Dear Esteemed Members of MPA, friends and colleagues,
First, as the newly elected president of MPA for 2019-2021, I would like to thank ALL of you for entrusting me with the responsibility to lead MPA for the next two years.
My heartiest gratitude to MPA immediate past-president Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Yazid Jalaludin and the Executive Committee members 2017-2019 for their outstanding leadership, commitment and dedication in carrying out the mandate and responsibilities of the association. We would like to thank Datuk Dr Soo Thian Lian for his many years of dedication and contributions to MPA, and Dr Khoo Teik Beng for his enormous contribution in ensuring the success of the just completed 15th Asian and Oceanian Congress of Child Neurology (AOCCN) in conjunction with the 41st MPA Annual Congress.
New Exco Members
I am proud to introduce our new MPA executive committee members 2019-2021; Vice-President Dr Selva Kumar Sivapunniam, Honorary Secretary Dr Tang Swee Fong, Assistant Honorary Secretary Dr Mohamad Ikram Ilias, Honorary Treasurer Dato’ Dr Musa Mohd Nordin, and committee members Datuk Dr Zulkifli Ismail, Dr Noor Khatijah Nurani, Dr Thiyagar Nadarajaw, Dr Ong Eng-Joe, and two new members, namely, Dr Fauziah Zainal Abidin who hails from Sabah, and Dr Rakhee Yadav, a private paediatrician from the Klang Valley. Welcome Dr Fauziah and Dr Rakhee to the MPA Exco.
It is heartening that we have two new members in the Exco. There was no voting required during the election of office-bearers, with withdrawal of nominated members and reluctance of members to accept posts. MPA needs and encourages young members to be involved in MPA activities, to chair MPA state committees, the 19 subcommittees/task forces, and to be in the central executive committee. This is to ensure good succession planning so that young members can take over and lead the association in future.
Communication with members
In this fast moving digital era, MPA has upgraded its website www.mpaeds.my in order to communicate with our members more effectively. It has the `members only’ section where association activities, announcements, current issues, guidelines, protocols, and slides on scientific meetings are shared. Members are encouraged to access our website to derive maximum benefits. In addition, the MPA Newsletter, printed and mailed to members quarterly, is another means to keep members informed of our activities and the developments in paediatrics and child health.
