The association's president says the Kelantan proposal goes against medical ethics.
PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) has declared its opposition to a Kelantan government suggestion that qualified surgeons be appointed to amputate the limbs of convicted thieves under its proposed hudud legislation.
In a press statement released today, MMA president Dr NKS Tharmaseelan said the suggestion went against traditional medical ethics.
He said medical and health professionals had been trained since ancient times to cure and care, and to treat their patients with benevolence even if they happened to be criminals.
He added that MMA would “certainly make an official complaint“ to the Malaysian Medical Council (MMC) against any doctor conducting the amputation even if he was forced to do so by the state.
“This may lead to him being expelled from the medical register as a doctor.”
He noted that under World Health Organisation guidelines it is considered unethical for doctors to even witness the whipping of criminals.
The suggestion that surgeons be appointed to execute amputation came yesterday from Kelantan Deputy Menteri Besar Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah, who heads the state’s Hudud Technical Committee.
Perak MCA has also reacted to Mohd Amar’s statement. It chairman, Dr Mah Hang Soon, said in a press release that he was appalled by the suggestion.
He invoked the Hippocratic Oath, by which physicians swear to uphold professional ethical standards.
“They are trained to rescue lives, cure ailments and heal injuries, not the contrary of carrying out any surgeries that will endanger the health or forcibly render a healthy able-bodied person disabled,” he said.
“Should not the operating theatre be prioritised for patients requiring surgery rather than for punishing people deemed criminal under hudud?”
He said the Kelantan proposal was unjust to doctors because they would be penalised by the state if they disobeyed the order to amputate, and by the MMC if they obeyed.
In a press statement released today, MMA president Dr NKS Tharmaseelan said the suggestion went against traditional medical ethics.
He said medical and health professionals had been trained since ancient times to cure and care, and to treat their patients with benevolence even if they happened to be criminals.
He added that MMA would “certainly make an official complaint“ to the Malaysian Medical Council (MMC) against any doctor conducting the amputation even if he was forced to do so by the state.
“This may lead to him being expelled from the medical register as a doctor.”
He noted that under World Health Organisation guidelines it is considered unethical for doctors to even witness the whipping of criminals.
The suggestion that surgeons be appointed to execute amputation came yesterday from Kelantan Deputy Menteri Besar Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah, who heads the state’s Hudud Technical Committee.
Perak MCA has also reacted to Mohd Amar’s statement. It chairman, Dr Mah Hang Soon, said in a press release that he was appalled by the suggestion.
He invoked the Hippocratic Oath, by which physicians swear to uphold professional ethical standards.
“They are trained to rescue lives, cure ailments and heal injuries, not the contrary of carrying out any surgeries that will endanger the health or forcibly render a healthy able-bodied person disabled,” he said.
“Should not the operating theatre be prioritised for patients requiring surgery rather than for punishing people deemed criminal under hudud?”
He said the Kelantan proposal was unjust to doctors because they would be penalised by the state if they disobeyed the order to amputate, and by the MMC if they obeyed.
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