The Health Ministry will summon a doctor from a private clinic who is reported to have treated National Defence University of Malaysia student, Zulfarhan Osman Zulkarnain.

Zulfarhan Osman, 21, died at the Serdang Hospital on June 1 after allegedly being tortured by some colleagues, reportedly over the theft of a laptop.

Health Minister, Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam said the ministry will call the doctor for an explanation following the doctor's failure to report injuries sustained by Zulfarhan Osman to the police.

"We have standard operating procedures (SOPs). Usually if a patient is injured due to an accident or who is believed to have crime-related injuries, doctors and hospitals have to report the matter directly to the police.

If a report is not lodged, it is wrong, because it is the responsibility and a practice that should be observed by the doctor treating the patient," he told reporters here today.

He said the move to call the doctor was being done in accordance to professional ethics adopted by the Health Ministry.

“The action of the doctor who did not report a criminal case like this is questionable. However, this case remains under the supervision and investigation of the police," he said.

The victim was earlier believed to have received treatment twice at private clinics and it is learned that the doctors who treated him did not direct him to be taken immediately to a hospital despite being aware of his serious condition.

In the meantime, Dr Subramaniam, who is also MIC president, said the government will establish pre-school education in stages in 530 Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Tamil nationwide, so as to meet the needs of early education among Indian children.

-- BERNAMA