APRIL 27 — The cutting of the hand of a convicted thief under Syariah Criminal Code Enactment (II) 1993 will be carried out by a surgeon. To repeat the Deputy Mentri Besar Datuk Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah said that such procedure will not cause damage to the thief's hand as the amputation would be done only at the wrist .
“And I will use treatments for the benefit of the ill in accordance of my ability and my judgement, but from what is to their harm and injustice, I will keep them”. This is a excerpt from the Hippocratic Oath - an oath historically taken by physicians and other healthcare professionals swearing to practice medicine honestly and is one of the oldest binding documents in history.
Has the Deputy Mentri Besar considered the damage to the well-being of such an individual and the state of mind ? Yes, a person will survive, but it's less of you. Technically, you become a misfit and having to deal with the challenges and limitations of such a disability. And has any surgeon agreed to do such a procedure against the doctrine of the oath taken. It is 'forced' disability that will affect the way you perform in your daily activities.
Yes, history will definitely judge us. The Hippocratic Oath remains relevant as ever. And how do you define if a crime committed by an able bodied person is due to poverty as a reason. A greater hunger is not that a person has nothing to eat, but being uncared for. Nevertheless, come to Ipoh and you will see them as 'jaga kereta' , and very intimidating to say the least.
Please do not use, lead, compel and insult our silent and respected medical fraternity to condone such inhumane and barbaric acts and totally against their principles, belief and professional intergrity. They are not skilled assassins in the true sense. I would suggest the Kelantan state government to tour the Hippocratic Oath and to gain an insight on this ancient text before implying that any surgeon agrees to a specific procedure.
* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malay Mail Online.
