Former opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is suffering from weight loss, irregular blood pressure, a growth in the kidney, gastritis, arthritis and a shoulder muscle tear. His family allege he is being denied proper medical care in jail. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, September 26, 2015.
Deputy director-general of health Datuk Dr S. Jeyaindran should be dropped from the panel of specialists treating Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as he was a prosecution witness in the former opposition leader’s sodomy trial, said Nurul Izzah Anwar.
She said her family did not have confidence in Dr Jeyaindran because of this, adding that in terms of professionalism, he should be replaced.
“He has failed to give urgent medical attention to Anwar, especially physiotherapy treatment in hospital, as has been recommended by specialists,” the jailed politician’s daughter told The Malaysian Insider recently.
Dr Jeyaindran heads a team of 13 specialists treating Anwar, who began serving a five-year jail term at Sungai Buloh prison after the Federal Court upheld his sodomy conviction in February.
He was convicted of sodomising his former aide, Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, in 2008. This was the second sodomy trial since his sacking from government in 1998.
Anwar’s family and lawyers have urged Putrajaya to provide swift medical treatment for Anwar, who is suffering from weight loss, irregular blood pressure, a growth in the kidney, gastritis, arthritis and a shoulder muscle tear.
His lawyers had previously asked for him to be placed under house arrest for better access to medical care. In July, he was hospitalised for several days.
But Nurul Izzah said the government was dragging its feet on continued treatment and the family no longer wanted to deal with Dr Jeyaindran.
“We want to deal directly with the team of specialists without the involvement of Dr Jeyaindran,” the PKR vice-president added.
In response, Dr Jeyaindran told The Malaysian Insider his role as a prosecution witness did not have any bearing on his work in providing medical care to Anwar as a patient.
“That is Nurul Izzah’s opinion. I am treating Anwar as a professional and my treatment of him while in prison is done professionally.
“There is no bearing on what I have done before this. Furthermore, there are 13 other specialists caring for him. I am only the coordinator,” the health official said.
Dr Jeyaindran (pic) added that he had treated other opposition politicians before but declined to disclose their identities.
“I have treated other politicians, so there is no issue whether the patient is a member of the opposition or not.”
The Malaysian Insider reported recently that Nurul Izzah had gone to the United States to seek help to pile pressure on Putrajaya for her father to undergo an urgent operation on his shoulder.
The Lembah Pantai MP said she had to resort to this because the panel of doctors treating her father had recommended immediate surgery, but Putrajaya seemed to be delaying Anwar’s treatment.
“His ailments are not that serious. Many patients in Malaysia experience the same problems and can be treated in the country,” Dr Jeyaindran told The Malaysian Insider.
He, however, did not go into specifics about what Anwar was suffering from and how he was being treated.
He added that the panel would hand over a detailed medical report on Anwar’s condition and treatment to the family in the near future.
He also denied the allegations by Anwar’s family that only he alone was treating the PKR de facto leader.
“We have a panel of 13 doctors providing medical care for Anwar, according to his condition. I am heading the panel,” he said, adding that there was also an orthopaedic looking after the jailed high-profile politician.
“In two or three weeks, the orthopaedic will be treating Anwar, not me. There are also outside doctors, specialists from universities giving second opinions.”
The allegation that Anwar was being denied medical treatment had attracted reaction from various parties.
Selangor Menteri Besar Mohamed Azmin Ali, who is also PKR deputy president, said the state government was ready to offer help, including sending Anwar to hospital for a second opinion.
- TMI
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