PETALING JAYA: The Health Ministry (KKM) is currently in the midst of investigating yet another case involving a medical practitioner based in Seberang Jaya Hospital, Penang, who died after the individual was believed to have been bullied while in service.
Exposing the matter in the Dewan Rakyat, today, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said internal investigations into the case immediately commenced after the ministry received a report about it.
Answering a supplementary question by Datuk Dr Ahmad Yunus Hairi (PN-Kuala Langat), Dzulkefly did not dismiss the possibility of forming an independent committee to fully investigate the case prior to further action.
“I am aware of parties accusing KKM of delayed action in preventing bullying cases amongst medical personnel, but the ministry has been conducting internal investigations the moment they receive a complaint, similar to what has been done since 2018.
“This includes that Yang Berhormat is unaware of a death (of a medical personnel) in Seberang Jaya Hospital, believed to have stemmed from bullying. I am waiting for the findings conducted from the internal investigations,”he said.
His comments stemmed from accusations that KKM were dilly-dallying its actions to prevent work-place bullying among doctors, causing similar incidents to occur within the government medical facilities.
On August 29, Dr Tay Tien Yaa, a pathology specialist at Hospital Lahad Datu, was found dead in her rental unit, following allegations of workplace bullying.
Dr Dzulkefly on October 2 announced that an independent Special Task Force has been set up to investigate the incident.
He reportedly said the task force, which takes effect from October 10, would be chaired by former Public Services Department director-general Tan Sri Borhan Dollah.
Dzulkefly said the task force would be responsible for conducting an investigation and analysing input from the investigation into her death as well as examining the work culture at Lahad Datu Hospital.
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