MP urges health minister to meet with doctor's family over death probe

Kota Melaka MP Khoo Poay Tiong has called on Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad to personally meet with the family of pathology specialist Dr Tay Tien Yaa, who died at the Lahad Datu Hospital on Aug 29.

In a statement, Khoo said the Health Ministry should ensure ongoing investigations are conducted in a transparent manner.

“This gesture (meeting) would offer some comfort to the grieving family.

“At the same time, the public awaits updates on the findings with great anticipation. Do not fail us,” he stressed.

Khoo (above) was responding to Dzulkefly’s denial of his initial allegations that the Health Ministry was slow to investigate Tay’s death amid allegations of workplace bullying.

“I thank Dzulkefly for taking his time to respond to me.

“While I appreciate that an internal investigation is already underway, the fact that the independent task force will only begin its work on Oct 10 raises concerns about the speed of action,” the member of the Parliamentary Special Select Committee (PSSC) on Human Rights, Elections, and Institutional Reforms said.

He added that Tay’s passing is a matter of public interest.

“The public deserves a comprehensive report on what transpired, especially since this tragedy involves a healthcare professional,” he stressed.

Yesterday, Dzulkefly dismissed Khoo’s concerns over the alleged delayed response as incorrect and misleading, stating the ministry conducted an immediate internal investigation and formed an independent panel.

Last week, the minister also announced that a special task force will be in effect from Oct 10 to not only analyse the input from investigations into Tay's death but also the overall work culture at the Lahad Datu Hospital.

Healthcare work culture task force failed?

Commenting further, Khoo noted that the timing of Tay’s death was “sensitive” as it comes just two years after the Healthcare Work Culture Improvement Task Force (HWCITF) report was published.

“Although these are separate matters, there are valid concerns that this new task force could end up being as ineffective as the HWCITF.

“If the previous task force had been effective, we wouldn’t still be hearing stories about bullying and overworking in our healthcare system,” he said.

Tay, a former head of the Lahad Datu Hospital Chemical Pathology Unit, was found dead in her rental unit amid allegations of workplace bullying.

On Oct 1, her brother, Tay Yong Shen, 31, disclosed that the family found evidence in her WhatsApp messages about her workload and treatment.

Following Tay's death on Aug 29, her family alleged she committed suicide after being pressured and oppressed.

Lahad Datu police chief Dzulbaharin Ismail said they were aware of the suicide allegations but ruled out foul play.

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