| Gullible. That is what Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek has labelled Malaysians who continue to seek the services of those unqualified to carry out cosmetic surgery. "The rakyat can do more than the ministry. If the rakyat were not so trusting, then there will not be a problem," he told reporters Thursday after launching the Kuala Lumpur OIC Health Ministerial Conference 2007 website. "And why they can survive in Malaysia is because the people here are so gullible. There is no shortcut to beauty." Dr Chua also expanded on the naiveté of Malaysians when it came to consuming vitamins and food supplements where the ministry's nutrition survey showed that 20% of them were on such items even though their dietary intake was adequate. He was earlier responding to a question on why the number of botched cosmetic surgeries was increasing in the country. The most recent was a 31-year old woman who was given a botched boob job in November 2005 after a so-called Taiwanese surgeon injected her. She has since been advised to remove both breasts, as they have become cancerous. The woman said she had paid RM6,400 and that the procedure was carried out in a hotel room. Adding that the ministry's powers were limited in the matter, Dr Chua added that for every case reported, there were at least an estimated five to 10 cases that remained unreported. "I cannot understand why in Malaysia, they are so easily influenced by word of mouth and underground advertising. They are willing to part with about RM10,000 for breast enlargement, nose beautification, eyelid operation and some "private part" operation," he said. "We hope that Malaysians will not be easily influenced." He said people could check with the Malaysian Medical Council if a doctor was qualified and allowed to practise in the country. When asked if many Malaysians had lodged complaints with the ministry, he said most people affected by botched cosmetic jobs would not do so because they were shy and knew that complaining would not be effective as the doctor or practitioner had already disappeared. "What we know is what we read in the newspapers," he said. He added that Malaysians must be aware that a surgery or operation could not be conducted in a hotel room; besides, if the surgeon was famous, he need not "hide in the hotel". On the consumption of vitamins and food supplements, Dr Chua said that Malaysians continued to do so even though most doctors advised them that it was unnecessary. "They keep on buying and taking them based on some promotions or sales, and that it is good to make their bones stronger or skin smoother," he said. "They just consume everyday without knowing what is inside. That is the reason why vitamins and food supplements are doing very well." i so agree with this . gullible is the word . hell , even my parents take and judge vitamins and food supplements by their price - the higher its price , the healthier it is . most of us who dont take any of those are still coping perfectly fine physically . |