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The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) has urged the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) to stop harassing the doctors who participated in a solidarity campaign on Monday, 12 July
In a statement yesterday, 13 July, MMA president Datuk Dr Subramaniam Muniandy said that doctors who supported the ‘Code Black’ and ‘Black Monday’ campaigns organised by the association are currently being investigated by the police.
He said that such investigations could be seen as a form of harassment and that MMA strongly condemns “the nature of this exercise targeting doctors who have supported our campaign championing the rights of healthcare workers in the country”.
Subramaniam stated that the doctors involved in the campaign still carried out their duties diligently while showing solidarity for their peers.
“Medical officers, like any other Malaysian, have the right to stand up, even at the very least by the show of colour,” he said.
Datuk Dr Subramaniam Muniandy.
Image via Bernama
The ‘Code Black’ campaign ran from 1 to 12 July
The campaign asked senior doctors to change their social media profile pictures to black in solidarity with contract doctors who are scheduled to go on strike on 26 July.
The ‘Code Black’ campaign culminated in a ‘Black Monday’, in which doctors posted their photos on social media wearing black to work and hold placards saying “We stand with Contract Healthcare Workers”.
The campaign sought to put pressure on the government to resolve longstanding issues raised by those in support of #HartalDoktorKontrak, which include job security for all doctors and allied healthcare workers.
Image via MMA SCHOMOS (Facebook)
Subramaniam added that the doctors are afraid and traumatised by the investigations
According to him, the association has many times reiterated that the ‘Code Black’ and ‘Black Monday’ campaigns have nothing to do with other similarly colour-coded campaigns.
“We have also briefed the Ministry of Health regarding our campaign and its demands in our last meeting,” he said, adding that MMA is engaging independent legal advice over the matter and will provide all support and assistance needed in addressing the issue.
“We are in the midst of reaching out to the chairman of the Kuala Lumpur Bar for help and we will inform members of the outcome accordingly,” he said.
He also urged the doctors who have faced intimidation by the police to either inform their state Section Concerning House Officers, Medical Officers, and Specialists (SCHOMOS) representatives, or contact the MMA via email at [email protected], or by phone at 03-40411375.