A slur on a noble profession

THE police must be congratulated for exposing the scam by the doctor in a private clinic in Kuala Terengganu who had allegedly issued 1,900 fake Covid-19 vaccination certificates, “Doc held over fake vaccination certs” (The Star, Jan 11).

The question now is: “Is this just the tip of the iceberg? How many other private clinics have been complicit in this nefarious practice?” If this can happen in Terengganu, it is likely that it could happen elsewhere, too. As such, the authorities must leave no stone unturned in bringing all the miscreants to book. Failure to do so would undermine public confidence in the national vaccination programme, which has been very successfully implemented.

It is also necessary to trace all those who have obtained fake certificates. This should not be hard to do because the clinic would surely maintain some records.

If these people are not brought to book, they would probably move around freely in supermarkets, restaurants and other places and thereby be a threat to others.

Another question that must be answered is whether or not there is a nexus between fake certificates and fake jabs. A few months ago, there were allegations of vaccine recipients being jabbed with empty syringes. However, the authorities were quick to dismiss the incidents as genuine errors, and failed to conduct a through investigation despite calls from some quarters to do so.

In view of the latest development, it is important for the authorities to complete their investigation quickly so as to put a stop to this pernicious practice.

What action has the Malaysian Medical Association taken to ensure the preservation of the good name of doctors, especially general practitioners, in the country?

The fake vaccination certificate scandal is indeed a slur on the noble profession, and every means must be taken to preserve the good name of the doctors and nurses who have been our heroic frontliners in this Covid-19 pandemic. We should not allow a few rotten apples to spoil the whole bunch.

Let’s not sweep this issue under the carpet. Let’s not take the easy way out and dismiss it as an isolated case.

TAN SRI LEE LAM THYE

Chairman

Alliance for Safe Community