MELAKA: Putra Hospital (PSH) CEO Chong May Lee has thanked her colleagues for their moral support following allegations that she was racially biased.

Chong said she was touched by the overwhelming backing, especially from her Malay colleagues, and this gave her the courage to stand up to the bullies.

“I am upset with the accusations against me but am not cowed. The episode has made me stronger,” she said after Hari Raya celebrations at the hospital Wednesday (July 3).

The event was also attended by the hospital’s management board chairman Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Md Akin.

Chong added that she had grown up in multicultural Melaka and had always been close with all races.

“I had never brought in any of my friends or relatives to work in the hospital as claimed in the allegations,” she said.

Chong said she would continue to make the state government-owned private medical institution more financially vibrant.

On June 26, Melaka Umno and PAS Youth leaders, in a statement, alleged that Chong as well as her senior management team had placed immense pressure on 11 former PSH executives, which led them to resign.

State PAS Youth chief Ahmad Bilal Rahudin claimed that the 11 had been working in the hospital for between five and eight years.

The next day, Melaka Chief Minister Adly Zahari denied there was any form of racial discrimination at PSH.

He said a majority of the PSH staff were Malay and allegations that they were being discriminated in terms of hiring practices were untrue.

The state government also lodged a police report against the parties which made the accusations.