In a statement on Twitter, Suhakam said the investigation was being carried out following the death of a houseman who worked at the Penang Hospital.

“Suhakam invites the public to submit any information related to this issue to assist in our investigation,” it said.

The public can submit any information on the matter to Abdul Rahman Abdullah (012-2392307/[email protected]) or Faiz Abdul Rahman (012-8136079/[email protected]).

The houseman died on April 17 after falling from his apartment just three weeks after being posted to the Penang Hospital. Another houseman who quit the hospital died in December 2020.

Speaking to FMT, several current and former housemen at the Penang Hospital claimed they were overworked, abused and bullied – even by staff nurses.

One even claimed that he and other housemen would sometimes have to suffer racial slurs thrown about by their superiors.

Health minister Khairy Jamaluddin said an independent task force would be formed to investigate the houseman’s death and the culture of bullying which junior doctors have alleged.