All MPs to undergo mandatory health checks by Oct 31, says Dewan Rakyat Speaker

KUALA LUMPUR: All MPs will have to undergo mandatory health checks by Oct 31 this year, says Tan Sri Johari Abdul.

“The health examination is mandatory.

“I myself have personally witnessed 11 MPs collapsing over the past 15 years.

“So I request that MPs take the matter seriously.

“I am aware that some are busy and forget to take care of their health status,” the Dewan Rakyat Speaker said during a break in debates on the 12th Malaysia Plan mid-term review in Parliament on Wednesday (Sept 13).

Since the 2018 general election, four MPs have died – the majority from heart attacks.

The late Datuk Stephen Wong Tien Fatt died of a heart attack in March 2019, following a morning hike near Putatan, Sabah.

His death triggered the Sandakan by-election, in which his daughter Vivien Wong was eventually elected as MP.

She successfully defended the seat in the 15th General Election (GE15).

Datuk Dr Md Farid Md Rafik, who had been a deputy minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (National Unity and Social Wellbeing), died of a heart attack in September 2019.

This caused a by-election to be held in Tanjung Piai.

Datuk Seri Dr Wee Jeck Seng of MCA won the Tanjung Piai seat, which he successfully defended in GE15.

Gerik MP Datuk Hasbullah Osman died of a heart condition on Nov 16, 2020.

The seat was left vacant as no by-election could be held owing to the Covid-19 pandemic; it was eventually won by Perikatan Nasional candidate Fathul Huzir Ayob in GE15.

Former minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Legal Affairs) Datuk Liew Vui Keong, died on Oct 2, 2020, from pneumonia while being treated for a slipped disc.

His Batu Sapi seat was left vacant as no by-election was held owing to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The seat was later won by Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan from Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS)

The recent Pulai by-election was triggered following the death of Datuk Seri death of Salahuddin Ayob on July 23 due to a brain hemorrhage.

Suhaizan Kaiat from Pakatan Harapan won the seat during the Sept 9 by election.

In April 2016, former Sepang MP Mohamed Hanipa Maidin collapsed during debates in Dewan Rakyat after suffering a stroke.

In October 2019 former Nibong Tebal MP Datuk Mansor Othman collapsed as he was delivering his Budget 2020 speech in the Dewan Rakyat.

Meanwhile, Johari said that notices for the mandatory health checks were issued to MPs on Tuesday. (Sept 12)

He added that MPs will have to under go the health checks at the Parliament clinic, government clinics or private clinics listed in the notice.

“All MPs will have to undergo their mandatory health checks by Oct 31,” he said.

He said that the made the recommendation for the mandatory health checks to the Health Ministry as a means to ensure MPs keep tabs on the health status.