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LETTER OF SUPPORT FOR DR JEYAKUMAR DEVARAJ

YB Datuk Chua Jui Meng
Minister of Health
Jalan Cenderasari
50590 Kuala Lumpur
email:  <pro1@moh.gov.my>
        :  <jimmychua@mca.org.my>
 

Dear Datuk Chua:

Re:   Transfer of Dr Jeyakumar Devaraj

I/We understand that Dr Jeyakumar Devaraj, Consultant Chestn Physician at Ipoh Hospital and ExCo member of the Citizens' Health Initiative was issued a summary transfer dated July 26, 1999 ordering him to report for duty in Sarawak by August 1, 1999.  Though under appeal, such precipitate action appears to us an extreme inconsideration and abuse of administrative discretion.  It is not, to our knowledge, dictated by any service urgency, and certainly not for any sound administrative or    professional reason.

Dr Jeyakumar is a highly respected professional who has furthermore been honored by the Malaysian Medical Association's inaugural award for outstanding community service in 1998.  His tireless endeavours on behalf of estate workers and the urban poor is well-known in Ipoh circles as well as nationally.  Most recently, Dr Jeyakumar in the best traditions of public service played an instrumental role in initiating a public debate on a paramount issue of social policy:  the corporatisation and privatisation of government healthcare.

We are greatly concerned if such exemplary behavior is being rewarded with disciplinary action and if his precipitate transfer is in any way punitive in intent.  The fact that two previous attempts to transfer him to Kuantan and to Alor Setar (subsequently revoked by an official letter re-affirming his position at Ipoh Hospital:  "Kementerian bersetuju...   membatalkan pertukaran Dr Jeyakumar Devaraj dan dikekalkan penempatannya di Hospital Ipoh atas kepentingan perkhidmatan", letter dated May13,    1999), is now followed by this capricious reversal two months later, lends credence to the belief that this might be so.  We might add that this appears to be another instance of the abuse of bureaucratic prerogative that is causing such unhappiness among government staff in the healthcare and other sectors.

We urge you to rescind the transfer order, and more generally to institute more consultative, accountable and less arbitrary   administrative procedures for staff transfers in our laudably dispersed (primary) healthcare system.Finally, in connection with Dr Jeyakumar's recent concerns over the corporatisation of government hospitals, we urge you as MCA Vice President and as Health Minister (and by extension, also urge other Barisan Nasional component parties) to make a clearcut, binding commitment to abandon the policy of corporatisation and privatisation of healthcare.  The urgent need now is to take all necessary steps to re-invigorate a publicly-funded, publicly-provided healthcare system of quality which is equitable, accessible and based on open, accountable and sustainable use of public resources.

Yours truly,

 Name                   NRIC          Date           Signature

Chan Chee Khoon        4084367             26-8-99         Chan Chee Khoon
Premesh Chandrabn    A1367435            15-9-99         Premesh Chandran
Joanna de Rozario       700120-08-5254  17-9-99         Joanna de Rozario
liow yeong lih          700525-08-5463   24-9-99          liow
Ng Tien Eng             690509-08-5061   27-9-99          eng
Ngo Sheau Shi           750302-04-5064   27-9-99        Sheau Shi

Aliran Kesedaran Negara (ALIRAN) (National Consciousness Movement)
103 Medan Penaga
11600 Penang
Malaysia
Tel: +60-4-658 5251
Fax: +60-4-658 5197
Website: http://www.malaysia.net/aliran