Doctors wants explanation over 'licensed to kill' remark

Tuesday May 27, 2008 MYT 6:04:40 PM

MMA wants explanation over 'licensed to kill' remark

PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Medical Association is demanding a full clarification over deputy Health Minister Datuk Dr Abdul Latiff Ahmad’s statement that doctors were “licensed to kill”.

“We are not sure in what circumstances this word “to kill” was used and as such, a full clarification would be helpful,” said its president Datuk Dr Khoo Kah Lin in a statement Tuesday.

He said the association wanted to “impress” upon the public that doctors were only "licensed to heal and support patients in helping them to alleviate sufferings due to illnesses".

“Any negligent cause of death during treatment is answerable. This is to reassure the public that neither the Malaysian Medical Council nor the MMA condones the notion that doctors are licensed to kill at any point in time,” he added.

It was reported that Dr Abdul Latiff had in Dewan Rakyat on Monday referred to the famous James Bond movie titled “Licence to Kill” when replying to a supplementary question by Alexander Nanta Linggi (BN — Kapit) during Question Time.

Dr Abdul Latiff had said doctors were given the “licence to heal” as well as the “licence to kill”. He later retracted his statement but said he would not apologise.

Dr Khoo said the association was shocked to read about the remark uttered by Dr Latiff. He said it was unfortunate that deputy minister had “blurted out such a remark.”

When asked by reporters about the matter, Health Minister Datuk Liow Tiong Lai said he had the highest regard for doctors.

He said medicine was an ethical profession in which doctors “had the heart” to save lives.

“The ministry has always ensured that negligence is minimal,” he said after witnessing the signing of a memorandum of co-operation between Kojadi Institute, Ikram Skills and Retraining Academy and ABS Consulting.