LOS TEROPONG

Hmmmm .. read in The Star (14 July 2005, pg. 2) regarding the new incentives for public health service personnel, including among them, an extension of employment up to 65 years and tax-exempt out-of-office allowance. Hey, sound good to me, but I am not a doctor ... just a lecturer ..

MMA President Dr Teoh said that extending the service of dostors would enrich the public service (and en'rich' the doctors too, plus tax exemption somewhere along the line..). Don't mean to be picky but this problem of 'teachers' (in a broader context, includes teachers at all level including universities, although they carry a different tag) in certain areas such as English, Physics and Mathematics are also in demand. Do they have to retire at 55? They are so experienced as it is and they have the ability to handle students and they are retired in their prime, and then we grumble about the lack of them.

Lecturing is an ideal job to grant extension, until they die (as long as the brain still function ..) so to speak. Going the extreme here, even if they cannot move physically, or are paralysed from the neck down, they can still 'teach'. Just look at Stephen Hawkings and the Iman who reads the Sermon (Khutbah) at Arafah during the Haji season is BLIND.

Teaching also has a high premium in Islam. Knowledge is highly regarded. The first command to the Prophet (saw) was, "READ" and our contribution to knowledge building will be rewarded till the end of time.

Now there are more schools and colleges and universities coming up. As much as it takes time to train a doctor, it takes time too to get a Ph.D. Now, just to play devil's advocate,

• can a blind doctor function like the blind Khatib or teacher?
• can a paralysed doctor function (maybe just lecture or observe and comment)?
• can one whose hands are shaking perform competent operations? (although patient will get free vibrations ..)
  
• can one whose vision is not so good (wear spectacles ..) be a reliable surgeon?
• can one whose finger senses have gone, 'feel' the patient?
• can one still remember the parts of the anatomy?
  
• one must be up to date with practices and medicines .. or when was one's last 'education'?
  
• is one sense of colour still functioning as this is also very important in diagnosis ...
• I shall stop here ....
  

All I am saying is that there must be careful considerations in making decision, not just 'new incentives' and giving the thumbs 'up'. Maybe I have been trained to analyse question the rationale of things. I don't care what is 'up' but other profession can also justify their extension, will they be given equal hearing and the thumbs 'up' ? Aiyaa ... tak tau lah ...