Well, while the normal morning itchiness is a crucial indicator of my overall health and well-being, this time the itchiness was creeping up onto both my eyes. They felt kinda dry and sticky. But it didn't stop me from coming to work early to be prepared for a special meeting I had today as a 'witness'.
Yes, I was appointed as a witness to a democratic process first time ever for staff election of this university. It was actually the process of electing the Dean and Deputy Deans of the school, and this exercise is now being done in all the schools in USM.
Well, I'm not going to delve into detail what happened at the election room, but all went smooth as it was an internal matter and only involved council members (ahli majlis) which totaled 15. The existing Dean got re-elected and everyone who was entitled casts their vote in a jovial manner.
However, selection for the Deputy Deans were not made, as earlier on the members agreed that it would be appropriate that the Dean gets to elect his/her own deputies for reason/s we know very well why.
So okay, enough about that. After the elections were over and the incumbents, which I believe were all re-elected after this, I went back to my room to continue with work. However, after about an hour staring at the (idiotic) screen, I felt uneasy again with my eyes and keep scratching them.
A quarter past eleven, I couldn't stand the discomfort and decided to drive to Klinik Zainal in Taman Sri Nibong. Of course the nearest option would be the Pusat Sejahtera but everybody knows if it's past eleven it would be a waste time trying to convince the front-line chaps to get to see a doctor. So a 5 minutes drive to Klinik Zainal won't do me any harm as I could be back at the office in half an hours time or so.
But my guess was off the mark as I had to wait for almost an hour to get past 7 or 8 others who were ahead of me at that time. Only a few minutes before 12.30pm, the time the clinic closes for lunch did I get to see Dr Zainal, MBBS (Malaya) as the plaque outside his room says.
I choose to go to this clinic as it is a panel clinic of the university and I wanted to experience myself their service as it is my first time there. I had known about this Klinik Zainal since the 80's as I have worked here since 1981 and USMs staff have been known to liken this clinic as they say Dr Zainal is a very nice doctor.
Well, from the first meeting I had with Dr Zainal he is indeed a nice person and seemed to be doing a good job asking me all the relevant questions regarding my predicament. But what I want to portray here is not about his personality or charisma, but about his clinic -- the physical aspect of it and more important the first impression a patient gets or feels about going for treatment when they step into the clinic.
Far from trying to look down or judge this clinic and its proprietor, whether they are doing a good job with the interior or exterior part of it, what I felt strange and curious was whether they are practicing allopathy or alternative/traditional medicine or both and whether this is allowed?
Needless I say more, you can judge it from the pics.
Kinda strange - the clinic sells traditional medicine including potions that it says can scare away elements from the underworld (genies)
It closes at 12.30am for lunch and opens again at 3.00pm every Mondays to Thursdays (on the other pic it says Mondays to Saturdays)
