Category: Scandals

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

On 26th August, 1973 the Opposition Leader and DAP Member of Parliament for Bandar Melaka, Mr.Lim Kit Siang, send the following second letter to the Minister of Health on the Malacca Hospital deaths. He made five proposals for an investigation into the deaths to satisfy public opinion and social conscience

26.8.1973

“Tan Sri Lee Siok Yew,
Minister of Health,
Ministry of Health,
Kuala Lumpur.

Dear Tan Sri,

Investigation Committee into Malacca Hospital deaths: Five proposals

The appointment of investigation committee members from outside the Ministry of Health into the Malacca Hospital deaths is a right decision.

However, as the Malacca Hospital deaths have greatly shaken public confidence in the hospital service, it is important that the people be convinced that there will be a full and free inquiry, and that there is no cause for anyone to feel that there had been any attempt to hush up the affair.

It is with this objective in mind, i.e. to fully restore public confidence in the hospital service that I wish to make five proposals concerning the investigation committee into the Malacca Hospital deaths:
Continue reading Second letter to the Minister of Health on the Malacca General Hospital Deaths

Statement on 25.8.1973:

DAP Secretary-General Mr.Lim Kit Siang today called for a full scale public inquiry into the unusually high rate of maternally and surgical deaths at the Malacca General Hospital between Aug.6 and 16.

“This high death rate connected with the breakdown of the autoclave – the sterilization plant – in the hospital” said Mr.Lim in a letter to Health Minister Tan Sri Lee Siok Yew today.

He added the Ministry should, in future, make sure that all equipment in hospital is in perfect order so that such cases would not recur.

He said during the breakdown of the autoclave bottles and containers were contaminated as they could not be properly sterilized.
Continue reading “Unusual: hospital deaths: DAP calls for probe

Opposition Leader and DAP Member of Parliament for Bandar Melaka Mr.Lim Kit Siang, on 24th August, 1973, sent the following letter to the Minister of Health, Tan Sri Lee Siok Yew urging a public Commission of Inquiry into the unusual number of deaths in the Malacca General Hospital in August during the break down of the sterilisation plant.

24.8.1973

Tan Sri Lee Siok Yew,
Minister of Health

Dear Tan Sri,

I appreciate your immediate action in asking for inquiry by your officials on my Press Conference statement in Malacca on 22nd August, 1973, on the unusually high rate of maternity, surgical and medical deaths in the Malacca General Hospital in the last month, especially during the period from August 6th to the 16th.

This is unusually high rate of maternity, surgical and medical death cases coincide with the breakdown of the autoclave – the sterilisation plant – in the Malacca General Hospital. As you are no doubt aware, with the breakdown or malfunctioning of the autoclave, bottles and containers will remain contaminated as they cannot be properly sterilised. Thus, blood, saline or glucose put into these bottles or containers for transfusion for patients will be contaminated in turn and such contaminated blood and saline transfusion into the bodies of the sick and weak can only lead to fatal results.
Continue reading Letter to the Minister of Health on the Malacca General Hospital Deaths

Press Conference Statement by Opposition Leader and Member of Parliament for Bandar Melaka, Mr.Lim Kit Siang, in Melacca on 22.8.1973

Call for a public commission of inquiry into the gross criminal negligence in the General Hospital Malacca which has caused multiple deaths

I have called this press conference with sadness and anger to expose a black and heinous chapter in the administration of the Malacca General Hospital, and of the people of Malacca.

Between August 6 and 16, a period of some 10 days, the Malacca General Hospital became a death chamber. Unusual number of deaths occurred in maternity, surgical and even medical cases.

Routine cases of Caesarian operations, where deaths should not occur, ended up fatally. Continue reading Criminal negligence in the General Hospital Malacca caused multiple deaths

Speech by DAP Organising Secretary and Parliamentary Candidate for Bandar Melaka, Mr. Lim Kit Siang at the 8th DAP Public Rally at Kubu Stadium on Tuesday, 29th April 1969 at 9 p.m.;

Warning to Dato Tan Cheng Swee and Malacca Alliance: DAP will launch a Malacca-wide signature campaign for reform to Malacca General Hospital if call for public inquiry into the death of Choo Heng Hwa is unheeded and ignored

Speaking at a DAP Public Rally at Bachang Chew Loy, Malacca, a week ago, I called for a public inquiry into the unnecessary death of a Form Four pupil of St. David School, one Choo Heng Hwa.

Choo met with an accident last month, and was immediately taken to the Malacca General Hospital by his parents. The medical officer on duty examined him, and sent him home with the assurance that there was nothing wrong with him. The medical officer also rejected pleas of the boy’s parent to admit him into hospital for observation.

The next day, the boy’s condition worsened. The parent again took him to hospital, but he was not immediately attended to. The boy died subsequently. Continue reading Malacca-wide signature campaign for reform to Malacca General Hospital