By Ahmad Sabri
Dear Sir
I am writing to you on behalf of all Malaysians. I hope you will be able to share the information
about the troubles and difficulties at Penang Medical College so that foreign Irish colonisation and
dominance stops. There is mention that Penang Medical College, PMC, is going to be sold to the Irish
and their partners.Please try not to allow this sale. Malaysians must always
remain in control the medical college for the rakyat to educate honest and good doctors.
THERE IS A SERIOUS NEED FOR AN AUDIT AND INVESTIGATION TO STOP WRONGDOINGS.
The medical college is possible only because the students can learn practical work at
Hospital Pulau Pinang . Without the Hospital there will be no medical college.It really cost
a lot of money to run a medical college entirely. The big silent partner in the college is the
Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia and Kerajaan Malaysia. Without the Penang General Hospital
there will be no medical college and there will be no income and no students for the Irish
from the students of PMC who go to Dublin for the first 2-3 years of the course
and pay the Irish very high fees of 30,000 Euros per year per student. If there was no Penang Hospital
there will be no Medical College
The Irish know this. They are making a lot of profit from Malaysians. It is said
that PMC is nonprofit. but why are the Irish so willing to take control of the College.
The reason is that they getting a great lot of Money from the fees especially fees for the first 2-3years
course in Dublin They only want to grab grab grab, providing very poor facilities. There have really
no improvements at PMC, facilities poor, library poor, computer IT facilities poor. Irish want more
and more profit , fees keep increasing, more and more students but PMC staff not around ,
a lot of teaching left to junior hospital staff , some even have no postgraduate degree
There are no plans for improvement of any form, no improvement in quality of staff nor quality of facilities
The Degree given by National Universiti of Ireland also poor , not recognised internationally as advertised
Only recognised in Malaysia & Ireland .When PMC graduates try to apply to work in UK,
Australia,Singapore they are told that PMC- National Universiti of Ireland degree not laku.Graduates told by
General Medical Council in UK , that PMC graduates have to pass PLAB examination first.
Told by Australian Medical licensing Examination Council that PMC graduates must pass AMEC exams
first. USA- USMLE, Singapore - no more recognition of PMC degree. If that year is very lucky , For working and
in Ireland , only 1-2 students accepted per year ,and only if they are very outstanding.
just a wrongful deceiving advertisment advertisment.
To graduate from PMC private student spends about 800k, scholarship student has 10 year bond
or pay 600k penalty. but degree recognition, no different from , local medical colleges
eg AMIST- 300k, Allianz-300k, Melaka Mannipal- 400k, IMU local course 400k,
and now UNITAR- 250k MAHSA College 250k etc etc.
All these information can be checked whether true. Malaysians have been conned, and are allowing themselves
to be conned . Penang General Hospital can be a very good teaching hospital if properly
organised with PMC Lecturers helping in service and senior hospital staff doing some teaching.
All in all , PMC has a goldmine, Penang Hospital. Please dont allow PMC to be sold to the IRISH or any
other company who may latter sell to Irish. Malaysians must keep control to keep medical college
honest, transparent , affordable, so that students can graduate not feel cheated and not having to have plenty
of loans to service. If students have alot of loans to pay and feel they have been cheated , they will be looking
to get as much money from the patients, because of the pressure to get as much money as possible as it is
more and more difficult to get money as the number of doctors are getting more and more very fast.
Worse still the management put Irish CEO, with no medical background, no medical training or any experience,
CEO wants to reorganise the College . a major change is the shifting the library with the canteen, with the students
recreation room to a new rented building 1 km away.
Most students and lecturers do not agreed to this change because the library and the canteen should be
near to the lecture theatre and tutorial rooms and not 1km away . When they are not near each other it will be very
difficult to use library Worse still there is not much parking space.Students Association have sent letters to CEO
stating that the changes are not suitable and will have bad effects but CEO will not listen to students.as usual the students
are going to suffer as they always suffer and get kicked around again.
Currently the building situation is acceptable but not good. Students can use canteen or library inbetween lectures
and tutorials When library moved away many students will go home if there is a 1-2 hour break and may not come back for a
late afternoon lecture
It is the wrong use of space which is the problem. There no space for library and canteen to be together at the same
place as the lecture theatre and tutirial rooms but space is used for research rooms and used for a sweedish consulate and
the Clinical research centre at the PMC main compound. these are not related to the teaching of medical students
but are for the benefit of PMC management and their friends .
The management do not work for making college better but do things for their own benefit.The CEO recently
organised a motivation talk by his friend Eddie Jordan .when only few students attended the talk ,CEO got mad and
scolded students ,said all must write a letter giving reasons for not attending. If dont write letter or reason not good
caution fee will be deducted as penalty. This is serious bad bullying. by CEO . Why should students pay for talk they
did not attend.,College can pay . College collects so much money from students but gives only basic facilities.Not enough
ibrary books not enough computers. lectures and tutorials are cancelled at last minute.teaching schedule very disorganised
A lot of teaching left to very junior hospital doctors , some hopeless but students tired of complaining.
