HOSPITAL PRIVATISATION AND A GREEDY DOCTOR

A gynaecologist has apologised for her action in confining a woman and her newborn son to enforce payment of the maternity bill.

Dr Norliah Mohamad, the 41-year-old owner of Bandar Baru Sungai Buloh Maternity Home, said: "I am sorry for what I have done. I know it is was wrong but I lost my cool and realise it now."

The Malay Mail said the doctor had called the newspaper to make a public apology about the case which police have classified as wrongful confinement under section 368 of the Penal Code.

In the March 24 incident, housewife Nida Abdullah and her baby were taken by the doctor back to the clinic nine days after they were discharged. This was done apparently to get her husband to pay up the RM 2,200 (S$980).

The husband, Abdul Rahman Mohd Tari, had lodged a report with police and the Malaysian Medical Council.

Dr Norliah also apologised to Paya Jaras state assemblyman Datuk Sulaiman Samat, who had donated RM3,000 (S$1,336) to Mr Abdul Rahman to settle the bill on April 4.

"This is my everything, I am married to the clinic since this is my childhood ambition. Please, please let me continue practising to serve the people," she said.

The gynaecologist broke down several times during the interview, claiming she had been conned several times by patients and she reached a point where she could not control her emotions, said the Malay Mail.

"Some people promised to settle the bills after they were discharged, but in the end I had to consider them as bad debts," she said.

"Abdul Rahman was so cool when he promised to pay the remainder and I thought he was not trying hard enough to look for the money.

"I thought if the wife and son were taken back to the clinic, it would speed him up. And the wife followed me without any resistance."

She asked the family not to pursue the police and MMC reports.

Mr Abdul Rahman, the father of three, told the tabloid he accepted the apology and would withdraw the police and MMC reports.

While the other party is willing to forgive, Dr Norliah is still not off the hook yet.

Petaling Jaya police will continue to investigate the case, even if the complainants withdraw their police report.

The Medical Council also said that action would still be taken against the gynaecologist under the Medical Act 1971