Sabah hospital sexual harassment case: MOH moves director out, complainant under treatment, PSD to decide next step

KOTA KINABALU, Aug 15 — The Health Ministry has completed its internal investigation into an alleged sexual harassment case involving a Sabah hospital director and transferred the officer to a medical post at the Sabah Health Department.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Dzulkefly Ahmad said the ministry had also submitted its report to the Public Service Department (PSD), which has jurisdiction over further action based on the officer’s grade, The New Straits Times reported.

“Administratively, the ministry has completed the internal investigation. Among the actions taken was the transfer of the director to a medical officer’s position in the medical division of the Sabah Health Department,” he was quoted as saying at a press conference after the ministry’s Training Institutes convocation at Universiti Malaysia Sabah here today.

Dzulkefly said the alleged victim had been given full support and psychiatric treatment and had since returned to a better working environment.

“The official report from the department has been submitted to Public Service Department, based on the officer’s grade, as it has its own jurisdiction and authority to handle this matter,” he said.

The case was raised publicly last month by Kapayan assemblyman Chin Teck Ming and Sabah Warisan Health Bureau chief Dr Istefan Koh over alleged wrongdoing involving the hospital director.

Sabah police commissioner Datuk Jauteh Dikun had also confirmed that a police report was lodged earlier this year.

Dzulkefly said the ministry had taken administrative action after completing its internal probe, while any further disciplinary action would fall within the PSD’s jurisdiction.