A local politician today questioned whether the Ministry of Health is under pressure to be 'colonised' as more and more of its services are being privatised, the latest being its dispensary.

Dr D Jeya Kumar, a committee member of the yet-to-be-registered Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM), said that "medical store, laundry, housekeeping cleaning services, general medical repair equipment, clinical waste disposal and hospital repairs had all been privatised a few years ago. Now it is drugs."

"It could be that the ministry has been pressured to be colonised," he said, adding that "the medical bills could have gone up and now that they feel it is a burden, they decide to privatise."

PSM and three other organisations, Community Development Centre (CDC), Suara Warga Pertiwi (SWP) and Alaigal sent a memorandum to Health Minister Dr Chua Soi Lek today urging him not to privatise the supply of medicines.

Chua announced recently that medicine supply in government hospitals will be privatised next year. The government, he said, spends RM800 million a year to supply medicines in hospitals and clinics.

According to the minister, consumers are not appreciative and tend to abuse their usage and create wastage.

Thorough study

In the memorandum, the four groups proposed that the government runs a thorough study on the privatisation of dispensary and consumers should be informed of the outcome. A dialogue with consumers should also be held before privatisation takes place.

They also urged the government to be transparent and declare the advantages of this change, including the cost breakdown gained from privatisation.

Claiming that the move will only benefit some companies, they also stressed that the government should reduce the burden of consumers.

Privatisation will only add on consumers' expenses, they said.

That 1.8 million people received in-patient treatment in government hospitals in 2003 and about seven million out-patient treatment in the same year proves that Malaysians rely heavily on public hospitals, they said.

Privatisation defeats the purpose of the government's attempts to create a loving society where the underprivileged, the poor and senior citizens are protected and adequate basic needs are fulfilled.

Jeya Kumar disclosed that a peaceful protest against the dispensary privatisation will be held on Dec 23 at 10.30 am in front of the Ministry of Health in Kuala Lumpur.