Injured Boy Denied Treatment At Two Klinik 1Malaysia Because Of The Length Of Mum's Shorts
The boy's mother and aunt went from one medical facility to another, seeking to have him treated but being continually rejected because to their "inappropriate clothing".
By Sadho Ram — 07 Nov 2015, 01:48 PM — Updated about 9 years ago
Patients will be given treatment regardless of their attire, says minister Azalina Othman
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Azalina Othman Said said the government frontline staff will not turn away members of the public even if they are not "appropriately dressed".
Previously, there was a public uproar after several government agencies turned away people, mostly women, who were allegedly inappropriately dressed.
malaysiakini.com
Agreeing with Azalina, DAP Kulai MP Teo Nie Ching has urged the government to issue a memorandum that would ensure patients will be given treatment even if they do not comply to the set dress codes
Dress codes once again became the heated topic in the Dewan Rakyat today when Teo Nie Ching (DAP-Kulai) urged the Health Ministry to instruct public hospitals and clinics to give treatment regardless of what the patient and family members wore.
Speaking during the debate on Budget 2016 at the committee stage, Teo raised incidents of female visitors and patients not being allowed to enter hospitals or being refused treatment by the authorities.
Previously, there was a public uproar after several government agencies turned away people, mostly women, who were allegedly inappropriately dressed.
This included incidents where women wearing skirts which ended just above the knees being made to wear a sarong before they were let into government facilities.
malaysiakini.com
Meanwhile, PAS Pasir Puteh's Nik Mazian Nik Mohamad thinks that women wearing shorts portray indecent Western values
"We have to take care of our Eastern values. (I wonder) if a girl clad in shortpants is portraying the nature of the East? If not, then (she is portraying) indecent Western values in the eyes of the community," he said.
"If she goes to a hospital, public places or any other place, she would attract attention. This would show that she cares less of Eastern values," he claimed.
To this, Teo replied: "Who said that a girl in shortpants does not reflect Eastern values? We live in a tropical country. In my constituency and village, girls go out wearing shortpants.”
malaysiakini.com
7 November: It is being reported that a two-year-old boy, requiring medical attention for a cut in his finger, was allegedly denied treatment at not one, but two Klinik 1Malaysia branches, and a public hospital
But why? Because his mother and aunt were dressed in shorts that were, well, too short, reported The Rakyat Post via China Press.
According to a report published in the Chinese daily, the incident, which took place last Saturday, 31 October, around noon, saw the injured boy repeatedly being refused medical treatment until his mother was given a sarong to cover herself up.
The Chinese daily stated that the boy was initially rushed to a Klinik 1Malaysia in Saleng, Johor Baru, but his mother and aunt, both of whom were wearing a pair of short pants, were allegedly told that their pants were too short and hence, were denied entry.
The mother claimed that they waited for about two hours there, however, the injured boy did not get any proper treatment for his injuries at the Klinik 1Malaysia in Saleng.
They then brought the boy to another Klinik 1Malaysia in Bandar Indahpura, Kulai, but claimed that even there, they were denied entry. The clinic also cited the length of their pants as the reason to deny entry and treatment to the injured child.
The desperate duo then headed to Kulai Hospital where both claimed that even there, they couldn’t get the injured boy to be treated, allegedly for the same reason.
They finally went to a private clinic nearby, where the boy was granted access to medical treatment - and even then, only after his mother was made to put on a sarong, claimed the toddler's father
“My son was crying aloud at that time, so a nurse gave my wife a sarong and let her in,” the boy's father, Wong Xian Lan, was quoted by the Chinese daily in its report on Friday, 6 November.
MCA Vice President Chew Mei Fun has called on the Health Ministry to investigate the matter and urged the Ministry to take appropriate action, adding that it's clearly a case of medical neglect
“These ‘Little Napoleons’ should take note of the Parliamentary reply by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Azalina Othman that Putrajaya does not enforce dress codes on members of the public visiting government departments,” said Chew, who is also MCA's social development committee chairman.
Chew asked if a rape victim would be considered “inappropriately dressed” if she was sent to a clinic or hospital for treatment.
She reminded medical practitioners that their primary task was to treat patients and help them recover, not finding fault in their dressing.
“Uphold the Hippocratic Oath to treat all patients irrespective of how their attendants maybe attired, and be devoted towards healing and upholding ethical standards,” Chew said in a statement Friday.