KUALA LUMPUR, March 30 — The Tun Hussein Onn National Eye Hospital, despite having suffered a RM3.5 million deficit, is contemplating hiring a private investigator to uncover moles within.

It is learnt the inquiry committee, tasked to probe dealings between a top hospital official and two medical companies as exposed by Malay Mail on Nov 22 last year, recommended a private investigator  “would be able to find the culprit” who released documents to the press. 

The minutes of the council meeting on August 16 last year read “the hospital was suffering from a deficit of RM3,460,000 mainly due to reduction in patient load and staff salary”. The minutes also  highlighted “although there was no big variance in patient load between these years (2011 and 2014) there was an increase of RM1,680,000 per year in expenditures”. It remains unclear if the hospital’s accounts are still in the red.

The hospital’s chairman Tengku Azlan Sultan Abu Bakar confirmed the matter.

“Yes, the inquiry committee suggested we hire a private investigator to identify the culprit (who gave out the information). But we have not hired anyone,” said Tengku Azlan at his residence in Bangsar on Wednesday.

“This whole matter stemmed from a clash of personalities. It should have been sorted out internally. It was evident that the former chief executive officer Prof Datuk Dr M. Chandra Sekaran and the hospital’s director Prof Datuk Dr Veera Ramani had issues. 

“Chandra’s contract as CEO has not been extended and he has been suspended from the Malaysian Association for the Blind (MAB),” said Tengku Azlan, who is also MAB president.

For the record, two thirds of MAB council members form part of the hospital board. MAB also owns the hospital’s land in Petaling Jaya.

The committee, who wrapped up their investigations on January 12, ordered the top official to step down and re-designated another official who was aware of the deals. This was revealed by MAB vice-president Hasidi Hasan to Malay Mail on January 17.

When pointed out the hospital and MAB’s priorities seem to be misplaced by mulling to hire a private investigator given its financial situation, Tengku Azlan said: “Good point, but we need to know who is the culprit. We’re not perfect … none of us are perfect but we strive to do our best.”

The former deputy Transport Minister also defended the five-member inquiry committee, saying they were credible individuals.

“When the matter was highlighted in the newspaper, we brought it up with the council. We decided to form an inquiry committee and appointed credible people to study the case.

“They did it (the inquiry) well. The committee was headed by lawyer Datuk S. Kulasegaran, who is also a senior MAB member.” 

The other members of the committee were Kulasegaran’s brother Santhirasegaran, Datuk Syed Ahmad Idid Syed Abdullah Idid, Datin Yun Mustafa @ Yun Lee Abdullah and Datuk S. Ganesan.

Retired judge Syed Ahmad is on the hospital board and also its director. Kulasegaran is MAB vice-president, Santhirasegaran is MAB treasurer, Yun is a MAB council member while Ganesan is MAB chief executive officer. 

He, however, stopped short from divulging the other findings of the committee, adding it will be released after the hospital’s council meeting on Saturday. 

Tengku Azlan said the hospital is in the midst of hiring a general manager.  He also pacified fears the hospital would be sold off, adding it was “merely a proposal” by several council members.

“We don’t want to spoil the image of the hospital and MAB. We want to ease any fears, especially among those who donate. We need goodhearted people to work for the blind community. MAB alone needs RM7 million annually.”

“There are things we need to correct. In a way, it (the expose) was a blessing in disguise. We need to be more alert and careful. We should look at this matter seriously and restructure the organisation,” he said.