Anwar's request for operation in Germany is not in violation of any law or convention. This is the universal right of an individual.

There is no question of status here. As long as he or she is willing to pay for the medical expenses incurred, that's it. It's a fair game.

As to who is footing the bill; there is no worry, his supporters will do the utmost to ensure that every cent owed to the German clinic will be settled. The Barisan Nasional government can choose to be the good Samaritan if it so wishes, in this respect.

Some previous letters gave the connotation that the BN government had given permission to the German doctor from the AlphaKlinik to operate on Anwar at a government hospital, but Anwar refused.

Provided my memory does not fail me, the situation was thus. Yes, the BN government consented to the German doctor operating on Anwar here, but he was not allowed to bring in his own equipment.

Hence the doctor declined because he wanted to use his own, which he is familiar with.

Years ago, American pathologists brought their own equipment to Sabah to conduct postmortems on their citizens who died in an air crash there. So, what's the big deal?