The revival of the Teoh Beng Hock case

Cynical of Lim Kit Siang and DAP's attitude of excessive politicizing of the death, this blogger was initially defensive of MACC. However, there was a change of mind following Government DNA expert, Dr Seah Lay Hong revelation to the Coroner of Beng Hock's snapped belt in the August 9th 2009 Inquest on the cause of death. 

Enquiries made with certain sources went silent.

In her 3 parts series on the untold story of Beng Hock, the former Research Officer to the Selangor MB, Tricia Yoh mentioned the name of Dato Seri Hishamuddin Hashim, the then Deputy of MACC Selangor in the final part. 

At the time of writing in July 2017. he was promoted to Director of Special Operations Division or  seldom referred to as B.O.K. in MACC. 

He is now the current Senior Director of Investigation of MACC and the gossip at the courts are saying his IOs threatened a suspect by claiming involvement in Teoh Beng Hock interrogation.   

RCS Edin exposed false claims of PP proponents

Bo-Su-Lynn revealed in yesterday's report HERE that RCS Edin "never guaranteed" PP program for CTS for UK specialist registration. In other words GMC did not recognised PP. 

This proves Dr Rafidah Abdullah and Dr Hanafiah Harunarashid may have lied in their early June claim that two of the trainees got a job abroad, presumably as CTS specialist. Perhaps, a police report should be made against Rafidah for her false claim and abusing her position to lie to the public. 

At the end of March, the MP for Kuching, Dr Kevin Yii claimed seven practising CTS have RCS Edin qualification to push the argument against MMC for inappropriately rejecting the PP graduates which have their diploma issued by RCS Edin.    

He was speaking in concert with Senator Dr RA Lingeswaran from DAP Penang to apply political pressure on MMC to break the law and recognise PP. 

Nor Hisham broke the law, messed up Medical Specialist training

Not many is aware, the budget for the teaching hospitals in this country were slashed few years ago. It happened before Tan Sri Nor Hisham Abdullah introduced the Parallel Pathway in his so-called attempt to shortcut the process of producing more medical specialist.

PP used up the budget of Ministry of Health (MOH), which is not responsible for medical education but that of Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE). Budget meant for public health were diverted into areas which is not supposed to be spent by MOH and compromised public health well beings. 

Since this issue will be addressed in Parliament, Member of Parliaments should be looking into the implication on the budget and not narrowly channeled by what was briefed to them. Its practically attempt by MOH to kill off medical education of local Universities. 

As the next Parliament session draws near, the same happening as before and reported by this blog in earlier postings is happening.

Proponents of PP attempted to confuse the public to deflect the weakness on the accredition of PP, bad planning of MOH, lack of assessment and monitoring for academic quality, and the more serious matter of patients' safety. 

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In a briefing by MMC to Health Parliament Committee, they acknowledged Noor Hisham's initiative since 2016 had broken the law. 

Parallel Pathway Must Follow Existing Laws, Says Ex-MOH Deputy Director

By Alifah Zainuddin | 14 June 2024

Codeblue

Former MOH disease control deputy director Dr Zainal Ariffin Omar says the parallel pathway must comply with existing Medical and MQA Acts and be regularised through “recognised institutions”; all medical specialty training must be accredited by MMC/ MQA.

KUALA LUMPUR, June 14 – Dr Zainal Ariffin Omar has called for the parallel pathway to comply with existing legislations, emerging as the first former Ministry of Health (MOH) official to publicly criticise the programme.

The former MOH disease control division deputy director’s rebuke of the alleged irregularity in the MOH’s parallel pathways with foreign royal colleges indicates dissent within the medical profession itself on this particular medical specialty training programme – instead of a simplistic conflict between specialist doctors in the MOH and those in universities who are also professors.

“Under the Medical Act 1971 [Act 50] (Amendment 2012), it is clear that training is required for NSR registration. And under the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) Act 2007 [Act 679], all local educational institutions must be accredited.

“For foreign institutions, approval must be granted by the respective country before it can be accepted by NSR/ MMC. All specialist training must be part of a system approved and accredited by MMC/ MQA, unless the Act is amended. Otherwise, much of the training will be unregulated,” said Dr Zainal Ariffin, who is also a former elected council member of the Malaysian Medical Council (MMC), told CodeBlue yesterday.

The lies and fraudulent claims of MATCVS proven!

In "MATCVS made fraudulent claim", Star Online reported them making false claims. The immediate question was:

If so, why was it that those trainees that undergone training in the UK were not issued Certificate of Completion by RCS Edinbrugh and the FRCS they acquired are not recognised by FMC for work in the UK. Ask MATCVC for proofs to all their claims!

Their claims was: 

“The Cardiothoracic Parallel Pathway training and curriculum are quality assured by the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd) and follow the same standards and requirements as the Malaysian National Postgraduate Medical Curriculum (NPMC) for Cardiothoracic Surgery and the UK Intercollegiate Surgical Curriculum for Cardiothoracic Surgery regulated by the UK General Medical Council (GMC).

