Day: February 1, 2008

The comment by the Director-General of Health Tan Sri Dr. Ismail Merican that Dr. Basmullah Yusom, the first doctor to be jailed under the Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Act 1998 preferred jail to paying the RM120,000 fine in instalments is most inconsiderate, callous, heartless and totally unbecoming of a top civil servant.

New Straits Times today quoted Dr. Ismail as saying that Dr. Basmullah “declined the Health Ministry’s offer to stay out of jail”.

He said the offer was made to the doctor by the ministry’s prosecuting officer.

Dr. Ismail said: “It’s not that we do not care for doctors or are unsympathetic to them.”

If Dr. Ismail really “care” or sympathetic to doctors, how could he use language which is so inconsiderate, callous and heartless?

From Dr. Ismail’s account, it would appear that Dr. Basmullah is a pervert who prefers to go to jail instead of enjoying his personal freedom outside prison!

Dr. Ismail went on to say that if Dr. Basmullah feels he has been harshly sentenced by the Sessions Court, he has the right to appeal to a higher court.

I am just shocked and outraged beyond belief that even up till now, Dr. Ismail does not see or accept that Dr. Basmullah just do not have the means to hire counsel to appeal against the sentence of RM120,000 fine or three months’ jail – when he had not been able to afford the expenses to retain counsel to represent him at the Sessions Court or to take up the “offer” to pay the hefty RM120,000 fine by instalments.

This is why Dr. Basmullah is in jail in Kajang Prison for the past two weeks – creating outrage to the extent that a online “Don’t Jail Doctors Blog Campaign” has been launched.

Many are asking why is the system of justice in Malaysia is so perverted that a doctor could be jailed for not registering his clinic although he has the annual practicing certificate of a medical practitioner, while criminals whether the corrupt or those guilty of heinous crimes can get away scot-free, moving freely in society! Continue reading “Dr. Basmullah’s jailing – Ismail Merican inconsiderate, callous, heartless and unbecoming of top civil servant”

It is front-page headline news in all the Chinese newspapers – the approval for six new Chinese primary schools and the relocation of 13 Chinese primary schools by the Education Minister, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein with the “All-for-one and one-for-all” group photograph of Hishammuddin with MCA President, Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting, MCA Deputy President Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy, MCA Secretary-General Datuk Ong Ka Chuan and Gerakan President Tan Sri Dr. Koh Tsu Koon.

Nobody will say no to general election goodies, just as nobody will say no to gifts by “Santa Claus” on Christmas Day, although one is fully aware of the real intent of such goodies – which I will reserve for another occasion to touch on.

For the moment, I will like to ask a question each of the five BN leaders in the “one-for-all, all-for-one” group photograph “celebrating” the approval for six new Chinese primary schools and relocation of 13 Chinese primary schools.

To Hishammuddin – why didn’t he take the opportunity of his visit to MCA headquarters, his first as UMNO Youth leader, to publicly apologise for his “keris-wielding” at previous Umno Youth general assemblies which was highly offensive, even by MCA and MCA youth leaders and members, for being utterly insensitive to the rights and feelings of other ethnic communities?

To Ong Ka Ting – why he had not given a full public accounting as to why previous general election promises for the building of new Chinese primary schools and relocation of Chinese primary schools for the 1999 and 2004 general elections had not been fulfilled 100%?

To Chong Kong Choy – why he had failed to give full accounting for the RM4.6 billion Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal as RM4.6 billion could have been better spent to build new Chinese primary schools throughout the country to meet needs based on increased enrolment and not to win votes before each general election. Continue reading “19 new/relocated Chinese primary schools – question each for the five BN leaders”

“Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi trying out a T-shirt after launching The Emperor’s New Clothes boutique at Pavilion. The T-shirt was given to him by the boutique owners – his daughter Nori Abdullah (right) and his son-in-law, Khairy Jamaluddin (left).”

– caption of a photo in page 2 of New Straits Times today.

11 comments in last hour but the real “horror” has not dawned on everyone, so I am amending the heading to include “dumb”.

by Richard Teo

Malaysians should not accept what the govt say in the media as gospel truth.Of late we hear DPM Najib say that the opposition is not capable of administering the country.This is not only misleading but a blatant lie.

The present govt have shown that it is not capable of properly governing this nation.The last 22 years of Mahathir’s tenure and 4 years of Pak Lah’s administration have seen the country degenerating towards a failed state.

The litany of failures in the various govt department is shocking.The Police Dept is in dire straits with crime surging to unprecedented heights. The Judiciary is not only tainted with dubious appointments but it has practically lost the
confidence of the people.Religious conflict arising from conversion of non-muslims and the practice of ‘body snatching’ of muslim converts have stretched racial tolerance to breaking point.

In addition the govt has wantonly wasted public funds in compensation for the crooked bridge and the Broga incinerator project. The PKFTZ cost the govt a few billion of tax payers money which was siphoned off by UMNO cronies.

The Defence Ministry headed by our DPM, Najib saw fit to purchase inferior quality Sukhoi air planes from Russia and Scorpene Submarines from France. All these dubious purchases were done through the front companies of his close friend Razak Baginda who is now charged with the Mongolian model’s murder. Continue reading “Malaysians should expect a change for the better”