KOTA KINABALU: Liberal Democratic Party Vice President David Ong has urged the government to treat workplace bullying in healthcare with the same urgency as the fight for justice for 13-year-old Zara Qairina Mahathir.
“We must not let another tragic case be pushed aside,” Ong said, citing a Tawau Hospital doctor who was bullied so severely by senior colleagues that she fell into deep depression and suicidal thoughts.
“Her story is a painful reminder that bullying is not just happening in school, it is destroying lives in our hospitals.”
Between 2022 and March 2024, 355 bullying complaints were made through the Health Ministry’s MyHelp channel.
“Only 10 were investigated, that’s 2.8pc while only four were proven just 1.1pc.
“Even in physical assaults, punishment was often just a warning letter. This is not inefficiency, it looks like deliberate neglect," he stressed.
He accused the ministry of protecting bullies instead of victims by transferring them or sending them abroad for training while silencing victims.
“Selective justice is corrupted justice. Every one of the 355 cases must be answered for. Every victim deserves justice. Every bully must face the consequences.
“We will not stop until workplace bullying in healthcare is wiped out and those responsible are held accountable whether it’s for Zara, for the Tawau doctor, or for any victim of institutional abuse in Malaysia," he said.
