with warmth and openness.
Children are curious and naive, they keep looking for answers until they are satisfied. Therefore, parents have to be prepared with sufficient and appropriate information to educate their children.
The book Where Did I Come From? represents a good resource. It should not be brushed away. As long as sex education is presented in a wholesome manner – its biological and moral aspects intact – to the young, there is less danger of children becoming prey to irresponsible adults or sexual perverts. We need to teach our young to protect them, not to expose them to irresponsible sex.
Changing social conditions, rapid urbanisation, and an early start to puberty and delays in marriage, the accelerated spread of information and communication technologies across cultural boundaries, and the gradual decline of extended families have all contributed to changes in relationships and sexual behaviours among young people.
All these have prompted the Federation of Reproductive Health Associations Malaysia (FRHAM) to develop a comprehensive module called Reproductive Health of Adolescent Module.
FRHAM, as a leading sexual and reproductive health NGO, has partnered with relevant organisations in conducting numerous training sessions on how to use the module and has reached out to many young people in the country in improving their knowledge and skills with regard to issues on sexuality.
We strongly believe that it is important to inform and educate children so that they can make informed and responsible decisions in their life.
Dr KAMARUZAMAN ALI,
Secretary-General,
Federation of Reproductive Health Associations Malaysia.
Rules for those who perform aesthetic ops
Star: KUALA LUMPUR: Guidelines are being finalised to provide a clearer definition on the jobs that can be carried out by beauticians, specialists and general practitioners who perform aesthetic surgeries, said Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai.
He said the ministry's guidelines, which would be ready by the first quarter of the year, would specify what beauticians, general practitioners and specialists, including dermatologists and plastic surgeons, were allowed to carry out on their clients.
A committee, made up of dermatologists, plastic surgeons, general practitioners and ministry officials, was also finalising the syllabus of a short course that general practitioners were required to attend should they intend to carry out aesthetic surgeries in their clinics.
“This will be a special skills course that is different from normal medical courses. It will deal with issues related to skin and beauty,” he told reporters after the opening ceremony of Beauty Professional 2012 here yesterday.
Liow said there was a growing demand for aesthetic surgeries among Malaysians, thus the course would better prepare general practitioners who offered such services.
“It will also help the ministry to not just regulate but also monitor practitioners who offer such services,” he said.
Liow also urged the cosmetics industry to set up a panel to self-regulate its products and practitioners to ensure that the services they provided were safe and of quality.
“The industry must ensure that the marketing and advertising of cosmetics are conducted in an ethical manner that promotes proper use of its products,” he said.
“It certainly must not mislead or deceive the consumers through fantastic or optimistic claims.”
He said it was important to show the public that the industry was voluntarily doing the right thing to ensure the safety of its products as this would help the industry gain public trust and brand loyalty.
On the number of hand, foot and mouth disease cases in Sarawak, Liow said there was an accumulated number of 1,231 cases since January, which is an increase of 936 cases compared with 295 cases during the same period last year.
“The situation in the state is stable. Most of the patients showed mild symptoms of the disease,” he said.
Liow added that among the cases, 80 of them were clustered cases that happened in families, nurseries, kindergartens and primary schools.
He said Kuching still recorded the highest number of cases at 449, followed by Bintulu (202), Samarahan (119) and Betong (107).
“Of all the samples that we have taken so far, 87% of them are EV71 positive while the rest are Coxsackie A16 positive,” he said.
He said the ministry's guidelines, which would be ready by the first quarter of the year, would specify what beauticians, general practitioners and specialists, including dermatologists and plastic surgeons, were allowed to carry out on their clients.
A committee, made up of dermatologists, plastic surgeons, general practitioners and ministry officials, was also finalising the syllabus of a short course that general practitioners were required to attend should they intend to carry out aesthetic surgeries in their clinics.
“This will be a special skills course that is different from normal medical courses. It will deal with issues related to skin and beauty,” he told reporters after the opening ceremony of Beauty Professional 2012 here yesterday.
Liow said there was a growing demand for aesthetic surgeries among Malaysians, thus the course would better prepare general practitioners who offered such services.
“It will also help the ministry to not just regulate but also monitor practitioners who offer such services,” he said.
Liow also urged the cosmetics industry to set up a panel to self-regulate its products and practitioners to ensure that the services they provided were safe and of quality.
“The industry must ensure that the marketing and advertising of cosmetics are conducted in an ethical manner that promotes proper use of its products,” he said.
“It certainly must not mislead or deceive the consumers through fantastic or optimistic claims.”
He said it was important to show the public that the industry was voluntarily doing the right thing to ensure the safety of its products as this would help the industry gain public trust and brand loyalty.
On the number of hand, foot and mouth disease cases in Sarawak, Liow said there was an accumulated number of 1,231 cases since January, which is an increase of 936 cases compared with 295 cases during the same period last year.
“The situation in the state is stable. Most of the patients showed mild symptoms of the disease,” he said.
Liow added that among the cases, 80 of them were clustered cases that happened in families, nurseries, kindergartens and primary schools.
He said Kuching still recorded the highest number of cases at 449, followed by Bintulu (202), Samarahan (119) and Betong (107).
“Of all the samples that we have taken so far, 87% of them are EV71 positive while the rest are Coxsackie A16 positive,” he said.
Monday, February 27, 2012
Focus on health of commercial vehicle drivers
The Star IN a joint study with the Road Safety Department (JKJR), the Sleep Disorder Society Malaysia (SDSM) found that 30% of bus drivers are affected by sleep disorders.
