Monday April 2 An open letter to Dr Mahathir Mohamad Dr Musa Mohd Nordin MBBCh (Wales) FRCP (Edin) FAMM President, Islamic Medical Assoc of M'sia 5:32pm, Mon: The spinal problems (both lumbar and cervical) of Anwar Ibrahim are causing a lot of anguish for our medical fraternity not to mention the untold anxiety of his loved ones. It was our fervent hope that an amicable compromise would be obtained and Anwar would be offered the best, safest and evidence-based surgery currently available for his spinal predicament. But quite clearly there is a stand-off and political doctoring has gained the upper hand and evidenced-based medicine has been sidelined. The members of our association participate in numerous humanitarian and medical missions worldwide, eg. Bosnia, Kosova, Turkey, Gujarat, Maluku, Mindanao, Iraq, the depths of Pahang and Sarawak etc. and it would seem most irresponsible of me if I did not now address what is fundamentally a humanitarian (and medical) issue vis a vis the medical condition of Anwar. As a healing and caring profession we are the instruments of Allah's mercy (Ar Rahmah) and I am reminded of the oath of a Muslim physician "To be the instrument of Thy Will and Mercy, and, in all humbleness, to exercise justice, love and compassion for all Thy creation; To extend my hand of service to one and all, to the rich and to the poor, to friend and foe alike, regardless of race religion or colour." (If I may add, the imprisoned or freed.) Being a fellow Muslim physician I am sure that you subscribe similarly and continually to these noble values and would ensure that they would always prevail. I would appeal to you to put a stop to all the unkind and merciless statements made by various politicians and enable Anwar to undergo the optimal surgery available. His large central disc herniation and the associated spinal stenosis preclude a conservative dorsal approach due to the increased risk of post-operative morbidities. And it has been agreed by the panel of experts in Kuala Lumpur (three orthopaedic surgeons, three neurosurgeons, two radiologists, one neurologist and one anaesthesiologist) and Dr Hoogland Thomas (orthopaedic surgeon and diplomate of the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery from Alpha Klinik, Munich) that a transforaminal endoscopic discectomy would be the surgical procedure of choice for decompression of the nerves. Furthermore, it obviates the need for general anaesthesia and endotracheal intubation considering Anwar's longstanding cervical problems, as the endoscopic procedure can be performed under local and intravenous anaesthesia. Other post-operative sequelae, namely neural damage, back pain and sepsis, are also considerably less. And it was also emphasised that the surgery should not be delayed beyond four to six weeks to ameliorate any further neurological compromise. This is the art and science of evidence-based medicine in practice and it should not be tarnished by political doctoring from various quarters. I would again appeal to you to enable the medical experts to discharge their duties professionally without any form of interference whatsoever from pseudo doctors. The excruciating pain and physical suffering of Anwar, the sense of helplessness of his family and friends alike, the diagnostic MRI scans and the consensus of opinions of the medical experts must surely touch the deep recesses of our hearts and human conscience; and more so to the Muslim physician. And I appeal again to you to make it possible for Anwar to undergo the endoscopic procedure at the earliest possible opportunity, in the best possible medical centre dedicated to spinal surgery. I truly believe that your magnanimity in this painful medical scenario would go a long way towards alleviating the hurt that has much wounded this great nation of ours. And to Allah, The Omniscient and The Wise Judge do we turn for succour.

