Azhar Amir Hamzah, through his lawyers, said he had practical reasons for not challenging the Medical Board of Australia’s accusation of fraud against him.
According to his counsel, Raja Eileen Soraya binti Raja Aman from Messrs. Raja, Darryl & Loh, Azhar was not willing to travel to Perth and spend “substantial legal costs” to challenge the allegation.
In a statement emailed to FMT, she said: “The decision not to challenge the claims was made based on his understanding at that time that it was the most practicable, expedient and cost-effective way to resolve the matter as he was no longer practising in Western Australia.
“Our client reiterates his denial of the allegations. At no point did he falsify patient records or make false overtime claims as alleged.
“All his overtime claims when he was at the hospital were checked and approved by his superior and were premised on work actually done.”
Azhar is currently a consultant urologist at the Universiti Sains Malaysia Hospital in Kubang Kerian, Kelantan.
He was charged with professional misconduct committed during his year-long international fellowship at Fiona Stanley Hospital under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (Western Australia) Act of 2010.
The case against him was brought by the medical board of the Western Australia State Administrative Tribunal and heard on Sept 26.
Azhar was found by the tribunal to have doctored patient records at the hospital to claim for overtime he was not entitled to.
The tribunal said he claimed overtime on 12 occasions, made 61 recall claims and falsified patient records on four occasions.
He was ordered to return A$7,093.57 (RM23,551.79) in fraudulent claims and A$11,500 (RM38,241) in costs.
According to the tribunal’s report, Azhar has returned the amount fraudulently claimed to the hospital.
“The respondent has agreed to the resolution of this proceeding without the need for final hearing,” it said.
“The respondent has expressed remorse as to his offending conduct.”
Azhar was attached to the hospital under a fellowship programme between June 16, 2015 and June 15, 2016.
According to his counsel, when he was served with a notice by the board, he had already finished his fellowship programme at the Australian hospital and was working in Malaysia.