GEORGE TOWN: The Health Ministry has been urged to set up a special committee of inquiry into the recent death of a houseman attached to Penang Hospital.

       Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said establishing a proper inquiry is important to identify the cause of the incident and prevent similar tragedies involving other housemen in the country from recurring.

       "In principle, the Ministry and the relevant parties must come forward immediately to explain the incident," said Chow.

       He added that the Health Ministry should also review and revamp, if necessary, the existing management system especially involving the time period of assignment of doctors in medical facilities.

       "Appropriate strategies and solutions need to be expedited for the guarantee of our country's medical system as a whole," he said in a statement on Thursday (May 5).

       On Wednesday (May 4), it was reported that junior doctors were allegedly being bullied and overworked.

       Several housemen claimed that they had been overworked, abused and bullied – even by staff nurses.

       The issue came to light following the recent death of a houseman who fell to his death from his residence on April 17.

       Penang Health Department director Dr Ma'arof Sudin confirmed that the deceased was a graduate medical officer who was placed to work at Hospital Penang on April 4.

       This is believed to be the second death involving a junior doctor in two years.

       In December 2020, a doctor who had resigned from the same hospital was reported to have died suddenly.

       Meanwhile, Alliance of Safe Community chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye said the Health Ministry should conduct a thorough and independent investigation to determine the truth.

       "The sudden deaths of these two junior doctors looks mysterious and the mystery should be unravelled," said Lee, who is also the former chairman of the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health.

       Similarly, Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) Penang division secretary K. Veeriah supported the call for a commission of inquiry into the issue.

       He said excessive and long working hours result in physical and mental health deterioration, while working under conditions of abuse and intimidation leads to mental distress.

       "Working between 12 and 16 hours a day is simply inhumane and a gross infringement of the fundamental norms of a decent, safe and healthy working environment," said Veeriah.

       "Under such circumstances I am of the view that the health minister must initiate a commission of inquiry to look into the working conditions in an effort to rectify the situation," he said.