Most important, more feedback came this way. One is this Facebook status dated February 3, 2018 in which former Director General of the Ministry of Health, Tan Sri Noor Hisham Abdullah received Fellowship Ad Homimem from the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd). However, that status is no where to be seen and was removed from his Facebook.
Apparently a month earlier on January 17th, 2018, there was a launching ceremony for the RCSEd International Office at UKM for the FRCS International program allegedly referred as "scam" program not accredited by the Malaysian Medical Council but pressure is being applied to accredit the inadequate surgery training program.
When asked by a commentator whether FRCS can now be done in Malaysia, Noor Hisham proudly gave the affirmative and claimed it has been going on since 2016.
On May 29th 2022, he jubilantly published the successful 8 trainees that passed the Joint Specialty Fellowship Program for Cardiothoracic Surgery. An effort from the Edinburgh accredition visit on June 27th 2015. To the horror of the trainees, the program was inadequate and rejected by MMC.
It explains the frantic pressure applied on Minister for MOH by The Malaysian Association for Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery (MATCVS), Malaysian Urological Association, Academy of Medicine, and other NGOs. All seemed many but are the same group of people with personal vested interest.
Presumably the influential Noor Hisham may have extended his support as Chairman of IJN and got the media coverage to ensure the program he bulldozed as DG with IJN, UKM, and UM to glorify overseas certs over the already accredited Malaysian programs did not turned out to be an embarassment.
Is the gratification given by RCSEd to Noor Hisham for shoving their program for the Malaysian market and generate a cashflow for their institution?
The question that remain unanswered is: How is MMC to give accredition to a fellowship that cannot be accredited for practise in the country it is issued (see the above)?
Seriously, since when do an NGO or association given such a significant role to be middlemen? Another feedback received below:
MATCVS is playing a middleman role on behalf of RCS Edinburgh?
1. Many members of the MATCVS do not agree with the stance taken by the leadership of the Society. Despite our attempts to warn and advise them to accept the decision to reject their trainees NSR application, and not to pursue this fight.
2. It is a forgone conclusion that the Parallel Program (FRCS International) or PP is not recognized by MMC because compared to the FRCS intercollegiate diploma, it is not recognized as a qualification for further training in the UK and for employment.
3. Any qualifications that are NOT recognized in their home country cannot be recognized by MMC.
4. The said diploma can’t be used to apply for CESR (Certificate of Eligibility for Surgical Training), and therefore will not be able to get admission into the UK training program to obtain CCT(Certificate of Completion of Training) which only the FRCS Intercollegiate diploma is accepted for future employment as a Consultant Cardiothoracic in the UK.
5. Now they try to modify their statement and claim that PP is an Intercollegiate qualification. But looking at their news write up and RCS brochure, their qualification is clearly stated as a FRCSEd International by JCSFE. An attempt to blindside and confuse authorities here.
6. The same people currently are amongst the committee members of MATCVS, through various other accomplices have infiltrated both the committee of College of Surgeons and the Academy of Medicine. Using these networks and connections is attempting to pressure our Health Minister.
7. Our esteem colleague and senior life member, who is also our pioneering heart surgeon and ex-President of MATCVS, Tan Sri Yahya Awang wrote in to change that part of our society’s constitution to prevent abuse and the only allow qualified CT surgeons to be the only ones in the Society with voting rights. However, this was not proceeded or brought up for vote in the next Annual General Meeting (AGM), claiming that the person who proposed the constitutional changes needed to be present at discussion of the proposal. But my argument is that a written proposal has already been given and his presence is constitutionally not mandatory. All that was needed was a vote for change or not. This is a violation of his right as a member of MATCVS.
8. As a result of that, the current leadership of MATCVS was elected into office last year through devious means. The Society itself do not consist only of Cardiothoracic surgeons but include other doctors who have voting rights and decide the future direction of our fraternity for us CT surgeons of Malaysia.
9. Even though it was not written in our constitution, but it is not right in fact unethical of them to bring in doctors who are not CT trainees such as anesthetic medical officers(MO), posthousemanship floating MOs, and others who are not interested in Cardiothoracic Surgery as VOTING MEMBERS to increase their voting numbers ensuring their success in holding office in the Society, to promote their agenda. All these votes come in through virtual means, as it was allowed since the recent COVID19 pandemic, and we are unable to control their presence.
10. This act shows their desperation to control the MATCVS and their willingness to cheat, lie and manipulate systems by all means and methods. So, we are not surprised that they are given out misleading information and outrightly lying to the various institutions such as MMC, MQA, MOH & MOHE, and the public to pressure our politicians using MATCVS, College of Surgeons & Academy of Medicine to reach their goal no matter what!! They are the same people in all these institutions.
11. This irresponsible act has resulted in only 28% of the members of the MATCVS being NSR certified Cardiothoracic surgeons, approximately 30% CTS trainees and the rest are Cardiologists, Anesthetists, and non-trainee MOs.
12. Thus, MATCVS now doesn’t represent us NSR certified CT surgeons anymore. Despite our attempts to show our stand within our ranks against promoting an illegal program, our efforts were in vain through this Society.
13. They have now hijacked the MATCVS to promote their own agenda and we have no other avenue to resist their attempts accepted through the media to create awareness and provide correct information against their misinformation.
14. I believe that in this case, MATCVS current leadership are solely responsible for the predicament that we are in now.
15. Since they are very confident of their stand in this matter, they shouldn’t have any problem to provide the following documents for evidence of their legitimacy.
16. Documentation to be submitted to MMC for consideration of recognition of Parallel Pathway qualification in Cardiothoracic Surgery: Letter from GMC UK & RCS Ed (separately) with the following verification & evidence where possible.
a) Equivalency to Intercollegiate FRCS.b) Allowed to apply for CESR.c) Upon approval of CESR, training in Malaysia is approved for CCT in UK.d) Eligibility to get employment in UK using the “Malaysian Parallel Pathway” qualification.
17. Anything short of these documents should not be entertained.
18. So far despite many reminders by MMC to give these documents as evidence, they have yet to respond.
19. Only rhetoric that is heard but no solid proof to back them up.
20. The ball is in their court. If they are right, by providing MMC with these documents, we are happy to accept and congratulate them.
21. If not, they had better cease their illicit operations immediately, or they'll face the full force of the law and be forcefully brought to justice by the relentless authority!
Yours truly,
LIFE MEMBER OF MATCVS
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