Docs who perform hudud cuts face the axe

PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) today warned that doctors who carry out amputations under the hudud system could be de-registered by the Malaysian Medical Council (MMC) and expelled from the association.
Its president Datuk Dr N. K. S. Tharmaseelan (pix) said this could lead to them being unable to practise in Malaysia and abroad.
He said amputation is a medical issue, with all doctors governed by the Medical Act 1971 and regulated by MMC, which is the only regulatory body for doctors in terms of medical ethics and practice.
"MMC has codified medical practice and ethics in its Code of Professional Conduct. In addition, it has extensively spelt out the do's and don'ts in the guidelines of MMC, which are updated from time to time," he said.
He advised surgeons, irrespective of whether they are Muslims or non-Muslims, that they will not be protected under the Medical Act if they amputate limbs of convicted people, even "in the most humane manner possible".
Tharmaseelan said MMA had always shown respect to all religions, races and languages but it has to voice its stand because amputation is a medical issue.
He said MMA is firmly behind Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam's announcement that the Kelantan government should not involve medical specialists in the implementation of hudud as there are no provisions under the Medical Act for such tasks.
Dr Mohammed Fauzi Abdul Rani, health president of Islamic non-profit organisation, Ikram, said on Monday that syariah law mandates Muslim physicians to perform the surgical procedure as instructed by syariah courts and as such, Muslim physicians must conform.
However, Islamic Medical Association of Malaysia president Datuk Dr Abd Rahim Mohamad said undertaking amputation under anaesthesia defeated the purpose of hudud.
In a statement, Islamic Renaissance Front director Dr Ahmad Farouk Musa described as "outrageous" the proposal by Kelantan Deputy Mentri Besar Datuk Mohd Amar Nik Amar that surgeons amputate limbs under syariah law.
Tharmaseelan said the Medical Act is based almost entirely on the Hippocratic Oath and regulates how doctors practise.
He said those who are unhappy with the code of ethics governing doctors should change the MMC Code of Professional Conduct before demanding that doctors be mandated to do such amputations.
"Till then, we doctors need to abide by the Medical Act, as it stands," said Tharmaseelan.