Malaysia’s health minister wants thorough probe into doctor’s death, after family claimed workplace bullying led to her suicide

WHAT FAMILY SAID

Local police had said that no foul play was suspected in Dr Tay’s death.

New outlet The Star quoted Lahad Datu district police chief Dzulbaharin Ismail as saying that the incident has been classified as sudden death.

Dr Tay’s family had taken to Facebook to mourn her suicide which they claimed was due to workplace bullying.

“Throughout her life, people who knew her will remember her as a person who was kind, caring, thoughtful, loyal, and a wonderful sister, friend, colleague, partner and leader,” her sister wrote.

Her brother added: “In the overwhelming shock of losing you, your close family and friends are left with endless regret, guilt, sorrow, and self-blame.” 

He said that Dr Tay graduated from Russia’s Volgograd State Medical University in 2013 and had worked in Johor and Kuala Lumpur before completing her masters in chemical pathology last year at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.

She got married in September 2023 and in February this year, started work at Hospital Lahad Datu “with great anticipation”.

The hospital was a “brand new and unfamiliar place” to her, and she was separated from her husband who has been her pillar of support, the brother wrote.

She held onto the promise given to her that she would be transferred back to the peninsula to start a family with her husband after two years of service in Hospital Lahad Datu.

He claimed that while already overloaded with work, she was assigned other responsibilities by a senior colleague who “mistreated, oppressed” her.  

“She was an exceptional doctor who devoted her life to society, but the immense pressures and bullying in her workplace ultimately led her to end her life,” he wrote.

“This tragic event shines a light on the severe issues in the medical industry, such as workplace stress and bullying, which continue to prevail,” he added.

“The pain of losing our loved one is indescribable, especially when there wasn’t a proper farewell. I hope that this experience will inspire greater awareness and improvements in the mental health and working conditions of healthcare workers.”