Dr. Jeyakumar was issued a summary transfer dated July 26, 1999 ordering him to report for duty in Sarawak by August 1, 1999.
Dr. Jeyakumar, who is on medical leave, has appealed against the summary transfer order, which smacks of victimisation and a gross abuse of administrative discretion and power for his community work and active role in helping to create greater social awareness among the public.
Dr. Jeyakumar is an ExCo member of the Citizens' Health Initiative and had played a leading role in initiating a public debate on a paramount issue of social policy: the corporatisation and privatisation of government healthcare.
This is not the first attempt to try to transfer Dr. Jeyakumar, who had distinguished himself in community service and work among the estate workers and urban in Ipoh and other parts of the country from his base of operations.
There had been two previous attempts to transfer him, to Kuantan and to Alor Setar, although both of these orders were subsequently revoked by an official letter dated only May 13, 1999 re-affirming his position at Ipoh Hospital.
The latest transfer order to Dr. Jeyakumar to Sarawak is another instance of the abuse of bureaucratic prerogative which is causing great unhappiness among government staff in the healthcare and other sectors.
Chua Jui Meng should rescind the transfer order to Dr. Jeyakumar and institute more consultative, accountable and less arbitrary administrative procedures for staff transfers in the national primary healthcare system.
The arbitrary and punitive transfer of Dr. Jeyakumar would be raised in the forthcoming meeting of Parliament next month.
(28/9/99)