Ramsamy to PAS, MCA: “Dr” prefix on Sports Minister’s name a non-issue, his medical grad entitlement

 

DESPITE the concerns of MCA Youth secretary general Saw Yee Fung, the Malaysian Medical Council (MMC) is right in saying that an academy qualification in medicine, dentistry or in doctor of philosophy is sufficient for the use of the prefix Doctor or “Dr” in front of the recipients’ name.

Saw lamented the fact that the use of the prefix “Dr” should go beyond the academic qualification to incorporate professional training.

Saw was in support of a PAS political activist Nurul Islam Mohamed Yusoff who questioned the newly minted Youth and Sports Minister Mohammed Taufiq Johari for adding the prefix “Dr” to his name.

Furthermore, it was said that Johari did not graduate from a recognised university – ie Universitas Islam Bandung – henceforth, the Malaysian government or the Public Service Administration (JPA) does not recognise the medical degree.

Either in the field of medicine or in the award of the doctor of philosophy, government recognition is not the pre-requisite for the use of the prefix “Dr”.

As I have mentioned, the use of the prefix is essentially related to qualification in academic discipline.

‘Better to worry about bogus degrees’

A person graduating in medicine, dentistry or in doctor of philosophy is entitled to use the prefix “Dr” to his or her name.

PAS and MCA might have world of differences but when it comes to this non-issue they seem to agree.

The non-recognition of universities or their particular academic studies has nothing to do with the use of the “Dr” prefix. It is this the prerogative of the universities concerned.

An award of the degree of MBBS is the starting point of the medical career of medical students.

Even if the students with MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery) do not follow the professional medical track, they are entitled to use the “Dr”.

I think Saw should not jump the gun by mixing academic credentials with practical experience in the use of “Dr”.

What MCA and PAS should be worried about is not about the use of “Dr” whether from recognised or unrecorded universities but the proliferation of bogus academic degrees in the country.

The high value placed on academic paper qualifications has led to situation where bogus colleges and universities are set up to literally sell degrees on the payment of fees.

This is problem in Malaysia, I wonder what the relevant authorities are doing about it. Maybe MCA and PAS might want to take the responsibility to investigate the proliferation of bogus paper qualifications in the country.

Meanwhile, given the shortage of medical experts in the country, I wonder why Taufiq wasted his years in pursuing a medical degree when his real interest was something else. 

Ramasamy Palanisamy is chairman of the United Rights of Malaysian Party (Urimai) interim council.

The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of  MMKtT.

- Focus Malaysia.