Its president Dr Muhammad Muhsin Ahmad Zahari said 8% had chronic conditions and needed to be treated first before they could resume driving.
More shocking discoveries would be unearthed if similar studies were conducted on the mental and physical health of those driving lorries, buses and taxis.
Commercial vehicle drivers are required to renew their Goods Driving Licence (GDL) or Public Service Vehicle (PSV) licence annually at the Road Transport Department (JPJ).
The renewal form must be stamped and signed by a medical practitioner who has examined the applicant to certify he or she is fit to drive a commercial vehicle.
However, GDL and PSV licences are swiftly renewed at JPJ without the authenticity of the signatures being checked.
It is no surprise if 50% of commercial vehicle drivers fail a stringent medical examination, especially if drug and eye tests are included.
Many of them are overweight or obese and suffer from hypertension, diabetes and other lifestyle diseases.
Many are likely to be dehydrated and constipated for working long hours behind the wheel. Some binge on food and cigarettes during breaks.
If a National Health Service scheme were in place, they would be among the 20% of the population that would gobble up 80% of the expenditure.
If all unhealthy commercial vehicle drivers are taken off the road, our road public transport will be crippled. It will also be unnecessarily cruel to them and their families.
As such, the various authorities such as JKJR, JPJ and the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) should institute measures to promote the health of these drivers as part of an overall road safety campaign.
The initiative by SDSM ought to be lauded, and for every driver treated for chronic sleep disorder it is as good as having a time bomb removed from our roads.
Y.S. CHAN,
Kuala Lumpur.
Its president Dr Muhammad Muhsin Ahmad Zahari said 8% had chronic conditions and needed to be treated first before they could resume driving.
More shocking discoveries would be unearthed if similar studies were conducted on the mental and physical health of those driving lorries, buses and taxis.
Commercial vehicle drivers are required to renew their Goods Driving Licence (GDL) or Public Service Vehicle (PSV) licence annually at the Road Transport Department (JPJ).
The renewal form must be stamped and signed by a medical practitioner who has examined the applicant to certify he or she is fit to drive a commercial vehicle.
However, GDL and PSV licences are swiftly renewed at JPJ without the authenticity of the signatures being checked.
It is no surprise if 50% of commercial vehicle drivers fail a stringent medical examination, especially if drug and eye tests are included.
Many of them are overweight or obese and suffer from hypertension, diabetes and other lifestyle diseases.
Many are likely to be dehydrated and constipated for working long hours behind the wheel. Some binge on food and cigarettes during breaks.
If a National Health Service scheme were in place, they would be among the 20% of the population that would gobble up 80% of the expenditure.
If all unhealthy commercial vehicle drivers are taken off the road, our road public transport will be crippled. It will also be unnecessarily cruel to them and their families.
As such, the various authorities such as JKJR, JPJ and the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) should institute measures to promote the health of these drivers as part of an overall road safety campaign.
The initiative by SDSM ought to be lauded, and for every driver treated for chronic sleep disorder it is as good as having a time bomb removed from our roads.
Y.S. CHAN,
Kuala Lumpur.
Medical tourism in the pink of health
BT Medical tourism in Malaysia hit record levels in 2011 and is on track to achieve yet another year of healthy numbers in 2012.
Receipts from foreign patients spending on medical treatment in Malaysia 2011 stood at RM509.77 million, while foreign patients count was 578,403.
Chief executive officer of the Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC) Dr Mary Wong Lai Lin said the 2011 revenue had grown by 34.5 per cent, while the number of patients had swelled by 47.2 per cent compared to 2010.
These figures were well above the initial projection of RM431 million revenue projected to be spent by 400,000 foreign patients.
Accordingly, an upward revision for the 2012 projection (which was made in the third quarter of 2011) will be made.
MHTC had forecast revenue from medical tourism to reach RM548 million from a total of 600,000 patience. MHTC was established under the Ministry of Health Malaysia as the primary agency to develop and promote the healthcare travel industry and position Malaysia as the healthcare destination of choice in the region.
Medical tourism receipts are separate from tourist receipts, which are tabulated by the Tourism Ministry. A total of 41 hospitals and eight ambulatory care centres (dental, eye, health screening centres) are registered with MHTC.
Wong, who was speaking to Business Times recently, said Penang received the highest share of foreign medical revenue at 49 per cent, followed by hospitals within the Klang Valley at 21 per cent and Malacca, at 10 per cent.
The Indonesian market continued to form the bulk of foreign patients in Malaysia due to its proximity and accessibility.
“We are targeting Japan, China, Middle East and Bangladesh as well as countries within South East Asia such as Cambodia
and Myanmar,” she said, when asked about markets with potential.
Foreign patients who come here often seek very specialised treatment such as cardiac, orthopaedic, in vitro fertilisation
and oncology, while an increasing number are seeking cosmetics and dental-related treatment.
Receipts from foreign patients spending on medical treatment in Malaysia 2011 stood at RM509.77 million, while foreign patients count was 578,403.
Chief executive officer of the Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC) Dr Mary Wong Lai Lin said the 2011 revenue had grown by 34.5 per cent, while the number of patients had swelled by 47.2 per cent compared to 2010.
These figures were well above the initial projection of RM431 million revenue projected to be spent by 400,000 foreign patients.
Accordingly, an upward revision for the 2012 projection (which was made in the third quarter of 2011) will be made.
MHTC had forecast revenue from medical tourism to reach RM548 million from a total of 600,000 patience. MHTC was established under the Ministry of Health Malaysia as the primary agency to develop and promote the healthcare travel industry and position Malaysia as the healthcare destination of choice in the region.
