KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 7 — The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) has called for independent investigations into serious sexual harassment complaints in government hospitals.
MMA president Dr R. Arasu said the Ministry of Health (MOH) should strengthen its reporting mechanism so complaints involving senior officers can be made outside the immediate chain of command.
“For serious cases, investigation panels should include independent members from outside MOH to strengthen confidence in the process,” Dr Arasu said in a statement today.
The call comes after recent sexual harassment complaints involving senior doctors at Hospital Sultanah Aminah Johor Bahru (HSAJB) and Likas Hospital in Kota Kinabalu.
CodeBlue reported last week that HSAJB had opened an internal investigation into a female medical officer’s sexual harassment complaint against a consultant anaesthesiologist at the Johor hospital.
A source at HSAJB also alleged that a senior consultant had asked the complainant to withdraw her report because the accused doctor’s services were still needed.
HSAJB director Dr Mohamad Nizam Subahir said the hospital would not tolerate any attempt to conceal, suppress, or obstruct the reporting of sexual harassment allegations.
MMA said any allegation that a complainant or witness had been pressured to withdraw or alter a complaint should itself be investigated.
“There must be zero tolerance for retaliation or interference,” Dr Arasu said. “Junior doctors, nurses and other health care workers must be able to speak up without fear of consequences to their training or career.”
The other case involves Likas Hospital, where the former hospital director has been accused of sexual harassment.
MMA also called for clear timelines for investigations, saying cases should not be allowed to drag on for months without resolution or updates.
The association said allegations of sexual harassment and workplace bullying must be taken seriously, while due process and the principle of innocent until proven guilty must be respected.
“Complainants must be protected, and those accused must be given a fair opportunity to respond. There should be no trial by media,” Dr Arasu said.
The HSAJB and Likas Hospital cases are among three recent cases involving senior doctors as accused perpetrators and doctor subordinates as alleged victims.
The third case involves the National Heart Institute (IJN) in Kuala Lumpur, where a sexual harassment complaint has also been reported.
IJN is a private hospital owned by the Minister of Finance (Incorporated), unlike HSAJB and Likas Hospital, which are government hospitals under MOH.
