Minister slams German's comments

Minister slams German's comments

KUALA LUMPUR (AP): Malaysia's health minister has urged jailed
politician Anwar Ibrahim to dispense with the services of a
foreign doctor who said local facilities are inadequate for back
surgery the former deputy prime minister needs.

Health Minister Chua Jui Meng said German-based Dr. Thomas
Hoogland had insulted Malaysia when he said after visiting
facilities in Kuala Lumpur that equipment and staff were not
suitable to perform the type of surgery that was the best
treatment for Anwar.

"We want to remind him that major surgery and organ
transplants have been successfully performed here," Chua was
quoted as saying on Wednesday in the New Straits Times newspaper.

Anwar, who is serving jail terms totaling 15 years for
corruption and sodomy, has been hospitalized since November with
back injuries he claims were caused in part by a beating he
received more than two years ago at the hands of a former police
chief.