theSun | MONDAY NOVEMBER 2 2009 5

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PM: My right to appoint minister Gerakan calls

by Husna Yusop
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Najib
Abdul Razak said it is his prerogative as
the premier to appoint a minister and
this right should not be questioned.
Explaining the reason for appointing
Gerakan president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu
Koon as a Minister in the Prime Minis-
ter’s Department, he said he made the
decision after considering the country’s
future.
“I appointed Koh as a minister
because I appreciate Gerakan’s role. I
want the voice of Gerakan members to
be heard by the government.
“I want this appointment to be a part
of Gerakan’s recovery process. Don’t
question it. It’s my right as the PM,” he
said when opening Gerakan’s 38th Na-
tional Delegates Conference yesterday.
In his speech Najib said he has to
make decisions in the interest of Barisan
Nasional (BN) as he is not only Umno
president but also BN chairman.
“I’m not only the PM for the Malays
but PM for all Malaysians. That’s why I
made that decision. I see it as a whole, I
look at the country’s future,” he said.
He said he has entrusted Koh, togeth-
er with Datuk Idris Jala, to be in charge
of the National Key Results Areas and
Key Performance Index because “he is a
Princeton graduate, he can think”.
Last week, Sri Gading MP back-
bencher Datuk Mohamad Aziz called on
Koh and MCA president Datuk Seri Ong
Tee Keat to quit their ministerial posts
as they are not wanted by the people.
Najib said BN accepted the warning
given by the people in last year’s general
election and was willing to change and
correct itself in order to prove the critics
wrong and maintain BN as a relevant
party.
He reminded Gerakan members to
have the courage of conviction, self-be-
lief and resilience so that the party can
be revived and re-emerge as a dynamic
party.
“If you believe in what you do, in
Najib being
for review of
greeted by
Gerakan
repressive laws
adviser Tun
Dr Lim Keng KUALA LUMPUR: Gerakan has called on the
Yaik (second government to review the Internal Security Act
from right) 1960 and other laws deemed repressive such
and Koh as the Printing Presses and Publications Act
(third from 1984.
left) after The delegates at the party’s national
opening the delegates conference yesterday said these
conference laws need to be revised, overhauled, repealed
yesterday as or replaced to conform to human rights and
vice-president democratic values.
Datuk They also declared that the right to assemble
Chang Ko peacefully should be granted to the people
Youn (right) based on the freedom of assembly and for the
and deputy Federal Constitution be upheld, protected and
president defended by all Malaysians.
Datuk Mah On education, they called for entry examina-
Siew Keong
tions for all public universities to be standardised
(left) look on.
to encourage genuine meritocracy.
BERNAMAPIX “Meritocracy should also be practised in
employment and promotion in the public sector
what you stand for, in the struggle, you and public universities,” they said in the declara-
can overcome all challenges and dif- tion of the resolution which was unanimously
ficulties,” he said. passed by the delegates.
Commenting on the opposition,
Najib said people do not trust them as The delegates also declared the concept of
they are not truly multi-racial and are 1Malaysia should be promoted, realised and
full of problems. used as a guide for formulating government
“They talk about having a dual party policies and programmes and a means to fur-
system but they don’t even know how ther strengthen national unity.
to form a shadow cabinet. Who is their They called for greater efforts by the police
finance minister or defence minister? to combat crime and to improve the force’s
None. They are afraid,” he said. capacity and effectiveness.
He reminded BN component parties On economy, delegates called for further
to put their house in order and solve liberalisation to improve its competitiveness
their internal problems, saying changes and resilience, as well as for the national and
must not only take place at the front line ministerial Key Results Areas be accorded prior-
but also at party level. ity in the 2010 Budget and 10th Malaysia Plan.
“We all must reflect the change. It On sustainable development, green tech-
is like a moving train. It cannot be just
nology and related industries, the delegates
the locomotive moving, everybody else
must move together. Gerakan, MCA, said they should be promoted and realised to
MIC, PPP and all other parties. conserve and preserve the country’s environ-
“So, if there are internal problems, ment.
solve them quickly. Strengthen the BN. On Gerakan itself, the delegates called for
Have the courage of conviction,” he reform and rejuvenation within the party to be
said. intensified to ensure it remains relevant.