Medical tourism receipts are separate from tourist receipts, which are tabulated by the Tourism Ministry. A total of 41 hospitals and eight ambulatory care centres (dental, eye, health screening centres) are registered with MHTC.
Wong, who was speaking to Business Times recently, said Penang received the highest share of foreign medical revenue at 49 per cent, followed by hospitals within the Klang Valley at 21 per cent and Malacca, at 10 per cent.
The Indonesian market continued to form the bulk of foreign patients in Malaysia due to its proximity and accessibility.
“We are targeting Japan, China, Middle East and Bangladesh as well as countries within South East Asia such as Cambodia
and Myanmar,” she said, when asked about markets with potential.
Foreign patients who come here often seek very specialised treatment such as cardiac, orthopaedic, in vitro fertilisation
and oncology, while an increasing number are seeking cosmetics and dental-related treatment.
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Make rotavirus vaccination a must
SunDaily PETALING JAYA (Feb 20, 2012): Paediatricians are urging the Health Ministry to make vaccination against the deadly rotavirus compulsory under the national immunisation programme.
In light of an outbreak of acute gastroenteritis (AGE) associated with the rotavirus in Perak last week, these doctors want the ministry to include the vaccines in the national vaccination schedule, in line with World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendations.
Academy of Medicine of Malaysia College of Paediatrics president Prof Lee Way Seah and Asia-Pacific Paediatric Association president-elect Datuk Dr Zulkifli Ismail in a joint letter today said two vaccines have been available in Malaysia since 2009.
"Both vaccines have been found to be highly effective and safe in the prevention of rotavirus infection in infants," they said.
"We urge the government to consider including rotavirus vaccine as part of our national immunisation programme for Malaysian children," they added.
Rotavirus, which is named for its pinwheel-like appearance, is a fatal virus which causes diarrhoea, vomiting, severe dehydration and fever.
It is related to almost 50% of all childhood AGE cases; and AGE is the second leading cause of death among children under five years old.
According to WHO, some 10 million young children die from AGE annually.
Locally, the recent outbreak of AGE in Perak, which began on Jan 27, has thus far resulted in the deaths of two infants aged two and 10 months, due to suspected rotavirus infection.
So far, a total of 3,823 cases of AGE have been reported in Hilir Perak and Batang Padang, but the cause of the outbreak is still undetermined.
Pantai Medical Centre consulting paediatrician Dr Chai Pei Fan said looking at the facts and figures of rotavirus infections, it is imperative that the government look into making the two vaccines mandatory.
"WHO figures show that between 400,000 and 700,000 deaths annually are related to rotavirus," he told a media briefing here today.
He said a 2004 study based on Health Ministry data showed that 1 in 37 children have been treated as outpatients due to rotavirus, 1 in 61 hospitalised and 1 in 15,000 die from it.
Chai said the study also showed that 30% of AGE-related hospitalisations in Malaysia is due to rotavirus infections.
"However, there is no antiviral treatment for rotavirus. Treatment is usually focused on oral rehydration solutions – as most deaths from rotavirus is due to severe dehydration and organ failure – and probiotics, to reduce the symptoms of vomiting and diarrhoea," he said.
The virus is also extremely resilient, staying on surfaces for up to 10 days, and resistant towards ordinary hand soaps or mild disinfectants.
"The best ways to prevent rotavirus infection is to use alcohol-based disinfectants to clean surfaces which the child comes in contact with, as well as to ensure hygiene, as the virus is transmitted through hand-to-mouth contact with contaminated surfaces," he said.
In light of an outbreak of acute gastroenteritis (AGE) associated with the rotavirus in Perak last week, these doctors want the ministry to include the vaccines in the national vaccination schedule, in line with World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendations.
Academy of Medicine of Malaysia College of Paediatrics president Prof Lee Way Seah and Asia-Pacific Paediatric Association president-elect Datuk Dr Zulkifli Ismail in a joint letter today said two vaccines have been available in Malaysia since 2009.
"Both vaccines have been found to be highly effective and safe in the prevention of rotavirus infection in infants," they said.
"We urge the government to consider including rotavirus vaccine as part of our national immunisation programme for Malaysian children," they added.
Rotavirus, which is named for its pinwheel-like appearance, is a fatal virus which causes diarrhoea, vomiting, severe dehydration and fever.
It is related to almost 50% of all childhood AGE cases; and AGE is the second leading cause of death among children under five years old.
According to WHO, some 10 million young children die from AGE annually.
Locally, the recent outbreak of AGE in Perak, which began on Jan 27, has thus far resulted in the deaths of two infants aged two and 10 months, due to suspected rotavirus infection.
So far, a total of 3,823 cases of AGE have been reported in Hilir Perak and Batang Padang, but the cause of the outbreak is still undetermined.
Pantai Medical Centre consulting paediatrician Dr Chai Pei Fan said looking at the facts and figures of rotavirus infections, it is imperative that the government look into making the two vaccines mandatory.
"WHO figures show that between 400,000 and 700,000 deaths annually are related to rotavirus," he told a media briefing here today.
He said a 2004 study based on Health Ministry data showed that 1 in 37 children have been treated as outpatients due to rotavirus, 1 in 61 hospitalised and 1 in 15,000 die from it.
Chai said the study also showed that 30% of AGE-related hospitalisations in Malaysia is due to rotavirus infections.
