Health Minister Chua Jui Ming recently stated that Anwar Ibrahim should have confidence in the local health system.

"Dr Hoogland had only made a superficial observation. This is not a banana republic - this is Malaysia and our medical system is one of the best in the world. Perhaps we should take him around to look at our health system for him to understand this better."

I presume the minister is referring to government hospitals. If so, I think it would be a great idea for him to personally take Hoogland around - he could show Hoogland how in times of extreme demand, patients are placed on military-style camp beds in the corridors of KL Hospital, for example.

And I'm sure Hoogland would be impressed at how seriously ill patients are often given analgesic medicines and wait half a day for a few miserly minutes of consultation with one of the few doctors available, who are mostly harassed and inexperienced.

Anwar's injuries are partly the result of the treatment he received at the hand(s) of a government servant. The government now should take whatever steps necessary to ensure his health, even if it means recognising the deficiencies in the Malaysian health system.