Category: Health

Opposition Leader and DAP Member of Parliament for Bandar Melaka, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, today issued the following statement (2.10.1973):

Lim Kit Siang wants Health Minister to impress on the Malacca Hospital deaths Investigating Committee a sense of urgency and stop all procrastinations and delays

I have today written to the Minister of Health, Tan Sri Lee Siok Yew, asking him to impress on the Investigation Committee into the Malacca Hospital deaths in July and August with a sense of urgency, and that it should not procrastinate or delay its inquiry and findings.

The Investigation Committee first met in Malacca General Hospital on Sept. 10, 11 and 12, and postponed proceedings for two weeks till Sept. 27. The Sept. 27 resumption was later postponed till Oct. 1, which has now been further postponed to an indefinite date.

Such delays and protracted postponements can only strengthen public reservations and doubts about the sincerity of the Ministry of Health to get to the truth about the 110 deaths in the Malacca Hospital from July 21 to August 20, when the hospital’s autoclave ceased to operate.

In my letter to the Health Minister, I wrote: Continue reading Malacca Hospital deaths – Investigating Committee should stop all procrastinations and delays

Statement by DAP Member of Parliament for Bandar Melaka, MR. Lim Kit Siang, at a press conference in Malacca Office, 33A Jalan Munshi Abdullah, on Tuesday, 25th Sept. 1973

A fresh case of Malacca Hospital negligence where a two-year-old boy was admitted on Sept. 2 night and not attended to by any doctor for 12 hours, and died 15 hours after admission

I have received a complaint fro Madam Tan Leong from Kota Timor that her two-year-old son was admitted into the Malacca General Hospital on the night of 2.9.1973, and was not attended to by any doctor for 12 hours, and died 15 hours after admission.

Mdm. Tan Leong’s two-year-old son, Kua Tai Hock, was having fever for one week, and had been receiving outpatient treatment from the Malacca General Hospital. Kua Tai Hock had difficulty in breathing sweating and had cold hands and feet.

On Sept. 2, Madam Tan Leong took the boy to the Casualty department of the Malacca General Hospital as the boy was very ill. Kua TaiHock was seen by a doctor at about 10.15 p.m., after which he was given outpatient treatment again. The doctor did not admit Tai Hock. Continue reading A fresh case of Malacca Hospital negligence

DAP Member of Parliament for Bandar Melaka and Party Secretary- General, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, today issued the following statement – 21.9.1973: (Mr. Lim is also advisor to the Committee of Families of Deceased at Malacca Hospital from July 21 to August 20)

Lim Kit Siang urges Minister of Health, Tan Sri Lee Siok Yew, to: (1) ensure that his order that all leave and transfers for officers and staff in Malacca Hospital be stopped is adhered to strictly until end of Malacca Hospital deaths inquiry; (2) issue a directive to Malacca Hospital authorities to stop their witch-hunt campaign

I have written to the Health Minister, Tan Sri Lee Siok Yew, urging him to ensure that his order that all leave and transfers for officers and staff in Malacca Hospital be stopped until the end of the inquiry into the unusual Malacca Hospital deaths be obeyed strictly, as it has come to my knowledge that some officers are finalising preparations to go abroad.

I have also asked Tan Sri Lee to issue a directive to the Malacca Hospital authorities to end a witch-hunt campaign among the hospital staff.

In my letter to Tan Sri Lee Siok Yew, I said: Continue reading Ensure all leave and transfers for officers and staff in Malacca Hospital be stopped is adhered to

Speech by Ketua Pembangkang, DAP Secretary-General and Member of Parliament for Bandar Melaka, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, at a DAP Public Rally at Bandar Hilir Padang, Malacca, on Sunday, 16th Sept. 1973 at 9.30 p.m.

Minister of Health, Tan Sri Lee Siok Yew, should assert his authority and show that he is master in his own Ministry and not a puppet of Malacca Hospital authorities

Since my first press conference on August 22 making public the unusual number of Malacca Hospital deaths and calling for a Public Commission of Inquiry into the negligence and maladministration of the Malacca Hospital which made such deaths possible, the Minister of Health, Tan Sri Lee Siok Yew, has established an investigation committee and promised that if there is any finding of negligence or carelessness on the part of anyone, disciplinary or other action would be taken.

From our investigations, it is clear that the Minister of health, Tan Sri Lee Siok Yew, had been misled by the Malacca Hospital authorities time and again into making public statements which are not borne out by facts.

It is a serious and sorry state of affairs that the Minister of Health, the head of his Ministry, should be consistently misled and misinformed by his own subordinates into making untrue public statements.

I will tonight give three instances to justify my statement. Continue reading Minister of Health should assert his authority and show that he is master in his own Ministry

DAP Secretary-General and Member of Parliament for Melaka Bandar, Mr. Lim Kit Siang today issued the following statement (13.9.1973):

Lim Kit Siang wants the Investigation Committee into the Malacca Hospital deaths to sit at a stretch until final completion of its inquiry without postponement or adjournment

The six-man Ministry of Health Investigation Committee into the unusual number or deaths in the Malacca Hospital in July and August during the break-down of the autoclave has adjourned after three days, of preliminary inquiry.

