IPOH: Police are investigating a viral poison letter over an alleged sexual harrassment and intimidation case involving Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital (HRPB) medical staff here.
Ipoh police chief Assistant Commissioner Yahaya Hassan said the case was also being probed under defamation and improper usage of network facility and services .
He said the investigation was carried out following a report lodged by a 43-year-old doctor at the hospital who claimed that the poison letter has tarnished his image.
Yahaya said based on initial investigation, the viral poison letter claims that the doctor and several other staff at the hospital were involved in the harassment against a number of housemen at the HRPB's Orthopaedic Department.
"The case is being investigated under Section 500 of the Penal Code (defamation) and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 for improper usage of network facility and services," he said in a statement.
He urged anyone with information on the matter to contact investigating officer Assistant Superintendent Fadli Ahmad at 019-2500019.
Yahaya also advised the public not to spread unverified rumours or defamation that may damage one's credibility.
Earlier, state Health Department director Dr Feisul Idzwan Mustapha had said the department has formed an independent investigation committee following the discovery of the poison letter at HRPB Orthopaedic Department.
Dr Feisul Idzwan said the Health Ministry through the Perak Health Department has received the letter via mail on Feb 28, which led to the setting up of the committee.
He was reported as saying that the committee comprised of several officers appointed by the Health Ministry's deputy director-general (Health) and the investigation is currently focusing on gathering relevant evidence regarding the alleged sexual harassment, besides intimidation.
"The Health Ministry views the allegations (as claimed on the poison letter) very seriously as the ministry has zero tolerance on sexual harassment at workplace," he said in a statement uploaded on Perak Health Department and HRPB official Facebook pages.
The poison letter went viral after it was uploaded by X social media platform user @azizlhkim yesterday.
The post has garnered 1.4 million views and over 6,800 repost.
The letter, addressed to the HRPB director, was purportedly written by a former female houseman who has completed her training, who was also representing housemen who are still undergoing training at the hospital's Orthopaedic Department in claiming that they were being blackmailed and sexually harassed.
According to the letter, the alleged victims claimed that they were being threatened with their tagging or training would be extended even though senior medical officers concerned have no authority to monitor them. They also expressed unhappiness towards their training supervisors.
The letter cited the names of several doctors whom the former trainee alleged to have continuously harassed her during the houseman period.
Meanwhile, when contacted earlier today, Perak police chief Datuk Seri Mohd Yusri Hassan Basri said police have not received a report from the alleged sexual harassment victim as claimed on the poison letter.