Malaysian woman wins invasion of privacy case against doctor

KUALA LUMPUR - A Malaysian woman writer has won a legal battle against her doctors who photographed intimate parts of her body prior to a surgery.

Surgeons must obtain the consent of their female patients before taking photographs of their intimate parts, ruled a High Court bench, The Star newspaper reported Friday.

Judicial Commissioner Chew Soo Ho allowed a claim for invasion of privacy filed by freelance writer Lee Ewe Poh, 50, against two doctors, Lim Teik Mau and Loh Guan Lye.

The judge awarded Lee a nominal $7,994 in damages besides costs and ordered that Lim’s memory card from his digital camera be destroyed by the High Court deputy registrar in the presence of both Lee and Lim.

Besides finding that women have the right to determine whether their intimate parts can be photographed during surgical procedures, the judgment also affirms that invasion of privacy is a cause for action in Malaysia.

Lee, a former journalist, said she was glad her case would benefit other Malaysian women in similar situations.