THIS may not be the first time a doctor has been sent to jail but more often than not, it is usually for crimes which are serious in nature.

Now, thanks to the Health Ministry, a struggling general practitioner, Dr Basmullah Yusom, who holds a valid annual practising certificate, was not only taken to court but also slapped with a hefty fine of RM120,000 or three months’ jail.

Since he could not pay the fine, he is serving the jail term at Kajang Prison.

The Private Health Care Facilities and Services Act 1998 was passed to weed out bogus doctors, to regulate the private hospitals and control their fees but not to trouble those with valid practising certificates.

When this act was passed, the emphasis was on the registration of general practitioners’ clinics.

However, the ministry seems to have forgotten the private hospitals.

I call upon the Malaysian Medical Association to pursue this matter and get this poor medical practitioner released though he is not a member of the association. After all, we have always said that we represent all the doctors.

DR RAJAMOHAN ANNAMALAI, Kuala Lumpur

Source: NST – January 30, 2008