Anwar's medical treatment

the anwar story

From: jimhq To: naqib-net ; islah-net@yahoogroups.com Sent: Monday, April 02, 2001 6:46 PM Subject: [NaqibNet Diskusi] Kenyataan Akhbar JIM - 2 April 2001 Rujukan Kami : Q-10-3/9 (97) 2 April 2001/ 8 Muharram 1422H KENYATAAN AKHBAR PRESS STATEMENT PERTUBUHAN JAMAAH ISLAH MALAYSIA (JIM) Sokongan Kemanusiaan Bagi Rawatan Terbaik Untuk Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim Humanitarian Support For The Best Medical Treatment for Datuk Seri Anwar Pertubuhan Jamaah Islah Malaysia (JIM) amat peka tentang kesengsaraan insan tanpa mengira bangsa dan agama. Ini terbukti dengan misi-misi kemanusiaan, perubatan dan kebajikan yang telah dijalankan oleh ahli-ahlinya bersendirian ataupun bersama-sama pertubuhan-pertubuhan lain di serata dunia. Pertubuhan Jamaah Islah Malaysia (JIM) is very concerned about the sufferings of fellow human beings without prejudice to their race or religion. This is proven by the various humanitarian missions undertaken by our members, on our own or in cooperation with other organisations worldwide. 2. Kenestapaan yang dialami oleh Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim adalah di antara kesengsaraan-kesengsaraan rakyat Malaysia yang kami ikuti secara prihatin. Masalah spinal (servikal dan lumbar) terus menyebabkan kesakitan pada dirinya yang mustahil dirasai oleh mereka yang tidak dikesani oleh penyakit tersebut. Herniasi disk pusat yang berkaitan pula dengan stenosis spinal yang memberatkan itu sukar dibedah dengan pembedahan yang konservatif. Jika ia dilakukan secara konservatif, risiko penyakit-penyakit pascapembedahan sangat tinggi. Menurut pakar bedah ortopedik Thomas Hoogland, MD, PhD yang telah diminta untuk memeriksa beliau pada bulan Mac 2001, sepasukan pakar-pakar Hospital Kuala Lumpur (3 orang pakar bedah ortopedik, 3 orang pakar bedah otak dan saraf dan seorang pakar bius) telah bersetuju dengannya bahawa prosedur endoskopi adalah pilihan yang paling selamat dan ianya tidak boleh ditunda lagi. 2. The predicament of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is one of the sufferings of our fellow Malaysians that we follow closely. The spinal (cervical and lumbar) problem continues to cause such pain that would be impossible for others to imagine. The aggravated central disc herniation associated with spinal stenosis is difficult to operate using conventional method. A conventional operation bears a very high risk of post-operation complications. According to Dr. Thomas Hoogland, MD, PhD, an orthopedic surgeon, who had examined Datuk Seri Anwar in March this year, a team of experts from the Kuala Lumpur Hospital comprising of three orthopedic surgeons, three neurosurgeons and an anesthetist, concurred with him that the endoscopic procedure would be the safest option and that the operation cannot be delayed. 3. JIM memohon pihak yang berkewajipan negara Malaysia untuk membenarkan Datuk Seri Anwar dan keluarganya memilih cara pembedahan atau prosedur yang boleh dilaksanakan di mana-mana saja di dunia ini sebagai usaha yang terbaik ke arah rawatan penyakit yang dialami oleh beliau itu. Kebenaran untuk beliau dan keluarganya memilih cara yang paling sesuai untuk rawatan penyakitnya akan mencerminkan iltizam masyarakat penyayang rakyat Malaysia. 3. JIM implores the Malaysian government to allow Datuk Seri Anwar and his family to choose their preferred method and place of treatment. This would indeed be reflecting the caring nature of the Malaysian people. Yang benar, Yours sincerely, Profesor Madya Dr. Hj. Mohamed Hatta Hj. Shaharom Presiden Associate Professor Dr. Mohamed Hatta Shaharom President

