17 summoned in hospital sexual harassment probe

KUALA LUMPUR: The Independent Inquiry Committee has summoned 17 people for an investigation into sexual harassment allegedly committed by a senior doctor against housemen of a hospital in the Klang Valley.

Health Minister Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said they comprised 10 victims and seven witnesses.

“The committee has met twice. We have called the individuals to facilitate in the investigation, but I cannot reveal the outcome yet,” he said at the 1st Malaysian Men’s Health Conference at Universiti Malaya (UM) here yesterday.

The senior doctor, who is the head of the Orthopaedics department of the hospital, was reported to have sexually abused female housemen under his supervision.

Following the exposure of the case, more victims have come forward to lodge complaints of sexual abuse in hospitals to the Health Ministry and the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry.

In another development, Dr Dzulkefly said the ministry would convene a meeting with Bank Negara Malaysia and the Finance Ministry tomorrow to discuss the progress and proposed implementation of the National Health Insurance Scheme.

“There is no timeline, but it is part of Pakatan Harapan’s 100day manifesto pledges. If the cabinet approves it, we will go ahead with the pre-launch.”

The conference was jointly organised by UM and the Malaysian Clearinghouse for Men’s Health, with cooperation from the Health Ministry and Malaysian Society of Andrology and the Study of the Ageing Male.

Present were Health deputy director-general Datuk Dr Chong Chee Kheong and UM Vice-Chancellor Datuk Dr Abdul Rahim Hashim.