By Nur Ashikin Louis
KUCHING, Dec 4: Premier of Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg has expressed support for a proposal to have a representative from the medical fraternity appointed as a Senator in the Dewan Negara.
He said he will ask Deputy Prime Minister Dato Sri Fadillah Yusof and the other four federal cabinet ministers from Sarawak to bring up the aspirations of the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA).
The other four ministers are Works Minister Dato Sri Alexander Nanta Linggi, Women, Family and Community Development Minister Dato Sri Nancy Shukri, Tourism Minister Dato Sri Tiong King Sing and National Unity Minister Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang.
“I hope the voice of these five people in the cabinet will bring up what the doctors here in Sarawak want, including my support (on the appointment of a Senator from MMA).
“I’m not the Prime Minister, I am just the Premier. Otherwise, I would have given you the Senator post.
“I support that (proposal) because sometimes, you have the quota for non-governmental organisations (NGOs). Perhaps the medical professionals (can) have their representative in the Dewan Negara. I support that,” he said during MMA Sarawak’s 50th Anniversary Dinner held at Imperial Hotel here earlier tonight.
Earlier, MMA president Dr Muruga Raj Rajathurai in his speech has requested for the Premier to support MMA’s call for a Senator post to be given to MMA to bring up ideas for a better healthcare system that can be implemented in the nation.
“We have written to the Prime Minister Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim but we also ask for your support to see if you can help us get this Senator post, not a political one, because the NGOs has a place under the NGO quota and I’m sure this will help us and the public,” he said.
Amongst those present were the Premier’s wife Datuk Amar Juma’ani Tuanku Bujang; Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas who is the chairman of Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC); Deputy Premier Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian who is the Minister of Public Health, Housing and Local Government; Deputy Minister for Energy and Environmental Sustainability Dr Hazland Abang Hipni; MMA Sarawak chairman Dr Liew Shan Fap; and the event’s organising chairman Dr Kalwinder Singh Khaira. — DayakDaily
