Disclaimer: In Real Life is a platform for everyday people to share their experiences and voices. All articles are personal stories and do not necessarily echo In Real Life’s sentiments.
This story highlights a disturbing incident where a government hospital staff member was assaulted on duty by a colleague, yet the perpetrator faced no more than a warning letter from the Ministry of Health (KKM).
It’s taken me time to think about doing this and I’ve decided that it is time to share my story of what happened to me at work. It’s not an easy one to tell, but I hope you can learn something from my experience.
If there’s one takeaway from all this, let it be this: Stop hoping someone – anyone – will save you.
Even those we think should protect us can and do fail.
This is my story as a victim of physical assault at work.
I was treating a patient when he came in.
It started during a shift when my colleagues and I were treating a patient who had been assaulted by a family member. She was in a vulnerable state – both physically and emotionally.
We were doing things correctly, to ensure her privacy, safety and that her dignity was preserved.
The nature of her injuries meant that her body (her aurat) was exposed, and we needed to be vigilant about who entered the treatment area.
Then came him.
A Medical Assistant (“Mr. H”) who wasn’t part of the emergency team walked into the treatment area. He claimed that he knew the patient, that they were friends, and had gone to the same high school.
That was not a valid reason for him to be in the cubicle. The only people who could be there besides the medical team, were those related to her by blood. He was not.
So, I politely escorted him out, explaining to him clearly that he shouldn’t be in the cubicle. He didn’t argue and just left. I thought that was the end of it. I was wrong.
Mr. H. appeared again and this time, he didn’t take no for an answer.
Mr. H returned, not quietly this time, but more insistent. I saw him approaching the same treatment area and this time I moved to stop him. I already knew he was not related to the patient and had no business with the patient, or the police officers taking statements.
I spoke to him, telling him firmly but politely that he had no business being in there, because he was not related to the patient, and even more so that the patient was not fully covered.
But instead of leaving, he hit me.
Yes, he hit me. The first hit wasn’t a punch, but a slap, and it was so unexpected, that it took me completely off guard. The sound of that slap echoed, and I’m sure the entire emergency department heard it and wondered what was going on.
Then he struck me, across the back, my shoulders, and then twice more to the back of my head. I felt a total of seven strikes before he stopped his unwarranted assault.
I couldn’t process what had just happened to me: I had been struck, humiliated, and left utterly stunned while my colleagues just stood there, equally unable to process what had just occurred.
Mr. H. walked out as if nothing had happened.
I made a police report.
I spent the rest of my shift in something of a dazed state, unable to fully process what had just happened to me, in what is essentially my office, surrounded by colleagues. Fortunately, I was able to shake it off enough to carry out my duties.
The next day, I mustered the courage to file a police report. I was also asked to write a formal letter to the hospital director detailing the incident and requesting that some action be taken.
Then came the waiting. I hoped that disciplinary action would be taken against Mr. H. To my mind, if he would strike a colleague, I fear for the safety of any patient that is left in his care.
Waiting, and more waiting.
I continued to do my job and continue to treat patients. There were days when this incident didn’t cross my mind. But there were many more days when it dominated my thoughts.
It took two months before an investigation committee contacted me to clarify my story. After that, there was silence. No updates. No follow-ups. Nothing.
During my third month of anxious waiting, an administrative staff member casually mentioned that there was a letter for me in the office mailbox and that the letter had been sitting there for almost a month.
I remember holding that thin envelope, hoping that I would be vindicated, given a measure of justice for the wrongs perpetrated against me.
When I opened it, I felt hope die in my heart and despair wash over me.
The hospital responded with an apology letter.
The letter summarized the hospital’s stance on the matter: “We feel sorry this happened to you. As a precaution, staff are now reminded to stay within their designated work areas unless they have a valid reason to visit another department.”
It reads like a template, sent out every time there is any kind of incident to say that nobody is responsible. There is no acknowledgment of the injuries I sustained or the mental trauma I endured.
Worse yet was the complete lack of accountability, or consequences for Mr. H. He keeps his job and I have no choice but to continue working alongside a violent and abusive individual.
No one wondered how I was coping with the trauma of being physically assaulted by a colleague in front of witnesses who said nothing.
I don’t know what to think about how I was treated and how Mr. H. had escaped any penalty for his behavior.
KKM issued an official statement on the matter.
My frustrations with the situation led to my original post on social media on the 1st of December 2024, which also brought about an official response from the Kementrian Kesihatan Malaysia (Ministry Of Health).
Source: Facebook
The statement read: “The Ministry of Health Malaysia (MOH), through the Perak State Health Department (JKN Perak), acknowledges a social media post by an individual named Aidid Nawawi Ghazali regarding an incident that occurred during his tenure at Hospital Cerik, Perak.”
“A complaint regarding the mentioned incident was lodged on 4 June 2024. Consequently, an Internal Investigation Committee was established on the same day, and the investigation was conducted on 12 June 2024.”
“The findings of the investigation confirmed that the complaint was valid. Following this, the Hospital Director issued a Letter of Reprimand to the officer involved on 31 July 2024. A notification letter detailing the results of the internal investigation was sent to Dr. Aidid on 1 August 2024.”
“JKN Perak also established an Independent Investigation Committee to address the incident. The MOH takes any form of bullying or violence seriously and maintains a zero-tolerance policy toward any form of workplace violence. JKN Perak has also reached out to the complainant and offered counseling services.”
The letter was signed by Dr. Feisul Idzwan Mustapha, the director of the Perak State Health Department on 5 December 2024.
I’m still left to work with my abuser.
These days, I do not sleep well, because I fear Mr. H. I make it a point to avoid being in the same room as him. I avoid being alone with him anywhere in the hospital, which makes my challenging work even more difficult.
I suffer from anxiety at work, but I remind myself that the work I do is important, and that I routinely do more than just help people – I also save lives.
But who saves me? I’m still left to work with my abuser. I hope the trauma disappears, and that I can feel safe again.
I have no plans to leave the hospital because this is where Malaysians in need come for all of their healthcare needs. I just want to be able to do my job without fear for my safety.
I share my story not as a cry for pity, but as a reminder: protect your mental health, guard your peace, and don’t stay silent when you witness injustice. Stay safe.
Do you have a personal story about workplace assault?
Submit your story to hello@inreallife.my and you may be featured on In Real Life Malaysia.
Read also: I’m A Palm Oil Plantation Owner And Here’s How I Retired At Age 45
I’m A Palm Oil Plantation Owner And Here’s How I Retired At Age 45
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