I REFER to the report “Heartfelt plea for disability pension” (NST, July 3).

First of all, I would like to thank the New Straits Times for highlighting this problem.

The plight of N. Sinatamby, (a father of three) who quit his job in 2003 after being diagnosed with a heart ailment, is heart-wrenching.

His appeal to the Social Security Organisation (Socso) seems to be taken lightly.

Socso has a social responsibility to its contributors and it should not be mired in red tape and take its time to process its contributor’s application.

Socso should be proactive in dealing with all cases diligently and effectively.

In the case of Sinatamby, the Socso panel of doctors’ ruling that he was not suffering from any disability, even after being diagnosed with a heart ailment, is rather shameful and appalling.

I wonder what the definition of “disability” is according to Socso.

According to the Oxford Dictionary, the term “disability” means physical incapacity caused by injury or disease.

I wonder whether Socso understands this.

Socso twice denied that Sinatamby was suffering from any disability.

On his third appeal, he was referred again to Socso’s panel of doctors which decided to defer the earlier decision to deny him disability pension until he undergoes coronary artery bypass in order to qualify for the disability pension.

What made the doctors rule that Sinatamby was indeed suffering from a malfunction of the coronary artery?

I wonder how this sudden change of decision came about?

It makes me wonder if Socso’s panel of doctors are competent enough to decide the fate of Socso’s contributors.

Furthermore, what makes this entire issue a mockery is that Sina-tamby is on the waiting list for a coronary artery bypass at Penang’s Cardio Clinic.

The doctors there have told him that the risk of Sinatamby dying on the operation table has increased from five per cent to 25 per cent.

Fearing the risk involved, Sinatamby has decided not to undergo the surgery.

Anyone reading this will clearly know that Sinatamby has a heart problem which further indicates a physical disability.

I don’t understand why Socso does not find him qualified for the disability pension.

Do they have to wait until someone dies to qualify for the pension?

I hope the human resources minister will step in and make a ministerial decision regarding matters such as this, which are rather perennial when one deals with Socso.

I urge Socso to be more humane to its contributors and not arbitrarily deny them their rights. They contribute hoping that they will get immediate help when they are in need.

Socso should realise this and not give them the runaround.

VIJAY SHANMUGAM, Taiping

Source: NST – July 9, 2009