DECEMBER 8 — The Deputy Health Minister said, “It is compulsory for Muslim nurses (to cover their 'aurat'). Private hospitals must follow the ministry.”
We have clueless people running the country now, don’t we?
Perhaps we should remind the YB that Article 136 of the Federal Constitution says, “All persons of whatever race in the same grade in the service of the Federation shall, subject to the terms and conditions of their employment, be treated impartially.”
Keyword, just in case we miss it, is “impartially.”
So, first, how is it possible for a policy maker to issue any circular/memo enforcing the “Muslim nurses must tutup aurat” rule in the hospital if it is unconstitutional?
Is it just plain ignorance or has the Constitution become irrelevant?
Second, will the ministry include the acceptable percentage of Muslim nurses who covers up their “aurat” as part of the hospital’s KPI now? How do we justify the spending of finite administrative resources and budget to monitor the Muslim nurses on whether or not they cover up their “aurat”?
What happens if they don’t cover up to your standards? Warning letters? Expulsion? Can the rakyat expect a “Jakim-like department in hospitals?
Three, Constitutional validity aside, do you know that many hospitals in Europe and Malaysia have decided against the use of nurse’s caps due to well-documented evidence concerning infection control risking patient safety? Which is the priority now? Safe practice based on clinical evidence or “religious” calling?
If it is the latter, who assigned you the role of a moral guardian for all Muslim nurses?
Don’t say Malaysians. We certainly did not elect you to tell us and become the fashion police. Don’t mention the Quran or Islam.
Islam upholds the freedom to choose and respects the individual’s privacy.
In 6:104, “There has come to you enlightenment from your Lord. So whoever will see, does so (for the benefit of) his soul, and whoever is blind (does harm) against it. And (say), 'I am not a guardian over you.'"
In 10:99, “And had your Lord willed, those on earth would have believed -- all of them entirely. Then, (O Muhammad), would you compel the people in order that they become believers?”
In 18:29, “And say, 'The truth is from your Lord, so whoever wills — let him believe; and whoever wills — let him disbelieve...'”
Perhaps the Deputy Health Minister needs to be reminded of some of the actual problems facing the medical community.
The Star carried a report in April this year highlighting that one in five housemen quit because of various reasons with some ending up working at the “pasar malam”, while another became a flight attendant.
Just so everybody knows, we accept medical graduates from 22 local “medical schools”, and another 350 more overseas, producing a staggering 5,000 graduates a year. I could be wrong, but given the number of training hospitals we have,and the attrition rate of senior specialists from the government hospitals, shouldn’t our focus be here?
What about the shortages of ICU beds, and even hospitals for that matter in rural Sabah and Sarawak? I was in a village in Tenom which is at least two to three hours away from any healthcare centers.
Where are we on the war against dengue? And what are we doing about unemployed, and unemployable nurses in the country?
What is your stand on vaping, the proliferation of non-pharmaceutical and unlicensed supplements and magic water that claims to cure most medical ailments?
How will the soon to be inked TPPA affect the cost of healthcare in this country? Will the government still be able to cope with the rising cost or will we look into an insurance scheme for Malaysians?
So, instead of addressing these real, pertinent and pressing issues, why are we spending time talking about what a Muslim nurse should and should not wear?
Can we please leave the nurses alone?
The government and public service shouldn’t make policies that dictate and make distinctions between Malaysians of different religions. What they wear, what they read, how they work and how they eat is none of their business.
Their business is our well-being and health. Civil servants should concentrate on what they are paid to do by the rakyat: serve them.
* This is the personal opinion of the individuals and organisation in whose name the reaffirmation is issued and does not necessarily reflect the views of Malay Mail Online.
