Dr M K Rajakumar : Former president of the Malaysian Medical Association

Dr M K Rajakumar : Veteran socialist leader and healthcare advocate;regarded as a founding father of the discipline of family medicine by general practitioners and family physicians

 1932-2008

Former president of the Malaysian Medical Association
Former president of the World Organisation of Family Doctors (WONCA)
Former president of the Malaysian Scientific Assocation
Former president of the World Organisation of National Colleges, Academies
Former president of the Academic Associations of Family Physicians

"Dr Rajakumar was very dedicated to his cause. As a medical doctor he could have spent his time making money, but he was only interested in helping people."

Prof Emeritus Tan Sri Dr Khoo Khay Kim

 "He was at his happiest when serving the poor. We in the Barisan Sosialis looked upon him as a true people’s hero because he was not interested in rewards...I know that he was offered titles by the Barisan government and also that Lee Kuan Yew tried to get him to move to Singapore but he turned both down because his only interest was serving the poor.”

Tan Khai Hee

A great man has passed away. He was a genuine Malaysian, a true patriot, a selfless leader and a public intellectual par excellence. I have the fullest admiration for him. Raja deserves to be regarded as the best role model for Malaysians, especially the youths of today.

 by Dr. Syed Husin Ali

Dr M K Rajakumar

Dr M K Rajakumar was a veteran socialist leader and medical practitioner, regarded as a founding father of the discipline of family medicine by general practitioners and family physicians. Dr Rajakumar is best known as a leftist intellectual who formed part of the leadership of the Labour Party and Barisan Sosialis during the 1960s. Along with other leaders like the late Tan Sri Dr Tan Chee Koon, V. David, Ishak Haji Muhammad (better known as Pak Sako) and Karam Singh, he made the Labour Party a force to be reckoned with (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M._K._Rajakumar). As a medical student at the University of Malaya in Singapore, he co-founded the University Socialist Club and later landed himself in court on a sedition charge for an editorial that condemned Western imperialism and aggression in Asia. Even after his return to Malaya to practice medicine, he was associated with politicians, trade unionists and activists detained without trial in various mass arrests (http://gbgerakbudaya.com/2012/02/an-uncommon-hero-m-k-rajakumar-in-politics-and-medicine/).He was also detained under the Internal Security Act from 1966-1969.

After he was released from detention Rajakumar focused more on his medical practice, but was still concerned with improving the general standard of healthcare.He served as President of the Malaysian Medical Association from 1979-80, President of the Malaysian Scientific Assocation from 1981-83 and President of the World Organisation of National Colleges, Academies and Academic Associations of Family Physicians from 1986-89.He elevated his crusade for primary health care and family medicine to the international level through the World Organisation of Family Doctors (Wonca). Posthumously, the global movement for mentoring young family doctors, The Rajakumar Movement, was named after him.

 Related links:

An Uncommon Hero: M.K. Rajakumar in Politics and Medicine

 <http://gbgerakbudaya.com/2012/02/an-uncommon-hero-m-k-rajakumar-in-politics-and-medicine/>

Dr Rajakumar – truly a patriot and people’s hero
<http://www.thestar.com.my/story.aspx?file=%2f2008%2f11%2f23%2fnation%2f2626772&sec=nation> 

Remembering Dr M K Rajakumar

 <http://aliran.com/820.html>

 

The Rajakumar Movement

<http://www.rajakumarmovement.org/photos.html>

Source:

 http://www.thestar.com.my/story.aspx?file=%2f2008%2f11%2f23%2fnation%2f2626772&sec=nation

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M._K._Rajakumar

 http://gbgerakbudaya.com/2012/02/an-uncommon-hero-m-k-rajakumar-in-politics-and-medicine/

 http://aliran.com/820.html