DO department heads, including those in enforcement agencies, realise where they stand when they are quick to defend any wrongdoing or negligence by their subordinates?

This move, taken as a damage control measure, has become a standard operating procedure. It is done without any care that was exposed – normally by publicity in the print and electronic media – may be true.

The purpose (or political purpose) for this defensive action is to protect the “image” of the agency or department and avoid liability. The public is expected to believe that civil servants can do no wrong and will do no wrong.

A wrong is a wrong, and it cannot be cleaned away by any amount of denial by those in authority. In trying to do so and lying to the public, they only damage the very “image” that they are trying to protect. They are just ridiculing the maruah (dignity) of the agency or department.

However, this does not seem to matter to them, as the public can rave and rant, but those in authority will choose to ignore their complaints as the people cannot remove these figures for their positions.

The latest cover-up involves a 12-year-old boy who was administered an empty syringe. The clip in this link clearly shows that the staff administering the vaccine is meticulous in following the SOPs: showing the vaccine used and the correct dosage drawn into the syringe.

How can a person who was so meticulous just seconds ago, become so careless as to pick up an empty syringe and plunge it into a recipient? How can that meticulous person then become even more careless as to put their thumb on the plunger, but not push the plunger down?

Deputy Health Minister I Noor Azmi Ghazali defended the staff and issued a statement yesterday, highlighting that the SOP of showing the vaccine being drawn into the syringe was followed. That is true. But what happened after that was, according to him, a “human error”. Really?

Now, giving all the benefit of the doubt that the empty syringe on the other side of the table was picked up by mistake, what is the explanation for the staff plunging the needle in and placing their thumb on the plunger, but not depressing it? Their thumb did not move downwards at all. Is that what is called “human error”?

First of all, why is there an empty syringe complete with needle on the other side of the table?

Come now, dear deputy minister, do not fool the public. Not depressing the plunger is a deliberate act, something done on purpose. It is no “human error”, and neither was picking up the empty syringe.

The deputy minister said a second, reduced dose – as per SOP – was given after the “error” was discovered. This means the child had not been given the correct dosage.

Please stop taking the public for a ride. Learn how to take the bull by the horns and call a spade a spade.

Three scenarios come to mind about the deliberate act in the clip:

Such acts should have no place in Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s “Keluarga Malaysia” as they are divisive and create distrust between people of different cultures, ethnicities and religions. Firm action is needed, not beating around the bush and giving excuses for not wanting to take disciplinary action against “orang kita”.

• It was a criminal act involving some other parties.
• It was an act influenced by feelings of ketuanan.
• It was an act influenced by religious and racial considerations, or bigotry.

That vaccine administrator should be sacked over a serious violation of the code of ethics of the medical profession. It is her (and other like-minded persons’) responsibility to take care of her own rice bowl. The government should not have to bend backwards for them. – October 3, 2021.

* Ravinder Singh reads The Malaysian Insight.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.