YOURSAY | ‘Next, only Muslim doctors for Muslim patients?’

Gov't plans to allow only female doctors to assist in childbirth

Vijay47: Another first for Malaysia. And this latest must be a real achievement - 6,880 people can change a practice that has been accepted universally for hundreds of years.

Will the same acceptance be extended to the People's Charter? So what are we having next - men cannot be involved any more in the reproductory process? Some female Umno ministers would love that.

Or maybe only Muslim doctors for Muslim patients. Perhaps this latest ‘women-only’ restriction can be relaxed for the mufti of Pahang since I am sure he won't take it lying down.

Only in Malaysia, folks, only in Malaysia.

Anonymous 1890491455255851: Stop coming up with stupid rules that affect everyone. Muslim women can make their own choice, as does every other woman. Why is the government interfering in this choice?

It seems like it must observe any stupid petition that comes in that has some religious issue attached. Can't they just make the choice rather than have to make this another situation to deal with?

Fairplayer: Most important is whether the doctor in attendance is competent and professional.

It's enough to have a female nurse or midwife with the male doctor, for the ‘protection’ of all involved during childbirth.

The husband can also be present to give his wife moral support. Just a suggestion.

HaveAGreatDay: Really, this is getting to the point of being ridiculous.

So all Muslim women should only be attended by female doctors. That will be great - waiting time at public hospitals will be greatly reduced for non-Muslims.

Vent: Clearly this only happens in a land of endless possibilities like ours where we continue to chalk up firsts for a so-called multiracial society.

Remember there was that quintessential idea about halal supermarket trolleys, only to be followed recently by another quintessential idea on halal investment of pension funds. But this one takes the cake.

The Analyser: I wonder how many signatories there were to the 2013 petition?

I wonder how many women in childbirth could give a darn about the sex of those assisting her so long as the process was over and done with as soon and as painlessly as possible?

I wonder how many women in the throes of childbirth give a darn about anything that religious dogma has to say about anything?

Mindspeaks: Stop sexualising everything. You think male obstetricians and gynaecologists are having fun while doing their job?

It can be accommodated based on personal request but the government must not have any ruling or regulations on this. This really sets a bad example.

If this is entertained, then there will be no stop to it. We may end up having a halal and non-halal microwave oven in the workplace.

What we need is proper education and not idiotic regulations.

Appum: Why don't we have ‘women only’ hospitals? That will solve this huge ‘shallow’ perspective.

I can understand from where this can come from. Where a woman must cover up all the exposed ‘aurat’, how can they expose their body parts to a stranger, a male doctor?

Maybe we can tell these 6,880 petitioners to set up their own exclusive hospital serving their wives only, on their own funding and not from the general public fund which is contaminated with non-halal revenues taxed.

Doc: What's next? Perhaps only smart, intelligent, hardworking, honest and people-oriented Malaysians should be allowed to be politicians.

Xed: Doctors, when not undertaking delivery of babies, see various ‘intimate’ parts of the female body.

Examples - treating fractures of the pubic bone, performing heart surgery, treating piles, catheterising the urinary tract, performing vaginal and rectal repair, etc.

Are women doctors and nurses to be restricted from attending to male patients who have problems with their scrota, suffer from venereal disease, need a bowel enema, etc?

BohChaiSee: Brilliant idea, I should say. However, if there are not enough female doctors to go around, why don't we let the male Os (orderlies) and Gs (gynaecologists) work blindfolded or in total darkness?

Hang Babeuf: Never mind. There's a lot of prostate surgery for the displaced old guys to do instead.

Mushiro: If they listened to the petition signed by 6,880 people, can they also listen to the Citizens' Declaration signed by 1.2 million Malaysians asking PM Najib Razak to step down?

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