"However, there is no antiviral treatment for rotavirus. Treatment is usually focused on oral rehydration solutions – as most deaths from rotavirus is due to severe dehydration and organ failure – and probiotics, to reduce the symptoms of vomiting and diarrhoea," he said.
The virus is also extremely resilient, staying on surfaces for up to 10 days, and resistant towards ordinary hand soaps or mild disinfectants.
"The best ways to prevent rotavirus infection is to use alcohol-based disinfectants to clean surfaces which the child comes in contact with, as well as to ensure hygiene, as the virus is transmitted through hand-to-mouth contact with contaminated surfaces," he said.
Mercy Malaysia to initiate humanitarian projects in Pakistan
Borneopost KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian Medical Relief Society (Mercy Malaysia) in support of the Malaysian government has set to initiate humanitarian projects in Pakistan to alleviate the province’s dire situation after it was hit by severe flooding in August last year.
Heavy monsoon rain on Sindh and the northern parts of Punjab had affected the livehood of 9.27 million people who rely heavily on agricultural produce.
Mercy Malaysia president Datuk Dr Ahmad Faizal Mohd Perdaus in a statement yesterday said with the US$1 million (RM3.2 million) generous contribution from the Malaysian government, Mercy Malaysia was able to respond to the disaster with more impetus and to greater effect.
“Mercy Malaysia is genuinely heartened by the support of the Malaysian government.
“Our assessment team found that there are still health related concerns six months after the flooding in Pakistan with the hygiene and sanitation situation very worrying,” he said.
Ahmad Faizal added that the people of Sindh in Pakistan were having difficulty accessing health facilities and there were also infrastructure damage to hospitals and health centres. — Bernama
Heavy monsoon rain on Sindh and the northern parts of Punjab had affected the livehood of 9.27 million people who rely heavily on agricultural produce.
Mercy Malaysia president Datuk Dr Ahmad Faizal Mohd Perdaus in a statement yesterday said with the US$1 million (RM3.2 million) generous contribution from the Malaysian government, Mercy Malaysia was able to respond to the disaster with more impetus and to greater effect.
“Mercy Malaysia is genuinely heartened by the support of the Malaysian government.
“Our assessment team found that there are still health related concerns six months after the flooding in Pakistan with the hygiene and sanitation situation very worrying,” he said.
Ahmad Faizal added that the people of Sindh in Pakistan were having difficulty accessing health facilities and there were also infrastructure damage to hospitals and health centres. — Bernama
Health Ministry cuts back on HIV funding
FMT The Health Ministry has allegedly cut HIV/Aids-related funds this year, potentially leaving thousands of infected patients to fend for themselves.
KUALA LUMPUR: Six years ago, Suzy (not her real name), was forced through difficult circumstances to become a sex worker.
Her family was out of money, riddled in debt and her father was suffering from gout. Back then, Suzy (now 31) had no other choice. She is a transgender.
Because of her sexuality, no “normal” company would hire her. She would remain jobless since she left school.
“Yes (it was my choice to become a sex worker)…I had to take care of my family,” the shy Suzy, told FMT. “I had to take care of our debts. My father is sick. He has gout. It was very difficult to find a job.”
After a short stint as a sex worker, Suzy was taken in by the HIV/Aids NGO Women & Health Association of Kuala Lumpur (WAKE) in 2006.
She would eventually become an outreach worker there, handing out condoms and lubricants to sex workers, as well as giving counsel to HIV-infected people.
Safe sex and HIV prevention were some of the topics she would tell her 377 “clients” from time to time.
But in a few days, Suzy (and many other HIV-outreach workers like her) will lose her job. She faces the prospect of selling herself on the streets again.
This is because the money for these NGOs, allocated to them from the Health Ministry, has been cut.
In early January this year, the ministry supposedly cut a large portion of its yearly funds to the Malaysian Aids Council (MAC).
The MAC acts as an umbrella body to several HIV-treatment NGOs across the country, distributing the ministry’s approved funds since 2006.
This year however, it has left several of these NGOs out of the loop, forcing some of them to sack their workers.
No reason given
Suzy’s manager Muhammad Daruz told FMT that the ministry did not give a reason why it stopped approving funds for WAKE’s HIV prevention work, even though it had been steadily funding them since 2007.
“Every year, we submit our proposal (for the funds), but this year we’ve been told that it was not approved…There was no reason. It was not approved, and that’s it,” he said.
According to Muhammad, the cut funds meant that he had to see many of his people go by the end of February.
“If we have no funding, how are we going to pay them?..Of course (we’re not happy), they’ve been with us (for so long), but (now) they won’t have any income,” he added.
But the biggest losers from this change, Muhammad said, were the thousands HIV/Aids-infected clients, who had no one to turn to because of this money cut.
These included Malaysia’s sex workers, transgenders, drug users and children born with the deadly virus.
NGOs claim that there as many as 91,362 cases of HIV infections in Malaysia, as well as over 60,000 sex workers.
The cut funds came as a shock to many of the NGOs, who felt that the government’s support and funds in recent years has helped to curb HIV infections.
In a March 2010 media report, Deputy Health Minister Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin was quoyed as saying that Malaysia had seen a drop in HIV cases, as compared to a decade before.
According to the MAC’s website, Malaysia recorded 3,652 HIV cases in 2010. In 2001, the number of cases that year was 5,938.
Johor HIV-outreach worker Ita (not her real name) feared the worst with the government supposedly cutting these funds.
Speaking on her work at Intan Life Zone (her NGO), Ita warned that the HIV virus could spread if there was no money for these outreach workers.
