DEPUTY Health Minister Datuk Dr Abdul Latiff left some members in the House, including doctors, huffing and puffing when he declared doctors have a "licence to heal and licence to kill". His statement, made in the course of replying to a supplementary question, saw House proceedings come to a halt for about 20 minutes as opposition MPs repeatedly demanded that Dr Abdul Latiff withdraw his remark.
Dr Abdul Latiff, who was answering a supplementary question from Dr Mohd Hayati Othman (Pas-Pendang), had replied that medical graduates were lacking in certain skills and clinical expertise when dealing with patients.
He said this was the reason the government had decided to increase the housemanship period for trainee doctors from 12 months to two years.
"The doctors have licence to heal and licence to kill so we (ministry) have to ensure that our doctors are well trained so that we can safely receive treatment from them," he said.
Immediately, Dr Mohd Hatta Ramli (Pas-Kuala Krai) objected and asked Dr Abdul Latiff to retract his statement.
Several other opposition members also questioned Dr Abdul Latiff's intention.
Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia ordered all to be seated and told the House that Dr Abdul Latiff's statement should not be misinterpreted.
Lim Guan Eng (DAP-Bagan) said "licence to kill" had a different meaning altogether and doctors cannot be James Bond.
Dr Tan Seng Giaw (DAP-Kepong), a skin specialist, said he did not want such words used about doctors in the House.
Pandikar Amin advised Dr Abdul Latiff not to make such statements and retract it if possible.
Dr Abdul Latiff stood firm with his decision not to retract, saying he had no intention to humiliate the medical profession.
"I meant licence to kill in the event of a doctor being negligent or careless in his duties."
This angered several MPs who raised several points of order including one that could refer Dr Abdul Latif to the Special Privileges Committee if more than 15 MPs find him to have committed an offence.
"Negligence is not an acceptable act. This does not give a doctor the licence to kill, especially when they have taken the Hippocratic oath that they will value every life they treat," said Opposition leader Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (PKR-Permatang Pauh), who is an eye specialist.
After a second call by Pandikar Amin to retract his statement, Dr Abdul Latiff said: "I do not wish to apologise but I retract my statement."
Dr Abdul Latiff was originally replying to Alexander Nanta Linggi (BN-Kapit) who had asked him the reason Sarawak faced a shortage of doctors and medical officers in all its hospitals.
His ministry, he said, has taken several measures to ensure automatic appointment of retired medical officers on a temporary basis.
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