BOY, 4, DIES AFTER CIRCUMCISION. PARENTS ANGRY OVER $9,000 PAYOUT

“THEY ROBBED US OF OUR BOY”

June 25, 2007

HE was the apple of his mother's eye.

So when 4-year-old Nui Jia Yuan died after a circumcision operation turned wrong in 2003, his mother was devastated.

Never woke up: Nui Jia Yuan

Madam Lim Mei Leng, 34, and her husband Nui Lian Seng, 37, filed a civil suit against the doctor who carried out the procedure.

After four long years of legal proceedings, the defendant, Dr M Kubendran, admitted liability on 23 Apr this year.

Yesterday, the awarded the couple RM20,100 ($9,000) in damages, plus all legal costs, reported the New Straits Times.

But the couple said they are not satisfied with the result.

Said Madam Lim: 'This money will not bring my son back.

'I want further action to be taken against them. They have robbed us of our little boy.'

His parents: Madam Lim Mei Leng and Mr Nui Lian Seng

According to court papers, Jia Yuan was taken to a clinic in Banting, Selangor on 26 Mar 2003, after he complained of pain during urination.

Dr Kubendran found a urinary tract infection, and advised the parents to bring the boy back two days later for a circumcision.

On the day of the procedure, the doctor administered four injections - in Jia Yuan's arm, buttocks and private parts - before the operation.

DIES 3 HOURS LATER

Afterwards, the couple took their son home. The doctor had told them that their son would regain consciousness within four to five hours, reported The Star.

But Jia Yuan never woke up. Instead, he died about three hours after he was sent home from asphyxia, said the autopsy report.

His parents lodged a police report three days later.

Jia Yuan was the third of four children. He has two older brothers and one younger sister.

Madam Lim said that the pain of her son's death was so immense that she thought of taking her own life.

She said: 'I often chant for my son, and do things for charity in his name. It is because of my other children's support that I'm alive.'

Judge Albaishan Abdul Manan said that she had awarded the family RM10,000 for bereavement, the maximum amount under the Civil Law Act.

The remainder was made up of funeral expenses and other costs.

She rejected the family's claim for general damages, as the boy was young and not employed at the time of death.