Malaysian Urological Association (MUA)

The year 1974 represented a major milestone in the development of Urology in Malaysia. Apart from the opening of the Institute of Urology and Nephrology, it also marked the formation of the Malaysian Urology Association (MUA).

In many ways, the Institute and the MUA have shared a common bond through the years. They are like the two sides of a coin, in that the key players who were instrumental in the formation of the Institute also gave life to the MUA.

The Association was registered on July 23, 1974 with Dr Sreenevasan as the founder President and Dr David Chelvanayagam as its first secretary. In fact, when the MUA was set up, there were only four urologists in the country, the others being Dr Hussein and Dr Proehoeman.

Under the MUA constitution drafted by the four urologists, the aims and objectives of the Association were:
• To advance the art and science of Urology.
• To cultivate and maintain the highest principles of urological practice and ethics.
• To promote and encourage the development and practice of Urology in the country.
• To encourage postgraduate training in Urology at the hospitals and elsewhere and to provide for the holding of classes, lectures and meetings and other means of instructing members and others in the science and art of Urology.
• To promote research in Urology and in any other related branch of science or learning for the purpose of improving the practice of Urology.
• To establish cordial relationships with similar Urological and other bodies in other countries.
At the beginning, the founders of the MUA had relatively modest expectations of this new body. They had initiated it as a journal club. “They used to get a journal each, pick a topic and discuss it, usually on Saturday mornings,” Dr Sreenevasan said. In those early days, the MUA members held their regular discussions either in their own offices at the Ward 4 or in a small lecture room at the dialysis unit. They also invited the hospital’s pathologist and radiologists to take part in these conferences.

Being such a small association had its ups and downs. “One of the problems was finance. But they somehow managed among ourselves to fund whatever was needed,” Dr Sreenevasan added.

The Institute has provided sterling support to the Association over the years including providing a premise for the MUA office and the manpower and equipment to run various activities and programmes. The industry’s and the Ministry of Health’s support for the MUA’s activities, especially its annual scientific conferences, has contributed largely to making the association financially strong.