(Kuala Lumpur-NewsHalal-27 Feb 2017) Halal debate is heating up beyond foods, beverages, cosmetics or Tourism in Malaysia. Organ donors are not segregated by religion or other social criteria, the Health Ministry said today in response to a local entertainer who asked if they should be indicated as Muslims or non-Muslims, Malay Mail Online and other media reported.
According to the report, Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah explained that organs harvested from donors were distributed solely on clinical criteria, such as waiting times and suitability between donors and recipients.
“Organ allocations are not based on race, religion, background, social standing and others,” Dr. Noor Hisham said in a statement.
“This means that there is a possibility that organs donated by non-Muslims will be given to Muslims and vice-versa. The same goes for blood donations and transfusions.
He also attached two edicts from the Muzakarah National Fatwa Committee Council in Islamic Affairs, one which said heart and eye donations were “harus” (encouraged) while the other said there was no need to differentiate between Muslim and non-Muslim blood.
Dr. Noor Hisham was referring to a video by controversial entertainer Wee Meng Chee or Namewee, in which the latter questioned if his donor card should carry an indication that he was not a Muslim.
Donating human organs is an important issue in other Muslim countries as well. Religious scholars, Doctors and volunteers around the Islamic World debating the issue for many years.
