I TRIED to imagine living in Dr Lee Wei Ling's world ('Ban on
organ trading entirely irrational'; ST, Jan 16). I foresee the
following scenarios:
A young woman selling her kidney to buy her first branded bag. Her
boyfriend had just sold his bone marrow to pay the first car
instalment.
Loan sharks harassing a man who could not pay to sell his organs.
The spray-painted message: 'O $ Pay $, No $ Sell Kidney.'
On the beautiful streets, most of the poor have at least one
operation scar.
A woman asked her unemployed husband to find a job. He replies:
'Why do you worry? You still have two kidneys, right?'
Some women selling their kidneys to pay for cosmetic surgery.
An employment ad reads: 'Those without full sets of organs need not
apply.'
A classified ad reads: 'Young, healthy donor. Rare AB+. B
fast!'
It used to be that money cannot buy everything. Soon, it may be
possible. Besides food, lodging, pleasure, popularity and fame,
health may soon be bought.
Sure, some donate organs out of love, some do it out of
selflessness. But how many such people are there?
In this pragmatic world, a little more temptation and a little less
self-control and you have another organ seller. In Dr Lee's world,
the rich buy organs and the poor sell them.
Lim Chiong Luan (Mdm)
interestingly enough, Madam Lim views is equally
realistic