CEO and his staff does not work to make things better fos college or students but themselves Lecturers absent
going shopping or doing private practice while left teaching to hospital doctors who are not interested in student teaching
CEO spent a lot of college money and time organising Irish games instead of raising money for new buildings and facilities
Also often CEO and lecturers not around colloge run on autopilot by in experienced staff .
Many students poor struggling scholarship money not enough, but have to go to Hospital Taiping or Hospital
Seberang Jaya. difficult transportation problem, try to car pool but admin staff not understanding do not want to change
the groups
Also why must students to go to Taiping or Seberang Jaya. because Penang hospital staff tired and fed up
of teaching PMC students . go to new hospital, hosp doctors teach, show off their knowledge, hen when they find out
how much money the PMC lecturers are paid and the benefits PMC lecturers get ,
Hospital Doctors get very angry and push students from doctor to doctor for teaching
Many hospital doctors hate students, they should not teach , as they dont like teaching students forced to come at
600 am for tutorials , somedays no tutorials somedays 3-4 tutorials.
Please save PMC and give a chance to independent Private medacal school ,managed transparently and for the
good of students with reasonable fees.. Twinning with overseas really a waste of money . Irish get a lot of money
from the foundation year and years 1& 2.
Please keep control of PMC with its teaching hospital in Penang . Penang and Malaysia need a well and honestly run
transparent medical college to produce dedicated and honest doctors to servre the rakyat especially
the poor. Please keep control of PMC and the hospital Penang. The Hospital is a very precious asset because
it is very very very costly to run a teaching hospital, They really ,can ,only be run by by by foundations supported
the government . Malaysians need to stop the Irish from colonising Malaysia again.
PMC course should be made affordable and totally local studies like the rest of the medical schools.
The Irish involvement can be phased out .Many Malaysian medical colleges eg IMU, Mannipal Melaka
can take the place of thrIrish partners. Malaysians dont need an expensive Irish degree which is
only worth the same recognition wise as a local Malaysian degree, Russian , Indian,Indonesian degree.
Anybody wanting an internationally recognised degree will be dissappoimted with PMC. This must be made
known to the public and the ministry of higher education
Better to be straightfoward and honest. Organise local degree for local practice, The Irish want
more and more control o fPenang Medical College
Please keep costs affordable studies local. Malaysians need only locally recognised degree. Please share this information
so that more and more people are aware of the exploitation and cunning siphoning of Malaysians, their young,
andtheir resources by foreigner colonialist.
AN INVESTIGATION AND AUDIT IS REQUIRED.
Thank You
9 comments:
aiyah, let the mat-satay ...oops, sallehs take over to improve your
malaysia-inglish also good lah !!
your obviously a student of the college. one way to make the school better is to participate in national, regional or even international conferences. Sell the school's name to the public by making it better; not by dissing every single thing about it and sleeping on it every night. Take action!
Ahmad Sabri ?pseudonym
You know not of what you speak! Your letter of appeal is plagued with factually flawed statements and baseless allegations, not to mention your painfully atrocious grammar. The manner in which you have expressed your dissatisfaction only goes to show your foolishness and lack of maturity, leading me to conclude that you are quite possibly a student of the college who has difficulty coping with the system largely due to your poor attitude and lack of effort.
Your lack of focus in raising the relevant issues had me a little confused as to determine the genuine intention of the letter; a nationalistic pride in safeguarding the sovereignty of our local teaching hospitals and their associated medical schools, or simply a cunning strategy to shift all blame on to the college for your failing grades and poor performance in class.
Come on, get a grip on yourself. Stop lambasting the college in your lousy English. You are only embarrassing yourself and ruining the name of the college and that of your colleagues.
I noticed there were two versions posted up on the internet.
Malay version: http://national-express-malaysia.blogspot.com/2010/04/siasatan-diperlukan-di-penang-medical.html
English version: http://margeemar.blogspot.com/2010/03/help-penang-medical-college.html
Let me point out to you in a simple manner why I find your arguments absurd and factually wrong:
1. “The big silent partner in the college is the Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia and Kerajaan Malaysia”
PMC is a collaboration between RCSI and UCD, and the Penang State Government through its investment arm, Penang Development Corporation (PDC). PDC has a 40% stake in PMC
2. “Graduates told by General Medical Council in UK , that PMC graduates have to pass PLAB examination first. Told by Australian Medical licensing Examination Council that PMC graduates must pass AMEC exams first. USA- USMLE, Singapore - no more recognition of PMC degree. If that year is very lucky , For working and in Ireland , only 1-2 students accepted per year ,and only if they are very outstanding. just a wrongful deceiving advertisment.”
UK & PLAB: The PLAB is only a requirement for non-UK and non-EU citizens who have graduated from the college. It is more to do with immigration policies, and not with the level of competency of the college.
Aussie & AMC: If you did your internship in Ireland, then you will qualify to work in Australia without needing to sit for the AMCs. Our degree is recognized, but its where you do your internship that matters.
US & USMLE: ALL individuals who wish to practice in the US will need the USMLE, including the Americans!
