TWO government hospitals in Sarawak have never denied a cancer patient whose identity card was allegedly confiscated by the National Registration Department (JPN) from receiving treatment, said Sarawak health director Dr Ooi Choo Huck.
According to Dr Ooi, the 65-year-old patient’s daughter, when contacted, had confirmed that Lawas Hospital and Miri Hospital had never refused to treat her mother.
“The department wishes to point out that health services continued to be provided to the patient regardless of her MyKad registration status and nationality,” he was reported as saying by FMT in a statement today (April 12).
The statement was issued in response to news reports claiming that the woman, Lina Samuel who suffers from colon cancer and other illnesses, had her identity card confiscated by the Lawas district JPN in November last year.
This is after she tried changing her address in order to vote in the 15th general election (GE15).
Lina had claimed that she was told by the department’s staff that her MyKad was confiscated following an order from a superior officer.
According to Dr Ooi, the patient was under the supervision of a surgeon at Miri Hospital who had performed several procedures on her between Feb 15 and March 20 this year.
“She was also given an appointment for follow-up treatment at the hospital’s specialist clinic on April 17,” he clarified.
“The patient was also treated at the emergency and trauma unit at Lawas Hospital on April 1, this year, where she underwent an examination and was referred to the doctor on duty who treated her accordingly.”
Previously, a lawyers group had slammed the government for the seizure of Lina’s identity card, describing the act as “undoubtedly unlawful and unconstitutional”.
Lawyers for Liberty’s (LFL) response comes after Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail defended JPN action, stating that Lina was identified to be an Indonesian citizen.
According to LFL director Zaid Malek, JPN has no lawful authority to promptly seize a person’s identity card, calling it an abuse of power that violates the Federal Constitution. – April 12, 2023
Main pic credit: Malaysiakini