“We need to help (the HIV-infected), and we need the budget for it. We’re not a business, and we can’t earn back the money for this every month.”
“If we can’t run the NGO, we cannot give (clean) needles to (drug users),” she said, adding that many drug users tended to share needles.
Ita said that this might cause the HIV virus to spread amongst drug users, and in worst-case scenarios, on to their wives and children.
She also defended her NGO’s work, saying that it was not encouraging drug use, but keeping the HIV pandemic in check.
Seeking a meeting
Malaysian Aids Council president Mohd Zaman Khan told FMT that the ministry’s funds this year fell short of previous years.
He also confirmed that not all the NGOs had been affected by the cut. “Some, not all…The budget (for 2012) has been approved, but has been short of what we asked for.”
“We were told of the amount, and they (ministry) told us some of the project was approved and (some) were not approved.”
“Of course we don’t expect (a lot) to be given. We expected a cut, but we did not expect such a cut that tends to affect our ability on the ground,” he said.
Zaman was however reluctant to disclose how much this cut, or the total approved budget was.
Nevertheless, he told FMT that the MAC had – very soon after it saw the cut- sent a letter to Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai asking for a meeting on the matter “as soon as possible”.
He added that some NGOs did not seem to record a good performance, whilst others did not submit reports back to the MAC for the ministry to check.
Even so, Zaman said that he would consider bringing up the matter with Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak if the meeting with the ministry did not end satisfactorily.
When contacted, the ministry was unavailable for comment.
KUALA LUMPUR: Six years ago, Suzy (not her real name), was forced through difficult circumstances to become a sex worker.
Her family was out of money, riddled in debt and her father was suffering from gout. Back then, Suzy (now 31) had no other choice. She is a transgender.
Because of her sexuality, no “normal” company would hire her. She would remain jobless since she left school.
“Yes (it was my choice to become a sex worker)…I had to take care of my family,” the shy Suzy, told FMT. “I had to take care of our debts. My father is sick. He has gout. It was very difficult to find a job.”
After a short stint as a sex worker, Suzy was taken in by the HIV/Aids NGO Women & Health Association of Kuala Lumpur (WAKE) in 2006.
She would eventually become an outreach worker there, handing out condoms and lubricants to sex workers, as well as giving counsel to HIV-infected people.
Safe sex and HIV prevention were some of the topics she would tell her 377 “clients” from time to time.
But in a few days, Suzy (and many other HIV-outreach workers like her) will lose her job. She faces the prospect of selling herself on the streets again.
This is because the money for these NGOs, allocated to them from the Health Ministry, has been cut.
In early January this year, the ministry supposedly cut a large portion of its yearly funds to the Malaysian Aids Council (MAC).
The MAC acts as an umbrella body to several HIV-treatment NGOs across the country, distributing the ministry’s approved funds since 2006.
This year however, it has left several of these NGOs out of the loop, forcing some of them to sack their workers.
No reason given
Suzy’s manager Muhammad Daruz told FMT that the ministry did not give a reason why it stopped approving funds for WAKE’s HIV prevention work, even though it had been steadily funding them since 2007.
“Every year, we submit our proposal (for the funds), but this year we’ve been told that it was not approved…There was no reason. It was not approved, and that’s it,” he said.
According to Muhammad, the cut funds meant that he had to see many of his people go by the end of February.
“If we have no funding, how are we going to pay them?..Of course (we’re not happy), they’ve been with us (for so long), but (now) they won’t have any income,” he added.
But the biggest losers from this change, Muhammad said, were the thousands HIV/Aids-infected clients, who had no one to turn to because of this money cut.
These included Malaysia’s sex workers, transgenders, drug users and children born with the deadly virus.
NGOs claim that there as many as 91,362 cases of HIV infections in Malaysia, as well as over 60,000 sex workers.
The cut funds came as a shock to many of the NGOs, who felt that the government’s support and funds in recent years has helped to curb HIV infections.
In a March 2010 media report, Deputy Health Minister Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin was quoyed as saying that Malaysia had seen a drop in HIV cases, as compared to a decade before.
According to the MAC’s website, Malaysia recorded 3,652 HIV cases in 2010. In 2001, the number of cases that year was 5,938.
Johor HIV-outreach worker Ita (not her real name) feared the worst with the government supposedly cutting these funds.
Speaking on her work at Intan Life Zone (her NGO), Ita warned that the HIV virus could spread if there was no money for these outreach workers.
“We need to help (the HIV-infected), and we need the budget for it. We’re not a business, and we can’t earn back the money for this every month.”
“If we can’t run the NGO, we cannot give (clean) needles to (drug users),” she said, adding that many drug users tended to share needles.
Ita said that this might cause the HIV virus to spread amongst drug users, and in worst-case scenarios, on to their wives and children.
She also defended her NGO’s work, saying that it was not encouraging drug use, but keeping the HIV pandemic in check.
Seeking a meeting
Malaysian Aids Council president Mohd Zaman Khan told FMT that the ministry’s funds this year fell short of previous years.
He also confirmed that not all the NGOs had been affected by the cut. “Some, not all…The budget (for 2012) has been approved, but has been short of what we asked for.”
“We were told of the amount, and they (ministry) told us some of the project was approved and (some) were not approved.”
“Of course we don’t expect (a lot) to be given. We expected a cut, but we did not expect such a cut that tends to affect our ability on the ground,” he said.
Zaman was however reluctant to disclose how much this cut, or the total approved budget was.
