GEORGE TOWN: There appears to be no element of racism in the issue involving claims that three Chinese doctors had refused to treat Malay patients in two public hospitals in the state.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam said it did not look like there were elements of racism in the case.

“It so happens that the doctors involved happen to be Chinese doctors and people who made a lot of these complaints are Malay patients,” he told a press conference after meeting with 180 Penang MIC branch chairmen at Equatorial Hotel Penang on Monday night.

Subramaniam, who is MIC deputy president, said the ministry had attributed the issue to many factors in its on-going investigation into the matter, with one of them being poor communication skills in the doctors concerned.

“We have seen reports from patients who were unhappy with the way they were treated. We identified poor communication skills as one of the factors, concerning doctors explaining certain issues, which were very sensitive to the patients concerned.

“In one or two areas, there were lapses in clinical competency. They did not respond correctly to certain patients,” he said, adding the ministry had adequate information now and the probe was almost completed.

On July 3, Pinang Tunggal assemblyman Datuk Roslan Saidin had told the state assembly that three Chinese doctors in two public hospitals in the state had refused to treat Malay patients.

– THE STAR