Dr NKS Tharmaseelan

It is agony these days to hear English being spoken or written even by professionals. The standard of English language, has been pummeled into dismal lows and may soon become oblivion. We need to nurse it back to the impeccable English that most Malaysians spoke just a decade or so ago.

The public has long held doctors in high esteem. True to the Hippocratic Oath, doctors always did what was thought to be in the best interest of their patients. Lawyers were unwilling to assist in suing members of a fellow profession. Even when sued, the judiciary was very benevolent towards doctors. There was much reluctance to find doctors guilty of negligence.

All products used in medical practice , have  to be vetted and registered with the Pharmaceutical Division of the Health Ministry even if the drug is registered overseas.

In 2012, employers have stated that the cost of absenteeism was about RM100,000 per day and the additional costs of replacing absent workers and the total lost due to sick leave stands at RM9 billion or 1 percent of Malaysia’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of RM850 billion. In 2013, it was RM8.22 billion. That is certainly a huge significant cost on the economy.

The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) is shocked that Selangor state executive councillor in charge of infrastructure and public amenities, Dr Ahmad Yunus Hairi, has been quoted in the New Straits Times ( NST ) to have said that water that has been pumped out from mining pools to supply water to households has  been only tested for oxygen and pH. Anyone will tell you that water from mining pools can contain  hazardous substances, mostly of metallic origin.