A nation that cannot heal itself cannot claim to care for others

 

Is it not the height of irony that foreigners can be flown into Malaysia, accompanied by their dependents, to receive medical treatment, while Malaysians themselves spend days languishing in overcrowded emergency wards because government hospitals have no beds to spare?

Is it not even more disturbing that some of these same foreigners feel emboldened to rebuke, condemn, and disparage the very nation that extended its hospitality to them, while a Malaysian sporting legend - a man who proudly carried our flag at the World Cup and Olympics - silently endures the humiliation of being treated as a nobody in the country where he was born, raised, and to which he has contributed so much?

The contrast is as painful as it is revealing. Those who sought refuge in our generosity are given comfort and accommodation.

At the same time, one of our own, national icon Brian Sta Maria, who brought honour to Malaysia on the world stage, is made to feel as though he does not belong. One is included despite having given little to the nation; the other is marginalised despite having given his all.

This is more than irony. It is a profound indictment of our priorities, our sense of gratitude, and our understanding of what it means to stand by our own people. If this does not outrage us, then perhaps we have lost sight of the very principles that bind us together as a nation.

A question of priorities

Two years ago, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim expressed sadness over the backlash from some quarters against the government’s move to bring injured Palestinians from Gaza to Malaysia for medical treatment.

He said some had gone to extremes in criticising what he described as a noble effort – a small act of compassion and kindness towards Palestinians suffering and enduring Israel’s genocidal acts in Gaza.

In an open letter to Anwar in response, I wrote: “Like most Malaysians, I am in solidarity with oppressed groups. But I admit that I am one of those who disagree with what you consider a noble deed.

“But do not get me wrong. Lest I am accused of being indifferent and apathetic to human suffering, let me declare that I empathise with the miseries of fellow human beings who are victims of strife, war, and other calamities.”

No one should have any qualms about showing compassion and sympathy towards Palestinians. But Malaysians must always come first.

Who gets the helping hand?

Do you know how many applications are made each year for government scholarships for tertiary education?

Only a tiny fraction receive government scholarships. Others have to rely on the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN)'s education loan scheme or apply for bank loans.

And yet, tuition fees for Palestinians in public universities in Malaysia were waived for a year.

Besides, then-higher education minister Khaled Nordin said the government was also considering providing monthly allowances to all 800 Palestinian students in both public and private universities for the same period.

It is obvious that the government appears to give preference and urgent treatment to foreigners who have never contributed to the country’s welfare, taxation, sacrifice, or development.

Years of neglect

But today’s commentary is not about creating an “us versus them” divide. It is about our healthcare system - a system that burst at the seams years ago and has been left to deteriorate.

Successive governments have looked the other way, ignored the needs of their own citizens, and failed to give healthcare the priority and urgency it demands. What should be the backbone of national well-being has instead become a neglected afterthought, leaving Malaysians to suffer delays, indignities, and denials of their most basic right: proper medical treatment.

The archives contain researched reports on overpriced drugs, cartels, and middlemen creaming off the annual budget because of a skewed, non-competitive, and opaque procurement system.

According to the Pharmaceutical Services Programme, Health Ministry (2018), on Medicines Prices Monitoring Malaysia (2017), wholesale medicine prices in Malaysia are eight times higher than the International Reference Price (IRP).

Further, according to the Penang Institute, the median mark-up for originator and lowest-priced generics in private hospitals was 51 percent and 167 percent, respectively.

The wards are full. It is a long wait to see a specialist for treatment. Malaysians cannot get beds or timely treatment and have to wait months for specialist consultations. In urgent and critical cases, emergency rooms are used as a stopgap measure.

It can take at least four months to get an appointment for a computed tomography (CT) scan at a government hospital. Those referred for rehabilitation for lung and chest problems must wait even longer.

When seeking an appointment, hospitals say: “We will call you in two months and give you a date.”

Yes, compassion and empathy teach us that this is how we should treat others. But what about treating our own hero, Sta Maria? Doesn’t compassion, like charity, begin at home?

Malaysia’s healthcare system has reached a point where compassion alone cannot mask its failures. Citizens are waiting months for scans, weeks for specialist consultations, and days in overcrowded emergency wards for a bed. This is not the mark of a nation that values its people – it is the mark of a system neglected for far too long.

Urgent path to reform

The path forward requires decisive policy action:

• Expand hospital capacity with new wards, more beds, and modern facilities.

• Increase access to specialists by hiring, training, and retaining doctors in the public sector.

• Upgrade diagnostic services to end the months-long wait for CT scans and other critical tests.

• Prioritise citizens’ rights so Malaysians are never treated as second-class patients in their own country.

• Ensure transparent funding and strict oversight to prevent mismanagement and corruption, especially in the procurement of drugs, equipment, and services.

Compassion for others is admirable, but compassion for our own is indispensable. Reforming our healthcare system is not optional – it is a moral and constitutional duty.

Until Malaysians can access timely, dignified treatment, every act of generosity abroad will remain hollow.

True compassion begins at home, and true reform must begin now. - Mkini

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R NADESWARAN says Malaysia’s healthcare system lies in shambles - and yet, the political will to put it right remains absent. Successive leaders have spoken of compassion, but none have shown the determination to deliver the reforms our citizens desperately need. Comments: citizen.nades22@gmail.com.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of MMKtT.