Based on the Malaysian Medical Council's reasons to de-recognise the medical programme offered by Ukraine's Crimea State Medical University (CSMU), the following can be construed.
1. Medical degrees/courses offered at our local universities are far superior in quality than those at CSMU and in Russia.
2. Medical degrees/courses offered by universities in Indonesia, the Middle East including Egypt are far superior to those offered by CSMU and Russian institutions. Their medical courses '.. not being alien to our medical fraternity, may not jeopardise the safety of our patients and well-being'.
3. There is no political agenda behind the Malaysian Medical Council's decision to de-recognise CSMU.
It is sad that after 48 years of Merdeka, we still have to dispute recognition of medical degrees and courses based on racial lines rather than on merit. If the relevant authorities are more concerned about the potential increase of non-bumiputera doctors, they should come forth and say so. Tell the truth and shame the devil. There should be no collateral damage in making this point loud and clear.
And in line with government's reasoning to derecognise degrees and courses from CSMU and Russia in general, it is not an exaggeration to suggest that Malaysia should think twice of sending its astronauts to space using Russian technology in the coming months.
The total silence of PAS and Parti Keadilan Rakyat regarding the abovementioned issue is also a total let-down to those who voted from them in the last general election.