Organ donation “is not something you could persuade with slogans or one-off campaigns”.
PETALING JAYA: Social activist and living liver donor Chew Hoong Ling said Malaysia’s persistently low rate of organ donation would not improve through posters and walkathons, only through honest, sustained conversations that confront fear, faith and cultural taboos.
Chew, who made national headlines in 2009 after donating 60% of her liver to a 13-year-old girl suffering from liver cancer, said the recipient had been a complete stranger to her at the time.
She said organ donation “is not something you could persuade with slogans or one-off campaigns”.
“Organ donation is like asking someone to convert their belief system. It requires time, trust and the ability to answer questions people are genuinely afraid to ask,” she told theSun.
Chew, who has been promoting organ donation since the 1990s, recalled when registration required mailing forms and waiting for donor cards to arrive.
She said today, pledging is far easier through MySejahtera, with records managed by the National Transplant Resource Centre (NTRC).
“Under the Health Ministry, when you pledge, your registration goes to NTRC. NTRC coordinates transplant doctors and organ procurement teams. So when people say the system is not centralised, I quite disagree.
“My view is (that if you want) to understand the system better, speak directly to NTRC.”
She added that while previous awareness campaigns under the Public Awareness Action Committee brought together experts and NGOs, many failed because they focused on publicity rather than dialogue.
“What I disagree with is when organ donation awareness is done through things such as walkathons or general events.
“Those activities do not actually explain organ donation.
“There are questions, doubts, taboos and religious concerns. You need conversation, not just an event.”
She urged the Health Ministry to introduce a standard outreach kit and Train-the-Trainer programme to equip community leaders and NGOs with accurate information.
“Blood donation is easy to promote because it is familiar. Organ donation is different. You need to be prepared to explain, to listen and to answer. It requires continuity.”
She also said hesitation often stems from misinformation rather than religious prohibition.
“Religion actually plays a real role but it is the interpretation that varies. Most religious authorities in Malaysia do support organ donation. The challenge is whether the public has heard or understood those rulings.
“The knowledge is there. But after someone feels inspired by a talk, if there is no registration booth available right away, the moment passes. That is why I believe MySejahtera is a huge step forward. Now it’s just about awareness leading to action.”
Reflecting on her own experience, Chew said she has no regrets but cautioned that living organ donation carries lasting emotional, physical and financial consequences.