Nevertheless, he told FMT that the MAC had – very soon after it saw the cut- sent a letter to Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai asking for a meeting on the matter “as soon as possible”.
He added that some NGOs did not seem to record a good performance, whilst others did not submit reports back to the MAC for the ministry to check.
Even so, Zaman said that he would consider bringing up the matter with Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak if the meeting with the ministry did not end satisfactorily.
When contacted, the ministry was unavailable for comment.
Private hospital market ‘will rake in RM14b in 2015'
Malaysian Reserve The private hospital services market in Malaysia is expected to reach RM13.79 billion in 2015, with a compound annual growth rate of 16.5% from 2010-2020, according to an independent research house.
The segment earned a revenue of RM7.48 billion in 2011, and spent an estimated 4.4% of gross domestic product on healthcare in the same year, according a study presented by Frost & Sullivan yesterday.
The research house said despite low spending on healthcare, the performance of Malaysia’s public sector is "commendable and comparable" to some developed countries.
Frost & Sullivan Asia Pacific vice president for healthcare Rhenu Bhuller in her presentation entitled "Asia Pacific Healthcare Outlook 2012-2015" in Kuala Lumpur yesterday, said Malaysia has the potential to see a threefold increase from 2007 in the private hospital market in 2015.
Breaking down the figures by state, Bhuller said by 2015, private hospital services in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor are expected to earn RM3.17 and RM3.14 respectively, followed by Penang with RM1.89 billion, Johor RM1.23 billion and Malacca with RM1.31 billion.
She said the Joint Commission International (JCI) accredited hospitals in Asia have increased by almost sevenfold over the past six years (2005-2011) and Malaysia currently has nine JCI accredited hospitals.
Touching on medical tourism, Bhuller said hospitals in Malaysia are diversifying to increase competitiveness to capture more medical tourism market.
Indonesian patients represent the biggest bulk of health travellers constituting to nearly 70% of the total arrivals to Malaysia.
The report showed the state of Penang, which account to 20% of its private hospitals entrusted by the government for medical tourism and has the majority of Indonesian patients, managed to grow its medical tourism revenue by 5% to RM165 million in 2009 despite the economic downturn.
“Patients from Indonesia are the biggest market for medical tourism in Malaysia, and in identifying this influx, the Indonesian government is looking at ways to improve their healthcare system to cater their population,” she said
The segment earned a revenue of RM7.48 billion in 2011, and spent an estimated 4.4% of gross domestic product on healthcare in the same year, according a study presented by Frost & Sullivan yesterday.
The research house said despite low spending on healthcare, the performance of Malaysia’s public sector is "commendable and comparable" to some developed countries.
Frost & Sullivan Asia Pacific vice president for healthcare Rhenu Bhuller in her presentation entitled "Asia Pacific Healthcare Outlook 2012-2015" in Kuala Lumpur yesterday, said Malaysia has the potential to see a threefold increase from 2007 in the private hospital market in 2015.
Breaking down the figures by state, Bhuller said by 2015, private hospital services in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor are expected to earn RM3.17 and RM3.14 respectively, followed by Penang with RM1.89 billion, Johor RM1.23 billion and Malacca with RM1.31 billion.
She said the Joint Commission International (JCI) accredited hospitals in Asia have increased by almost sevenfold over the past six years (2005-2011) and Malaysia currently has nine JCI accredited hospitals.
Touching on medical tourism, Bhuller said hospitals in Malaysia are diversifying to increase competitiveness to capture more medical tourism market.
Indonesian patients represent the biggest bulk of health travellers constituting to nearly 70% of the total arrivals to Malaysia.
The report showed the state of Penang, which account to 20% of its private hospitals entrusted by the government for medical tourism and has the majority of Indonesian patients, managed to grow its medical tourism revenue by 5% to RM165 million in 2009 despite the economic downturn.
“Patients from Indonesia are the biggest market for medical tourism in Malaysia, and in identifying this influx, the Indonesian government is looking at ways to improve their healthcare system to cater their population,” she said
Socso approves nearly RM5 million for occupation safety research and activities
Borneo post KUALA LUMPUR: The Social Security Organisation (Socso) has approved almost RM5 million this year to be given as aid to 22 non-governmental organisations and local universities to carry out research and activities on occupational safety and health for workers.
Its chief executive, K Selvarajah, said the research was to find ways to enhance safety and health practices at workplace to ensure workers’ safety and provide them with a safe working environment.
Socso also worked with the NGOs to organise activities to enhance public awareness on occupational safety and health, he told reporters after presenting the outcome of the studies here yesterday. They included a ‘Study On Commuting Accident’ by Universiti Utara Malaysia and on ‘Occupational Safety and Health (OSH)’ by Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) and the Malaysia Society for Occupational Health and Safety (MSOSH). The studies were based on statistics gathered by Socso based on information from its subscribers.
Selvarajah said the research was important following the 12.58 per cent increase in commuting accidents, from 22,036 cases in 2010 to 24,809 cases last year. — Bernama
Its chief executive, K Selvarajah, said the research was to find ways to enhance safety and health practices at workplace to ensure workers’ safety and provide them with a safe working environment.
Socso also worked with the NGOs to organise activities to enhance public awareness on occupational safety and health, he told reporters after presenting the outcome of the studies here yesterday. They included a ‘Study On Commuting Accident’ by Universiti Utara Malaysia and on ‘Occupational Safety and Health (OSH)’ by Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) and the Malaysia Society for Occupational Health and Safety (MSOSH). The studies were based on statistics gathered by Socso based on information from its subscribers.
