MMA warns cops against force-feeding Jeyakumar

The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) today issued a stern warning to the police, telling them not to force feed Emergency Ordinance (EO) detainee Dr D Jeyakumar - who is on hunger strike.

The association said international guidelines, which have been in place as far back as 1985, have described force feeding of individuals on hunger strike as “unethical and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment”.

“The MMA calls upon the authorities to respect international human rights laws and not to resort to force feeding as a means of ending Jeyakumar’s protest,” its president Dr Mary Suma Cardosa said in a statement.

Jeyakumar, who is Sungai Siput MP for Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM), started his hunger strike yesterday in protest over the continued detention of six PSM leaders, including himself, under the EO.

It is understood that Jeyakumar has since declined to take his lunch and dinner yesterday, and pledged to continue with his hunger strike until the government release all six detainees, who are now known as the EO 6.

Dr Mary said the authorities should also appoint one of MMA’s members to serve as a physician to monitor and manage Jeyakumar over the course of his voluntary fast, as recommended by the World Medical Association (WMA) Declaration of Malta.

She said by overseeing Jeyakumar’s hunger strike, the MMA can be assured of his health and welfare and communicate with his family and friends on a regular basis, while also allow them to intervene medically “if and when appropriate, while respecting Jeyakumar’s autonomy and right to carry out” his protest.

Based on the Declaration of Malta, Dr Mary said a physician should have been made available to Jeyakumar - who is also an MMA life member - as soon as he made it clear he intended to go on a hunger strike, so that they are sure he knew and understood the gravity of what he was going to do and what he wants done should the fast leave him incapacitated.

“A physician should also be allowed to communicate with the hunger striker in privacy and ascertain on a daily basis whether individuals wish to continue a hunger strike and what they want to be done when they are no longer able to communicate meaningfully,” she said.