FAC News - 7 April 2001 Malaysian King’s overseas operation - does this make him a traitor? Malaysia has branded Anwar Ibrahim a traitor for seeking medical treatment overseas. The Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Minister and Health Minister have all had a go at Anwar. Malaysia’s present King too had his operation done overseas – and at a cost of quite a few million Ringgit too on top of that, the cost which the Selangor State government was made to bear. Does this make the Malaysian King too a traitor? Malaysia’ second Prime Minister, Tun Razak, too had his medical treatment done overseas. Unfortunately, he did not survive the operation. Was he branded a traitor? No, in fact he was treated with dignity befitting a National Hero and he was buried in the heroes’ mausoleum in the National Mosque. And we have many more examples of loyal Malaysians of statesmen stature who have, at one time or another, required overseas medical treatment. This does not make them any less Malaysian because of it. Anwar’s wife, Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, has explained this at length during her recent meeting with the foreign diplomats and leaders of non-governmental organisations. It’s not that Anwar or the family does not trust the local doctors. Anwar has even stated that some of them are very good and Anwar personally knows many of them quite well. But, like it or not, they are doctors of government hospitals and, therefore, subject to political pressure. There have been many instances over the last two and half years where professionals have been reduced to less than professional levels just to abide to political whims – lawyers and doctors being amongst them. More recently, the mystery of Anwar’s deleted MRI scans – passed off as "routine procedure" by the hospital concerned but disputed by the doctors as not routine – is a case in point. How lower are they prepared to go to subvert Anwar? The instances are just too overwhelming to ignore. And to ignore them would be to Anwar’s peril. Dr Mahathir says it is not in the Malaysian culture to kill for political reasons. I would rather we not try to prove Mahathir right or wrong but just allow Anwar the safety of an overseas operation.

Monday April 30 Anwar: Show mercy, local luminaries request gov’t Zakiah Koya 8:26pm, Mon: A group of 107 high-profile individuals today sent an appeal to Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, urging the government “to show mercy” with regard to the medical condition of jailed former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim. “We humbly appeal to the government’s goodwill to display compassion towards a citizen who had previously contributed his services to the country. We humbly appeal that Anwar be given the possibility of being afforded the medical treatment of his choice,” stated the appeal. Among those present at the press conference in Kuala Lumpur to announce the appeal in a café at were National Artist Laureate Syed Ahmad Jamal, educationist FR Bhupalan, internationally-renowed artist Redza Piyadasa and Anwar’s former teacher DJ Muzaffar Tate. The other signatories comprised medical specialists, senior lawyers, artists, academicians, film-makers, writers, actors and professionals from various fields. They included Pahang state assembly representative Fauzi Abdul Rahman ( recently in the limelight for his allegation that former Pahang Mentri Besar Khalil Yaakob had misappropriated state resources), lawyer Zain Azahari Zainal Abidin, national literature laureates Usman Awang and Muhammad Haji Salleh, thespian Krishen Jit, cardiologist Dr Nik Zainal Abidin Nik Abdul Rahman, obstetrician and gynaecologist Dr Micheal Fong, Malaysian Society for Comparative Literature (Kemala) president Ahmad Kamal Abdullah and novelist KS Maniam. Right step The appeal requested that should Anwar be allowed to have overseas treatment. The group said it believes Anwar will be “tightly guarded” by the prison guards and accompanying Malaysian diplomats who will return him to Malaysia after his recovery. “This is the right step and a suitable guarantee. It is our understanding that a prisoner should not be precluded from the specialist treatment of his choice,” said the appeal. The appeal’s co-ordinator, Raja Ahmad Aminullah Raja Abdullah, said all who signed did so out of humanitarian concern. “I am no specialist. We are ordinary citizens who would like to see mercy for some of us who have contributed to the society in one way or other. “We would like to believe there is optimism and hope. We hope to strike a chord somewhere,” said Raja Ahmad. Slipped disc On Friday, Health Minister Chua Jui Meng briefed foreign diplomats that Anwar will have to return to prison if he refuses to have his back surgery at a local hospital. Anwar, who is serving a 15-year jail term for abuse of power and sodomy but considers himself a political prisoner, has been in Kuala Lumpur Hospital (KLH) since Nov 25 with acute back pain due to a slipped disc. Dutch specialist Dr Thomas Hoogland, who examined Anwar at his family’s request on March 11, said in a report the politician needed endoscopic spinal surgery within four to six weeks, which would be best performed in Munich, Germany. But the government claimed Anwar is politicising his condition, and has insisted that the surgery be done locally.