SHAH ALAM - "It is sad to see a politician tell the rakyat that it's okay to sell and buy kidneys," says a nephrologist.
He, who does not want to be named, was responding to Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) Youth Chief Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal's statement in parliament on April 5.
The Machang MP said that some Malaysians had "to sell their kidneys" to survive because EPF withdrawals were not permitted.
The nephrologist, who runs a private practise in Johor Bahru further added that it is upsetting and hurtful to hear politicians say things like this when the nephrologists are trying to persuade families to donate kidneys to their loved ones for dialysis.
"This would make the rakyat think that the buying and selling of kidneys is possible in Malaysia," he stressed.
He also further added that Malaysia has signed the Declaration of Istanbul twice and it has laws that prohibit the sale of any organs, including kidneys, in Malaysia.
Sinar Daily also reached out to lawyers recently, who said that any practise that induces vulnerable people to trade their organs is considered organ trafficking.
Former Bar Council president Salim Bashir Bhaskaran said that as much as organ and tissue donation is considered the ultimate humanitarian service to mankind, the trading of organs, unethical removals, or commercialization of human organs pose a severe threat to human dignity.
"In Malaysia, the donations of organs are governed by Section 2 of the Human Tissues Act 1974, which regulates situations of organ removal and transplantation," he explained.
Echoing Salim’s view, lawyer Fatihah Jamhari said Wan Ahmad's statement shows how dishonest and irresponsible he is, as it would give people the impression that it's okay to sell and buy kidneys.