“The exit examination is the RCSEd Joint Specialty Fellowship (JSF) examination in Cardiothoracic Surgery. This examination follows the same standards and format as the Intercollegiate Specialty Board examination conducted in the United Kingdom and regulated by the GMC.

MATCVS resort to lying and underhanded means to get illegal FRCS recognised

They were selling shortage of Medical Specialist to get public and political support to push for the unrecognised Parallel Pathway program for the 'illegal' FRCS International of RCS Edinburgh.

The shortage could not be overcome by the PP program since it is not recognised by the Malaysian Medical Council. PP does no not comply with the amended Medical Act 1971, Medical Regulation 2017 and Malaysian Qualifying Agency Act 2007 on the criterias of running a foreign educational program, recognition of the program, registration of the program, acceptance as Specialist, and registration into the National Specialist Registrar.  

The champion and coordinator of the program, the Malaysian Association of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgeons (MATCVS) resorted to lie and claim their PP program was already recognised but it was duly dispelled by MMC. 

Honours to stiffle M'sian Medical Specialist programs

NST: Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh honours health D-G for contributions to surgery

The first posting entitled "FRCS medical training scam?" dated February 14th attracted cynical and criticism comments. 

Most important, more feedback came this way. One is this Facebook status dated February 3, 2018 in which former Director General of the Ministry of Health, Tan Sri Noor Hisham Abdullah received Fellowship Ad Homimem from the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd). However, that status is no where to be seen and was removed from his Facebook. 

Apparently a month earlier on January 17th, 2018, there was a launching ceremony for the RCSEd International Office at UKM for the FRCS International program allegedly referred as "scam" program not accredited by the Malaysian Medical Council but pressure is being applied to accredit the inadequate surgery training program. 

When asked by a commentator whether FRCS can now be done in Malaysia, Noor Hisham proudly gave the affirmative and claimed it has been going on since 2016. 

On May 29th 2022, he jubilantly published the successful 8 trainees that passed the Joint Specialty Fellowship Program for Cardiothoracic Surgery. An effort from the Edinburgh accredition visit on June 27th 2015.  To the horror of the trainees, the program was inadequate and rejected by MMC. 

It explains the frantic pressure applied on Minister for MOH by The Malaysian Association for Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery (MATCVS), Malaysian Urological Association, Academy of Medicine, and other NGOs. All seemed many but are the same group of people with personal vested interest.  

MATVS "illegal" medical specialist program challenged

Reported in the Malay Mail Online yesterday of Medical Specialist questioning a program run by a Medical NGO as sub-standard and demeaning local Med School programs. 

The report in full below: 

Members challenge association for thoracic and cardiovascular surgery for putting its training on par with IJN courses

By Anis Zalani

Thursday, 15 Feb 2024 5:14 PM MYT

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 15 — A group of concerned members have disputed the Malaysian Association for Thoracic & Cardiovascular Surgery’s (MATCVS) assertion about the quality of its certification, accusing the group of implying this was possibly superior to those offered by local institutions such as Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) and the National Heart Institute (IJN).

Najib's last chance

The official communique from UMNO is they respect the decision of YDPA and will continue with effort to seek for Najib's release. If it is any consolation, Shad wrote below: 

In accordance with the Board’s order, Najib can be released from custody on Aug 23, 2028. However, there are several variable and unpredictable factors.

First, there is no bar to repeated acts of clemency. In due course of time, he may receive another remission to hasten his release.

Second, under Section 43 of the Prisons Regulations 2000, a prisoner sentenced to a term of imprisonment exceeding one month may be granted remission of one-third of his sentence for good behaviour. However, this is subject to the terms of an order of the Pardons Board, and that order is to release him on Aug 23, 2028. So, the one-third remission rule cannot apply to Najib.

Third, under Section 46A of the Prisons Act, there are complicated rules about parole. A prisoner may be released to serve any part of his sentence outside the prison pursuant to a Parole Order.

Fourth, as there is no bar to repeated acts of clemency, Najib could be gifted with another act of clemency and given a full pardon, which would wipe away the conviction and all disabilities.

Sanusi's explanation on Kedah FA confusing

Another interpretation of Sanusi's explanation raised suspicion of corruption and abuse of power similar to the case against Muhyiddin involving Bokhary Equities donation to PPBM, as below:

Adding to the confusion is the bit about Tulangi requesting the return of RM1.3 million instead of the whole RM5 million. 

Some details would be nice because apparently a reliable source said there was no flow of money into KFA account to show the donated money went to KFA. This contradict Sanusi's claim the money is all in the account. 

Sanusi mentioned in his press statement about the RM5 million received was to pay debt. So which is which: 

Money in the KFA account used to pay debt or KFA could only afford to repay RM1.3 million because money never went into the account?