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WHO: Malaysia’s health
status ‘good’
by Faith Labunda
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia
has achieved health statistics
comparable with many
developed countries but is still
lacking in health workers,
according to the World Health
Organisation (WHO).
Its bi-regional report “Health
in Asia and the Pacific” lists
Malaysia among countries
with low child and low adult
mortality rates, evidence of a
reasonably good health status.
Life expectancy has
improved, with 71.7 and 76.5
years for males and females
respectively, and infant
mortality rates have been
reduced to 6.3 for every 1,000
births as of 2007.
However, the report
also reveals Malaysia’s
comparatively low health
worker densities compared
with other Asia-Pacific
countries.
“It is evident Malaysia needs
to work on its human resource
capacity,” said Health Minister
Datuk Liow Tiong Lai (pix)
at a press conference after the
unveiling of the report.
The latest 2007 record
shows ratings of 0.87 per 1,000
population, 0.11 per 1,000
population, and 0.17 per 1,000
population for doctors, dentists
and pharmacists respectively.
Liow said the ministry
hopes to raise the Malaysian
doctor-population ratio to 1:600
by 2013.
In attempts to reach the
target, the government has
approved more medical
programmes in both public
and private universities and
has stepped up efforts to invite
Malaysian doctors working
overseas to return by raising
salaries, giving incentives
and making regulations more
flexible.
Can’t get a copy of
The bi-regional report
allows health planners to
identify trends and similarities
that might not be spotted
when public health issues
are examined on a country-
by-country basis, said WHO
western pacific region director
Dr Shigeru Omi.
Also present at the launch
were WHO South East Asia
regional director Dr Samlee
Plianbangchang and deputy
regional director Dr Poonam
Singh, WHO representative for
Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore
Dr Han Tieru and WHO
western pacific programme
management director Dr
Richard Nesbit.
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Independence of courts will depend on
personality of PM in power, says Param
» From Page 6
be met,” said Abdul Hamid, who retired in
October.
selection and recommendation for appoint-
ments to the superior judiciary, namely, the
High Court, Court of Appeal and the Federal
Court including their respective heads and
Should the CJ be unable to be present
when the selection meeting is held, he said
the meeting would have to be carried out
without him, the Appeals Court president,
Chief Judge of Malaya and Chief Judge of
Sabah and Sarawak.
“This will have two consequences, first
provides for criteria for such appointments
all of which may appear giving a semblance
of transparency, yet it could lead to execu-
tive interference into the independence of
the judiciary.
“Provisions for the prime minister of
the day to defend the independence of
the quorum cannot be attained. Secondly, it the judiciary and power conferred on
means for appointments at the lower rungs, him to appoint and remove any or all the
non-judicial members (eminent persons)
there will be a full quorum, including the
of the Commission at any time without
four senior most judges but when it comes
giving any reasons in essence means that
to the top judge, these four senior judges
the independence of the judiciary would be
will not be able to partake in the meeting.
dependent on the personality of the prime
“It also means when it comes to appoint-
minister in power, in effect the executive
ing the CJ, the meeting will only be attended
arm of the government.
by a federal court judge and four non-judges
“Without amending Article 121 of the
who are appointed by the Prime Minister.
(Federal) Constitution to restore the doc-
“Is this the real purpose of the Bill? I
trine of separation of powers and conferring
am just bringing it up so that the MPs can
the judicial power on the courts, judicial
ponder about it,” he stressed.
independence cannot be secured by merely
Former UN Special Rapporteur on the
conferring on the chief executive of the gov-
Independence of Judges and Lawyers Datuk
ernment to uphold judicial independence,”
Param Cumaraswamy described the Bill as
a “disappointment”. he said.
“While it provides for a mechanism for (Visit sun2surf.com for the full report)
PPP expells ex-president S.I. Rajah
KUALA LUMPUR: The People’s Progressive statement on the PPP president.
Party (PPP) yesterday expelled former party Yesterday, Rajah, a member of the party
president S.I. Rajah for asking Datuk M. Kay- who described himself as PPP adviser, said
veas to step down as party president. the party would not leave Barisan Nasional
The PPP disciplinary board, which met (BN) after the PPP threatened to leave if
yesterday, took the decision to expel the the government did not amend the Internal
veteran as he had no right to issue the Security Act (ISA). – Bernama