Health Ministry: No need to review Rania Zara Medina's appointment

SUNGKAI (Bernama): The Health Ministry does not see the need to review Rania Zara Medina's appointment as a member of the Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCM) Malaysia for the 2019-2021 term.

Its minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said that the appointment was made according to procedures that have been carried out since the previous government.

"For certain, the appointment was made based on the practice carried out since the previous government. It was done through the same process, so there is no need for a review.

"The appointment is in compliance with all regulations," he told a media conference at the launch of the ministry's Orang Asli Teeth Icon programme (iGG-OA) here Thursday (July 11).

The programme was carried out with the cooperation of the Orang Asli Development Department.

The appointment of Rania Zara Medina, a former transgender beauty pageant winner, created a stir after various quarters including social media users objected to it.

Deputy Health Minister Dr Lee Boon Chye, who is CCM chairman, in a statement Wednesday (July 10), said that it was a Global Fund requirement that CCM's 25 members represent stakeholders in government, non-governmental organisations and academia, and also comprise representatives from targeted communities such as transgender, gays, female sex workers, drug users and people living with HIV/AIDS.

The statement said the community representatives were chosen from the targeted groups and were confirmed through appointment letters issued by the CCM chairman.

CCM Malaysia was formed following a Cabinet decision in 2009 to find ways to tackle HIV/AIDS via a contribution from Global Fund. -Bernama