Television sports newscaster Ras Adiba Radzi who is in Australia for treatment for her paralysis condition, will be returning home to Kuala Lumpur on Monday night to see her sick brother.

She said she had to return three weeks earlier than planned because of her brother's illness.

Ras said she underwent a spinal surgery on Monday and had exhausted all her funds. She said she is making arrangements to continue her rehabilitation and treatment in Kuala Lumpur.

"I'll be arriving home on Monday night. I'll be taking the MH 122 flight from Sydney and reach there at around 9pm," she said, adding that a girlfriend will be accompanying her.

Ras Adiba said she will continue her rehabilitation at Pantai Medical Centre (PMC) but may have to look into other medical centres equipped with facilities to suit her condition, she told malaysiakini when contacted today.

When asked how she felt about the publicity bouts rained on her since she left for Sydney to treat her back injuries, she said she was not angry at anyone although many had questioned her appeal for public funds.

"Earlier, I was very disturbed when people questioned my health and the money. But later I found out that this was because they had listened to vicious rumours about me.

"Things improved when they found out the truth. Malaysians are generally alright. I guess this is just a way for them to show their concern for my well-being," she said.

"A blessing in disguise"

She said the controversy over the fund was "a blessing in disguise" as it led to the establishment of Yayasan Negara, a body set up by the Health Ministry to manage public donations for needy patients.

"I feel that it is good thing. Now more people will be able to get financial support from the public through government's management," she said.

When asked if she had contacted Yayasan Negara to pledge whatever was left of her donations, Ras said she had used up all the money for the spine operation conducted on her last Monday.

"There's no money left. All was used for the rehabilitation programme and the major surgery performed on me last Monday and it lasted for two and a half hours.

"People had questioned the fund when I did not undergo the operation when I first came here. But actually the doctors had to do some tests first before finally performing the operation on me," she said.

When asked what operation she underwent, she said it was "too technical to explain".

She said she was looking forward to her homecoming and start creating more awareness for wheelchair-bound people and to make the city more disabled-friendly, particularly restaurants where few have special facilities for the disabled.

Normal life

"This has to change. Those on wheelchair are people too and they must be given proper attention so that they can lead a normal life," she said.

Ras, in an emotional letter dated Aug 21, said that she was shocked with the slanderous allegations that she was faking her paralysis. She invited unwanted publicity when people questioned her appeal for public funds upon learning that her condition could be treated in Malaysia.

She said her collection also fell short of the total reported by the media as certain parties did not fulfill their pledge.

Ras made a public appeal for RM300,000 the sum she said she needed to undergo corrective surgery following her sudden paralysis. She was admitted to PMC in Kuala Lumpur where she was told that her condition could be due to a spine operation conducted in Australia earlier after a car accident.

She appealed to the public for funds to return to Australia for treatment. She managed to raise RM393,000 within a week because of the publicity blitz that included a visit from Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

She immediately left for Australia but Napean Kingswood Hospital's pain management consultant Dr S R Sundaraj later said surgery was not needed and had instead arranged for her to undergo extensive physiotherapy and rehabilitation treatments in Sydney.

Asia Pacific Orthopaedic Association president Dr K S Sivananthan said later that the facilities for surgery and rehabilitation programmes for spine patients are not only available in many local hospitals and medical centres but also cost substantially less.

No details of expenses

Many in the public began to question the huge amount sought by Ras to undergo treatment abroad.

When asked what she planned to do with the excess money as the operation was then not needed, she had said that she would contribute an unspecified amount to needy people and added that she will also embark on a campaign to raise awareness about disabled people.

In an interview with malaysiakini via SMS (short messaging service) on July 30 , Ras Adiba when was asked on the status of the donation, replied: "Correction: I have done my implant surgical procedure, which is a technical surgery that checks on my titanium positioning.

"About fund: Rehab is as costly. I will help the medically- in-need people when I come home. Thanks and my love to all Malaysians," she added.

Ras said today she has been advised not to divulge details of her expenditure from the funds received.