IJN Privatization

Last week Malaysian Government again attempted doing another inane verdict. They have announced a plot to privatize Institut Jantung Negara which is one of the established in dealing heart cure for the past decade not only for Malaysian but popularized to few other adjacent countries’ citizens as well. Regarding to this matter, I totally nod to what Tun Dr. Mahathir has uttered in his recent blog posting.

He has always been for privatization. In fact privatization started during his time. People know all about the Government companies, departments and functions which were privatized. Some were successful, some were not. About the weigh inside, I don't think people know about privatization proposals which had been rebuffed as he does. He knows about them because the proposals perhaps were studied carefully before they were rejected. There were reasons of course but there was no necessity to make public the rejections or the reasons.

With regard to the Institut Jantung Negara, I must say he has a personal attachment to it. I don't think I need to explain why. The IJN is really the institution that is physically closest to his heart.

IJN is a unique institution. It started as a Government department but the Government felt that it was unfair to put the staff on Government pay scheme. So it was corporatized. As a corporate body it has been successful in giving the people good service. It is one institution that has not been subjected to criticisms and vilifications by the press or the public as most other institutions have been. We often hear of its many "firsts" and we are proud of them.

“The doctors and nurses are very well trained and efficient. During the 50 days I was hospitalized there I never heard them complain about their salary or how they have been treated. They seem to me to be a happy lot. They are not mercenary, thinking only of their pay. I think they love their work; they love to see their patients recover and go back to normal, especially their transplant patients.”-Tun Dr. Mahathir

Maybe he is biased because he owes his life to IJN. But I think as a corporatized institution the IJN has done extremely well.

If it is going to give the same service to civil servants and pensioners the Government will have to pay out the same amount of money after privatization. How does the Government gain? Besides if the poor are going to be charged the same low fees and charges how does Sime Darby make money? Or will the Government continue to subsidies an ever growing bill for treatment of the poor? If so why is there a need to privities? How does Sime Darby, a business entity make money when 80 per cent of the patients are poor?

Some of the major surgeries performed there are so costly that the IJN lost money on them. Will Sime Darby shoulder these losses?

From more I think it is just a simple another iniquitous, not smart and oppressive to rakyat move of the government. And again ought to be ask how are they playing the role theory of taking care of people welfare and reliance? Again they failed.

There are far too many questions about this privatization which need to be answered. Some I think cannot be answered.

“ I seldom oppose privatization but this is one instant when I feel privatization is the wrong thing to do.”

Tun Dr. Mahathir

Leave this institution as it is. It is our pride and it is doing a good job as it is.

The Barisan Nasional Government is not too popular today. Why do something that may give the opposition another issue to belabor the Government.