Euthanasia should be made legal in Malaysia. Do you agree?

We agree that in some extent euthanasia should be made legal in Malaysia. Firstly, no one should interrupt the choice of that person. This will constitute to the violation of human rights. If government allows us to choose our own job, religion, political party and family, then why should they impose restriction on person who wishes to have euthanasia? According to RC Cooper V Union of India, it held that what is true for one fundamental right is also true for another fundamental right. This means that person could not be disrupted for their positive and negative effect of their right (Tursar & Arnab, 2010, p22). For example, freedom of expression includes the freedom not to speak (Tursar & Arnab, 2010, p 22). Applying the theory here, if a person is given a freedom to live, they also have the freedom to death. If doctors are given freedom to create new life, why they cant be given the freedom to end patient life on their request? For example, if our society allow us to create life artificially in laboratory (cloning sheep, Dolly in laboratory by using advanced genetic engineering and medical technique), then I think that doctor in Malaysia should be granted right to end patient life on behalf of their request. For example, doctors in Netherland are now legalized to end patient life in their behalf. If the doctor refused or not legalized to practice euthanasia on patient, I think this is a kind of torture to the patients. By legalizing doctor to undergo euthanasia for hopelessly ill patients in Malaysia, they will not facing any civil or criminal charges from court. For example, the death doctor, Dr Kevorkian that faced criminal charges for undergo euthanasia for the hopelessly ill patients. From the views discuss above, euthanasia should be legalized in Malaysia. Besides that, legalized euthanasia in Malaysia will ease pain of hopelessly ill patients that will eventually die of unbearable pain (Richard Fenigsen, 2011, pp 240). For example, a physically disabled or hopelessly ill (final stage of cancer) patients may well relieve the pain they suffer if they have the option of euthanasia. Besides that, this may also relieve the suffer face by the patients relative or family whether in physical or mental stage if they have to take care the hopelessly ill patients for the rest of their life. By this, we could say that the hopelessly ill patients can die with dignity. If Malaysia legalized euthanasia, the patient families will not bear any criminal charges by the court if the patients choose the option of euthanasia. For

example, keeping the coma patients alive by artificial means (life support equipments) required the great effort and financial expenses by the family. This will surely against the quality of life to live with dignity and will make the patient relative suffer more despair (Richard Fenigsen, 2011, pp 240). Mercy killing or euthanasia can end the pain in non traumatic way for patients and their family. By this, I support euthanasia to be legalized in Malaysia. By having euthanasia legalized in Malaysia, this will eventually reduce the cost of heavy medical expenses. For example, if a patient suffers from incurable disease such as final stage of cancer, does the patient family have to bear the heavy medical expenses for incurable disease? According to Wesley J. Smith, "drugs used in assisted suicide cost only about $40, but that it could take up $40,000 to treat a patient". Furthermore, medical treatment may not cure the disease the patient suffers. This will make them more suffer from pain. If hopelessly ill patient can practice euthanasia locally in Malaysia, they may not have to bear the expenses of going countries such as Netherland and Switzerland that legalized euthanasia to practice euthanasia. For example, Dr John Elliot that went oversea to undergo euthanasia because his country not allowed him to practice euthanasia.

References a. Tursar, KB & Arnab, S 2008, Euthanasia and its legality and legitimacy from Indian and international human rights perpectives, Understanding euthanasia from the indian legal perspective, Vol. 2, pp 18-30, Asia-Pacific Journal on Human Rights and the Law, EBSCO host, viewed 15 April 2012 b. Richard Fenigsen, 2011, Other peoples lives: reflections on medicine, ethics, and euthanasia, Part two: medicine versus euthanasia, Vol. 26, No. 3, pp 239-279, Issues in Law & Medicine, EBSCO host, viewed 15 April 2012