Selvarajah said the research was important following the 12.58 per cent increase in commuting accidents, from 22,036 cases in 2010 to 24,809 cases last year. — Bernama
Docs must tell women with high breast density about breast cancer risk
Star. PETALING JAYA: Doctors who detect high breast density in their patients must tell them about the link to higher risk of breast cancer so that the women are diligent about getting their routine screening.
Universiti Malaya consultant breast surgeon Prof Dr Yip Cheng Har said that post-menopausal women with very dense breasts were four to five times more likely to develop breast cancer than women with low breast density.
She said that doctors often hesitated to tell their patients about the higher cancer risk as they were concerned that the women would be become unduly anxious.
But such knowledge would help the women be more conscientious about having their breast screened on a regular basis as many Malaysian women were generally quite complacent.
“Currently, radiologists do not record breast density readings and women in the category may want to ask for this to be done,” she said in an interview in conjunction with the 1st Asian Symposium on Breast Density recently.
Dr Yip said that it was normal for younger women to have dense breasts but not older women.
The reason for the increased risk is not known but researchers postulate that denser breasts have more breast cells and, therefore, hence, face a higher chance of things going wrong or that cancer grows better in dense breast tissue cells than other cells.
The more dense the breast is, the lighter it appears on mammogram while less dense breast appears darker.
As the image is much lighter, it lacks detail and radiologists cannot detect if anything untoward is happening.
Dr Yip said that women with denser must know that it was even more important for them to combine self and clinical examinations on a regular basis.
The most common method for breast density measurement is the American College of Radiology's Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) for breast density, she said.
However, it is not routinely reported or used by health care providers to assess breast cancer risk.
In the United States, Connecticut and Texas have passed laws requiring doctors to inform the women that they have high breast density and about the increased risk to breast cancer.
There was now a move to make the Breast Density Inform Law to be extended to other states, she said.
Besides age, genes also determine breast density while women with children tend to have breasts that were less dense.
Asian women have denser breasts than Caucasian, but among Asians, Chinese women tend to have denser breasts, she said.
Universiti Malaya consultant breast surgeon Prof Dr Yip Cheng Har said that post-menopausal women with very dense breasts were four to five times more likely to develop breast cancer than women with low breast density.
She said that doctors often hesitated to tell their patients about the higher cancer risk as they were concerned that the women would be become unduly anxious.
But such knowledge would help the women be more conscientious about having their breast screened on a regular basis as many Malaysian women were generally quite complacent.
“Currently, radiologists do not record breast density readings and women in the category may want to ask for this to be done,” she said in an interview in conjunction with the 1st Asian Symposium on Breast Density recently.
Dr Yip said that it was normal for younger women to have dense breasts but not older women.
The reason for the increased risk is not known but researchers postulate that denser breasts have more breast cells and, therefore, hence, face a higher chance of things going wrong or that cancer grows better in dense breast tissue cells than other cells.
The more dense the breast is, the lighter it appears on mammogram while less dense breast appears darker.
As the image is much lighter, it lacks detail and radiologists cannot detect if anything untoward is happening.
Dr Yip said that women with denser must know that it was even more important for them to combine self and clinical examinations on a regular basis.
The most common method for breast density measurement is the American College of Radiology's Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) for breast density, she said.
However, it is not routinely reported or used by health care providers to assess breast cancer risk.
In the United States, Connecticut and Texas have passed laws requiring doctors to inform the women that they have high breast density and about the increased risk to breast cancer.
There was now a move to make the Breast Density Inform Law to be extended to other states, she said.
Besides age, genes also determine breast density while women with children tend to have breasts that were less dense.
Asian women have denser breasts than Caucasian, but among Asians, Chinese women tend to have denser breasts, she said.
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Ministry: 2,104 health offence fines issued in January alone
Star: PUTRAJAYA: The Health Ministry has been hard at work weeding out health offenders across the country, issuing a total of 2,104 compound notices in January alone.
Health director-general Datuk Seri Dr Hasan Abdul Rahman said the notices included 1,132 for offences related to dengue control while the rest were related to tobacco offences.
Aside from the dengue compound fines totalling RM484,500, another 231 cases were filed in court under the Destruction of Disease Bearing Insects Act 1975, of which 56 were found guilty and fined a total of RM16,950.
The 972 tobacco offenders, on the other hand, were compounded a total of RM219,750.
There were, however, nearly triple the number of court cases filed against tobacco offenders compared to dengue cases, at 659 cases in total under the Control of Tobacco Products Regulations 2004.
Of the cases, 56 ended with convictions leading to total penalties worth RM10,030.
Dr Hasan noted that the Health Ministry would only take enforcement action as a last resort.
“The public and all parties are urged to carry out their duties and responsibilities to make sure we can optimise the implementation of health activities,” he said in a statement yesterday.
Health director-general Datuk Seri Dr Hasan Abdul Rahman said the notices included 1,132 for offences related to dengue control while the rest were related to tobacco offences.
Aside from the dengue compound fines totalling RM484,500, another 231 cases were filed in court under the Destruction of Disease Bearing Insects Act 1975, of which 56 were found guilty and fined a total of RM16,950.
The 972 tobacco offenders, on the other hand, were compounded a total of RM219,750.
There were, however, nearly triple the number of court cases filed against tobacco offenders compared to dengue cases, at 659 cases in total under the Control of Tobacco Products Regulations 2004.
Of the cases, 56 ended with convictions leading to total penalties worth RM10,030.