Compulsory service a sore point Party to use 11388 to stay relevant

by Alyaa Alhadjri
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
PETALING JAYA: The government’s
proposal to cut the period of com-
pulsory service for new doctors
in government hospitals from the
present three years to two has ironi-
cally reopened a sore point, especially
among parents who spent a fortune
sending their children overseas to do
medicine.
In fact, the proposal by the Health
Ministry to the Malaysian Medical
Council was made in response to
requests from parents who sacrificed
a great deal to fund their children’s
medical studies, which represent the
most expensive further education
course.
As a parent with two children going
through their medical degrees over-
seas, Dr Sarjeet Sidhu, 63, a private
obstetrician and gynaecologist based
in Ipoh, said that while there should
be no argument regarding compul-
sory service for students educated on
public funds through scholarships, it
is unfair to apply the same conditions
for those who are self-funded.
“I’m actually glad that the MOH
is proposing a reduction in the years
of compulsory service. Director-gen-
eral of Health Tan Sri Dr Mohd Ismail
Merican is on the right track with
this one,” said Sarjeet, whose two
daughters went on a twinning degree
programme to help reduce their cost
of study.
“The fact that the cost of studying
medicine abroad is an astronomical
amount and a burden for most is
undeniable,” he added.
For example, a six-year medicine
course in the United Kingdom will cost
parents more than RM1 million.
The compulsory service require-
ment is on top of the two-year house-
manship that was designed to provide
fresh graduates with supervised
practical training in six medical disci-
plines – general medicine, paediatrics,
surgery, orthopaedics, obstetrics and
gynaecology, and emergency medicine
with four months in each posting.
For those who studied abroad,
the housemanship period also served
to familiarise them with local condi-
tions.
The compulsory service period,
first introduced under the Medical
Act 1971, on the other hand was to
ensure that the public sector has
enough doctors to man their hospitals
and clinics.
Shortage of doctors particularly in
the public sector has been an ongo-
ing concern for the government and
it acts as the basis for implementation
of compulsory service.
If the proposal is implemented, this
would mean all new graduates would
have to serve in the government
for a period of four years instead of
five at the present – two years as a
houseman and two years as a medical
officer.
This is one of the reasons why
some medical graduates refuse to
return from overseas. They want the
freedom to choose which hospital
they work for to further their medical
career, as well as to make decent
income proportionate to the amount
spent on their course.
Malaysian Medical Association
(MMA) president Dr David Quek, in
supporting the MOH proposal, said a
reduced compulsory service period
will enable more doctors to choose
whether to venture into private
general practice or to specialise – a
move that would significantly boost
their income.
“We respect that many parents
have invested heavily into ensuring
that their children go through the
rigours of medical education which is
possibly the most expensive course
worldwide,” said Quek, adding that it
would take another four to eight years
of post-graduate studies on top of the
basic six years course if the doctors
chose to become a specialist.
“It will be a win-win experience
for all and hopefully the public will be
better served,” he said.
“Although we understand the ra-
tionale and necessity of extending the
housemanship training to two years,
we also feel that keeping them bound
to the MOH for too long is also stress-
ful for some doctors,” said Quek.
However, Quek said there are
around 2,000 to 2,500 new doctors
joining the service every year and it
may soon overwhelm both the private
and public sector health services.
“A serious glut of medical gradu-
ates may in the near future cause
unemployment or underemployment
and possibly a lowering of standards
due to inability to train or apprentice
these going graduates,” he said.
Working over 90 hours a week
over long stretches without sleep
and under challenging conditions as
housemen and medical officers in
the public sector have made the sig-
nificant difference in terms of income
between the public and private sector
even more apparent.
KUALA LUMPUR: Strategy 11388.
Gerakan will capitalise on this
strategy, which it formulated two
years ago and is now updated with
elements of 1Malaysia, to continue
to remain relevant.
Party president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu
Koon, who announced this at Ger-
akan’s annual convention yesterday,
outlined the strategy as:
1 - One vision
1 - One mission
3 - Three core thrusts
8 - Eight strategies
8 - Eight main areas
A booklet on the new version
of Strategy 11388 was launched by
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun
Razak at the convention.
Koh said among the approaches
Gerakan would take were maintain-
ing its multi-racial stance in all its
policies, acting as a “voice of reason”
Party leaders defend koh
KUALA LUMPUR: Gerakan leaders
have come out in full force to defend
their president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu
Koon, who was heavily criticised by
Sri Gading MP Datuk Mohamad Aziz
recently.
Party vice-president Datuk Dr Teng
Hock Nan said it was unbecoming of
a Barisan Nasional MP to criticise the
president of a component party.
“His action amounts to insult-
ing Gerakan as he is criticising our
president. I suggest we write to
him to express our objection to his
statement and demand an apology,”
he said in his winding up speech at
Gerakan’s 38th National Delegates
in the BN and support BN reforms be-
sides playing the role of a proactive
opposition in non-BN ruled states.
Others included reinforcing its
people-centric policies besides col-
laborating with non-governmental
organisations in specific areas like
human rights, environment and
education.
Koh, who is also Minister in the
Prime Minister’s Department, said
the party was making concerted
efforts to increase its membership,
especially in Sabah and was increas-
ing activities at the grassroots level
to put the party back on a strong
footing.
He thanked Najib for his support
for him and said it motivated him to
work even harder for the party and
all Malaysians.
Some 1,400 delegates attended
the two-day convention. – Bernama
Conference yesterday.
Deputy president Datuk Chang Ko
Youn brushed aside allegations that
Koh was a weak and soft leader.
“I have worked with him for over
20 years. It is not true that he is soft
or weak. When it comes to a matter
of principle he will stand firm on his
principle. He is the right person to lead
our party to success.”
Gerakan Youth chief Lim Si Pin in
his winding-up criticised the delegates
for their poor attendance during its as-
sembly on Saturday. “Only 38% of the
delegates were present and several
State Youth chiefs were absent,” he
said.