The Committee is to resume for another three days, about two weeks later at the end of September.

The Investigation Committee has an onerous duty, for it is not only to inquire into the real cause of the unusually high number of deaths in the Malacca Hospital during July and August. It has the further responsibility of convincing the people of Malacca that there is competent hospital administration to restore their confidence in the Malacca Hospital as a fit and proper place to entrust the lives and health of their loved ones. Continue reading Investigation Committee into the Malacca Hospital deaths should complete its work without postponement

Statement by DAP Member of Parliament for Bandar Melaka, Mr. Kim Kiat Siang, at a Press Conference at 33A, Jalan Munshi Abdullah, Melaka, on Friday, 7th September, 1973 at 11 a.m.

Two pre-conditions for a satisfactory inquiry

This is my second press conference on the Malacca Hospital deaths arising from the breakdown of the hospital’s autoclave (sterilization plant).

Since my first press conference on August 22 making public the unusual number of Malacca Hospital deaths and calling for a Public Commission of Inquiry into the negligence and maladministration of the Malacca Hospital which made such deaths possible, the Minister of Health, Tan Sri Lee Siok Yew, has established an investigation committee and promised that if there is any finding of negligence or carelessness on the part of anyone, disciplinary or other action would be taken.

I am not fully satisfied with the formation of the investigation committee because (i) the proceedings will be in secret, away from public gaze; and (ii) the absence of completely independent or unbiased members, as a representative from the Opposition or a foreign medical expert. Continue reading Malacca hospital deaths – formation of Committee of Deceased Families

DAP Member of Parliament for Bandar Melaka, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, today issued the following statement (5.9.1973):

Malacca hospital deaths inquiry: DAP calls on Minister of Health to take necessary action to ensure that hospital subordinate officers and staff will feel free and unrestrained to give full, truthful testimony without fear of alienating superior officers

I welcome the assurance given by the Minister of Health, Tan Sri Lee Siok Yew, that if the investigation committee into the Malacca hospital deaths during the breakdown of the autoclave (sterilization plant) found negligence or carelessness on the part of anyone, disciplinary or other action would be taken.

However, the public must be convinced that there is going to be a thorough, comprehensive and unfettered inquiry into the unusual number of deaths in the Malacca General Hospital. The investigation committee appointed by the Health Minister is headed by the Ministry’s Secretary-General, Encik Abdul Majid Yusof, and comprise Prof. Lau Kam Seng of the University of Malaya, Prof. Francis Morasingh of the Universiti Sains, Penang, Dr.Lim Teong Wah of the Institute of Medical Research, Dr. G.G. Lopes, Director of the National Blood Bank and Dr. Ezaddin bin Mohamed of the Ministry of Health.

To the members of the public, the six-member committee are all directly or indirectly associated with the Ministry of Health or the government. What is lacking is the inclusion of members who are completely independent and unassociated with the government in any way. Continue reading Malacca hospital deaths inquiry: ensure hospital subordinate officers and staff feel free and unrestrained to give full, truthful testimony

Ketua Pembangkang and DAP Member of Parliament for Bandar Melaka, Mr.Lim Kit Siang, today issued the following statement (30.8.1973):

Lim Kit Siang meets the Minister of Health over Malacca Hospital deaths

I met the Minister of Health, Tan Sri Lee Siok Yew, in his office in Kuala Lumpur for an hour this morning over the unusually high number of deaths in the Malacca General Hospital in the first part of August this year during the breakdown of the hospital’s autoclave (sterilisation plant).

I expressed to the Minister my grave concern at the large number of unexplained deaths and my disappointment that there was not going to be a public inquiry into the deaths.

Because of the long history of poor public image of the public hospital service, and the recent unusually high number of unusual deaths, public confidence in the hospital service in general, and the Malacca General Hospital in particular is at the lowest ebb.
Continue reading Lim Kit Siang meets the Minister of Health over Malacca Hospital deaths

DAP Secretary-General and Member of Parliament for Bandar Melaka, Mr.Lim Kit Siang, today issued the following statement (28.8.1973):

DAP Malacca calls on the Minister of Health to order that all records and documents related to the recent Malacca General Hospital deaths be preserved and protected from any tampering

Since my press conference on August 22 a week ago calling for a Public Commission of Inquiry into the unusual number of deaths recently in the Malacca General Hospital, and the announcement by the Minister of Health, Tan Sri Lee Siok Yew, ordering a department inquiry, I have received further information from people of Malacca whose relatives or friends have died in the Malacca General Hospital recently.

I have invited all those in Malacca who have any information relating to the unusual number of deaths in the Malacca General Hospital during the time that the hospital’s autoclave (sterilisation plant) broke down to contact me or my colleagues at the DAP Malacca Office at 33A Jalan Munshi Abdullah, Malacca.
Continue reading Make sure all records and documents related to the recent Malacca General Hospital deaths be preserved and protected from any tampering