Ireland: “Only outstanding students are accepted” . An entry requirement in most countries, which obviously YOU will fail to meet. Mind you, there are a whole lot more PMC students working in Ireland than you think!
Singapore: Almost 20-30% of the graduating class up to Year 2007 were accepted by SingHealth and NHG. The derecognition was a recent policy change by SMC.
3. “When library moved away many students will go home if there is a 1-2 hour break and may not come back for a late afternoon lecture”
Now, that will only be an issue for a lazy fella like you!
4. “Malaysians need to stop the Irish from colonising Malaysia again.“
Did you even pass your Form 3 history?! Since when did the Irish colonize Malaysia?! IRISH ≠ BRITISH
AN INVESTIGATION AND AUDIT IS REQUIRED... on to the author of this letter!
Hari V.S.
Class of 2008
PMC
"Singapore: Almost 20-30% of the graduating class up to Year 2007 were accepted by SingHealth and NHG. The derecognition was a recent policy change by SMC."
With regards to this point, why is it that the PMC degree is no longer recognized by the SMC? Is there a valid reason to do so? If so, why isn't the PMC board handling the matter. Surely they would want to consolidate their position into a better one if the matters brought up by the blogger is to some nature true. As a forwarding institution, surely it is not going backwards?
Surely the PMC board knows of the discontent by the blogger. If not, then he/she should bring it up and do us all fellow students a fair favour. No point in telling the internet world where the chances of the people able to help in the matter comes to a chance of 0% in discovering this blog.
Action not complain.
can i post here
I echo the sentiments by Hari V. S. While I appreciate your right to bring up issues pertaining to the current state of affairs (if any), the method in which you are doing it lacks focus, facts or fluency. This is doing your cause no favours.
Ill focus on one of your less than accurate points.
Your gripe with the fact that foreign countries are not bending backwards to invite you to work for them reflects your lack of insight and knowledge on jobs realities after graduation from medical school. PMC graduates from my class previously aspired to go elsewhere are currently practicing in Australia, Ireland, the US, and Singapore. Many of them are already in training schemes in these countries on their way to becoming specialists in fields they aspire to be in. With the exception of Singapore, there has been no policy change with regards to its degree in the other countries. These students used the education and degree that was handed to them, and took care of the rest on their own accord.
Wish to also note many of our brilliant colleagues who chose to stay around the region do so successfully as well.
Comrade, work hard, and use what you have to better yourself. Posting a rant using the machine gun approach based on false facts is not helping your cause.
While there is always room for improvements, blind rants get you nowhere. Please exercise wisdom in attempts to bring about change. You may be a lot more successful that way.
Dhssraj Singh
Class of 2007
Cleveland, OH
Disregard the previous post. Use this instead:
I echo the sentiments by Hari V. S. While I appreciate your right to bring up issues pertaining to the current state of affairs (if any), the method in which you are doing it lacks focus, facts or fluency. This is doing your cause no favours.
Ill focus on one of your many less than accurate points.
Your gripe with the fact that foreign countries are not bending backwards to invite you to work for them reflects your lack of insight and knowledge on job realities after graduation from medical school. PMC graduates from my class previously aspired to go elsewhere are currently practicing in Australia, Ireland, the US, and Singapore. Many of them are already in training schemes in these countries on their way to becoming specialists in fields they aspire to be in. With the exception of Singapore, there has been no policy change with regards to the NUI degree in these countries. These students utilized the education and degree that was handed to them and controlled their career-destiny on their own accord.
Wish to also note many of our brilliant colleagues who chose to stay around the region do so successfully as well.
Comrade, work hard, and use what you have to better yourself. Posting a rant using the machine gun approach based on false facts is not helping your cause.
While there is always room for improvements, blind rants get you nowhere. Please exercise wisdom in attempts to bring about change. You may be a lot more successful that way.
Dhssraj Singh
Class of 2007
Cleveland, OH
Crikey, eloquence is certainly not this blogger's strong point!
Graduate of the Class of 2006 here. Spent my formative years in clinical medicine in PMC. Loved it despite the oppressively warm weather.
Compared to what I encounter daily, I must say our training was rigorous and thorough.
There are countless graduates who managed to nail rather competitive specialist registrar positions in various disciplines in Ireland e.g. Neurology, Paediatrics, Radiology, etc.
Good morning and hello there. Judging by this blogger's English and skewed facts, its quite clear that he's not so apt in medicine. However, the people who commented, I believe, are, apt that is, in medicine.
Im a neutral party, an SPM leaver with reasonably good results. Tomorrow, God willing, I'm attending an interview to get into this RCSI-PMC twinning program. Naturally, Im doing a little research on these institutions and, like the rest of you, stumbled upon this.
So, my question is thie, especially to Hari V.S., is Penang Medical College really a good medschool? Or do they really have "old, tired europeans who are here for retirement and young junior doctors with no post graduate degrees who dont know much themselves to teach us"?
Please answer me truthfully. Thank you, hope you can help, time is kinda ticking :)
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