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In view of the shenanigans of the UM administration in respect to the Edmund Terrence Gomez affair, I feel vindicated in defending Malaysian medical graduates pursuing their specialist training abroad from the time of graduation.

Although there is no end to the call for K-economy and the chest-beating patriotism, there is scarcely a nod for the independence of the professions. This country's intelligentsia are not the property of government's bean counters.

Professional freedom and the quest for continuous improvement should be the prerogative of these professionals alone. They are the brains of the country. The UM administrators are happy to hinder academic excellence as long as they remain 'accountable' to the government of the day. Gomez is a high profile case.

In the mean time, there are many other ex-Public Service Department students who are labouring in government organisations from the health service to Bank Negara to the education ministry - who are unable to get out of their rut due to poor pay, poor career prospects and an endless cycle of financial 'bonding'.

Some have their creativity curbed because playing safe is the order of the day. Some of my friends are in these dire straits and are finding ways to get out. Some have just given up the fight.

I have to stress the point that Malaysian foreign-trained doctors stay on abroad in order to become better doctors when they return. Forcing them to return early without clear prospects for higher specialist training once they are in government service is nothing short of killing off these idealists in their prime. They are better off abroad for now.

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