Dr Hasan noted that the Health Ministry would only take enforcement action as a last resort.
“The public and all parties are urged to carry out their duties and responsibilities to make sure we can optimise the implementation of health activities,” he said in a statement yesterday.
Friday, February 24, 2012
Orang asli healthcare services to be further improved
Star: KUALA LUMPUR: The Health Ministry is confident that healthcare services for the orang asli community will be further improved by taking over the Hospital Orang Asli Gombak and three clinics in Pahang, Kelantan and Perak, said Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai.
He said the ministry, which took over the hospital and the three clinics from the Rural and Regional Development Ministry, would offer better quality of healthcare services to the community as it was the professional in the field.
The Health Ministry also took over the mobile clinic, mobile dentistry service team and the flying doctor service from the Rural and Regional Development Ministry.
“We will also be able to provide them with upgraded primary healthcare and introduce preventive measures for different diseases.
“The orang asli community, especially those who live in the interior areas, will also enjoy better access to quality health services by being able to utilise the facilities provided by the ministry,” Liow told reporters after the handing over ceremony of the health and medical division under the Orang Asli Development Department to the Health Ministry here on Friday.
Liow said the move to take over the division would also ensure doctors and medical staff working at these hospital and clinics a better career path, whereby they would have more opportunities for transfers and promotions.
He also assured that traditional practices, including exclusivity and family admission, at the hospital would continue under the administration of the Health Ministry.
“It is the tradition of the orang asli that when a patient is admitted to the hospital, his or her entire family will also check into the hospital and we are maintaining this practice at the hospital, which has a capacity of 166 beds for the patients,” he said.
He said the ministry would also ensure that patients were only sent home after they had fully recovered from their illnesses because “it would be difficult for them to get out of their house to receive treatment again.”
He said the ministry, which took over the hospital and the three clinics from the Rural and Regional Development Ministry, would offer better quality of healthcare services to the community as it was the professional in the field.
The Health Ministry also took over the mobile clinic, mobile dentistry service team and the flying doctor service from the Rural and Regional Development Ministry.
“We will also be able to provide them with upgraded primary healthcare and introduce preventive measures for different diseases.
“The orang asli community, especially those who live in the interior areas, will also enjoy better access to quality health services by being able to utilise the facilities provided by the ministry,” Liow told reporters after the handing over ceremony of the health and medical division under the Orang Asli Development Department to the Health Ministry here on Friday.
Liow said the move to take over the division would also ensure doctors and medical staff working at these hospital and clinics a better career path, whereby they would have more opportunities for transfers and promotions.
He also assured that traditional practices, including exclusivity and family admission, at the hospital would continue under the administration of the Health Ministry.
“It is the tradition of the orang asli that when a patient is admitted to the hospital, his or her entire family will also check into the hospital and we are maintaining this practice at the hospital, which has a capacity of 166 beds for the patients,” he said.
He said the ministry would also ensure that patients were only sent home after they had fully recovered from their illnesses because “it would be difficult for them to get out of their house to receive treatment again.”
Ex-MMA heads want EGM
Star: SEREMBAN: Three past presidents of the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) have threatened to embark on a signature campaign to compel its council to hold fresh elections.
Datuk Dr Abdul Hamid Abdul Kadir, who headed the MMA in 1997, Datuk Dr Lee Yan San (1998) and Datuk Dr P. Krishnan (1999) have come together, saying they wanted to save the MMA from being deregistered by the Registrar of Societies (ROS).
“It is three months now since the conditional suspension of the MMA by the ROS and yet the association says the directive was not clear.
“This is indeed a sad state of affairs, as time is running out on the grace period of six months granted by the ROS,” Dr Abdul Hamid said.
Instead of holding fresh elections as per the ROS’ directive, he said the present MMA leadership was planning for its next annual general meeting in Kedah in May to elect office-bearers for the 2012-2013 term.
The ROS de-registered the MMA on Nov 16 after it failed to give a proper explanation on several charges of irregularities during its elections last May.
However, punitive action was put off by six months following MMA’s appeal.
Dr Krishnan said the MMA council should not allow itself to be manipulated by a few office-bearers.
“It is sad that the role of the MMA council as a governing body has been undermined by a few office-bearers,” he said, adding that a signature campaign would be conducted if the MMA council did not act.
Dr Lee appealed to the MMA leadership to take the ROS directive seriously.
Datuk Dr Abdul Hamid Abdul Kadir, who headed the MMA in 1997, Datuk Dr Lee Yan San (1998) and Datuk Dr P. Krishnan (1999) have come together, saying they wanted to save the MMA from being deregistered by the Registrar of Societies (ROS).
“It is three months now since the conditional suspension of the MMA by the ROS and yet the association says the directive was not clear.
“This is indeed a sad state of affairs, as time is running out on the grace period of six months granted by the ROS,” Dr Abdul Hamid said.
Instead of holding fresh elections as per the ROS’ directive, he said the present MMA leadership was planning for its next annual general meeting in Kedah in May to elect office-bearers for the 2012-2013 term.
The ROS de-registered the MMA on Nov 16 after it failed to give a proper explanation on several charges of irregularities during its elections last May.
However, punitive action was put off by six months following MMA’s appeal.
Dr Krishnan said the MMA council should not allow itself to be manipulated by a few office-bearers.
“It is sad that the role of the MMA council as a governing body has been undermined by a few office-bearers,” he said, adding that a signature campaign would be conducted if the MMA council did not act.
Dr Lee appealed to the MMA leadership to take the ROS directive seriously.
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