KUALA LUMPUR – In the face of attempts to sow discord among the various races in the country, cardiothoracic surgeon Datuk Dr Venugopal Balchand stands ready to staunchly defend national unity and harmony in a heartbeat.
As a dedicated Malaysian of Indian ethnicity and a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons in Edinburgh, the 63-year-old is highly devoted in his commitment to promoting unity among the races for the well-being of this multiracial country.
“As a person who has lived outside Malaysia for so many years, I know there is no place better than Malaysia.
“Malaysia has so much to offer, and the cultural diversity is unlike any other. We have to love and appreciate what we have,” he said.
A screenshot of his WhatsApp message was widely circulated before Scoop reached out to him for an interview.
In the message, Dr Venugopal said, “I’ve just finished performing a high-risk triple bypass operation on a Catholic priest.
“The two surgeons were Hindus. The anaesthetist was a Buddhist. Three nurses were Muslim and one was a Sikh.”
“The entire parish was praying for both the Reverend Father and the surgical team. This is the REAL MALAYSIA and if it can come about during an illness, surely it can happen during an ordinary day.”
Speaking to Scoop in his clinic at a private hospital in Kuala Lumpur, Dr Venugopal said Malaysians have become victims of certain individuals promoting racialised worldviews at the expense of others.
“There are individuals in the country who exploit race and religion for personal gain and the advantage of their parties.
“This is also the reason why we are losing a great talent pool overseas due to unnecessary politics.
“Hence, I take it upon myself to do whatever I can to remind people of our unity,” he said.
In the medical fraternity, Dr Venugopal said race, religion, or colour do not matter when treating patients.
“I can proudly say that these concerns are the least on the minds of any doctor when treating their patients; I can vouch for this.
“The only thing we focus on is their medical problems and how we can treat them.
“The healthcare sector is the least tainted by people politicising race and religion.
“Inclusivity comes with the nature of medicine, where everyone is treated equally and treated for their illness only.
“In that, we are very fortunate, and medical practitioners have to make sure that the medical profession remains independent and inclusive,” he added.
Dr Venugopal went on to say that the situation he described in his message was not an isolated incident.
“Even now, as we speak, similar situations exist where the patients could be of any race, and the doctors and nurses attending to them could be of a different race.
“In the hospital, we are all simply human beings; there are no distinctions between Malay, Indian, or Chinese.
“The same blood and veins run inside each and every one of us,” he added.
As a multiracial country with three major races and few other minorities, maintaining unity in Malaysia is easier as compared to the United States, where there are over 50 ethnic minority groups, Dr Venugopal said.
“It’s easier to stay united in Malaysia. That’s why we have to get our act together,” he said. – January 28, 2024