A stellar cast of top-notch endoscopists were invited for the workshop and included Professor Firas AI-Kawas from Georgetown University, Washington DC, USA, Professor

Yoshihiro Sakai, Tokyo, Japan, Dr. Stefan Seewald, Hamburg, Germany and Professor Joseph Sung, Hong Kong China. Professor Sakai, one of the pioneers in colonoscopy, delivered our MSGH Distinguished Lecture entitled "Development and Application of Colonoscopy". Dr. Damian Wong read his citation. Live demonstration on numerous interesting therapeutic, procedures was performed including the use of the colonoscopy scope guide, difficult ERCP procedures and endoscopic ultrasound procedures including fine needle biopsy using the linear scope. In addition, capsule endoscopy and trans-nasal endoscopy was also performed.

Our GIAs under the stewardship of Sister Mary Bong had a full day session on 5th March, A series of lecture and a hands-on session on special procedures including the use of haemoclips was supervised by Dr. Stefan Seewald with the assistance of Dr. Salem Omar and Dr. Sanjiv Mahadeva. Dr. Ida Normiha helped coordinate the whole GFIA program. An eventful GIA day culminated as usual in a GIA get-together / gala dinner at the Armada hotel on 5th march. The GIAs had a very enjoyable time with karaoke singing etc.

The Endoscopy workshop dinner was held on the night of 6th March at the Sunway Lagoon ballroom. Professor Joseph Sung was the key-note speaker for the evening and he delivered an excellent lecture entitled "Treatment Options in UGI bleeding" which included some of his own new data on the subject. Following the talk and dinner, the participants ware entertained to a very entertaining show by one of Malaysia's top comedians and actors, Jit Murad. The workshop dinner was co-chaired by Dr. Robert Ding, President of the Society and Dr. Panir Chelvam. A sell-out crowd of more than 250 attended this function which was sponsored by Altana Pharma, Malaysia.

All in all, the workshop dinner was very successful with 318 participants. The MSGH is very grateful to our major sponsors, Endodynanmics (M) Sdn Bhd, Olympus Singapore, Wilson Cook Inc and Cook Asia (M) Sdn Bhd for their continuing unswerving support and also our appreciation to the numerous pharmaceutical companies who took up exhibition booths.

Biodata of Workshop Faculty:
Firas AI-Kawas
Firas AI-Kawas is Professor of Medicine at Georgetown University, Washington DC, USA. He is also the Chief of Gl Endoscopy as well as the Director of the Center for Pancreatic and Biliary Diseases at the Georgetown University Medical Center. Of Syrian descent, Professor Al Kawas is a well-kept secret in international Gl endoscopy. He is an extremely polished and consummate demonstrator of ERCP skills and without doubt one of the finest endoscopist in the world today. Professor AI Kawas is an active member of the American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) and is a member of numerous technical review committees of the ASGE.

Yoshihiro Sakai
Yoshihiro Sakai is Professor of Medicine at the University of Toho, Tokyo and without question, one of the leading exponents of colonoscopy in the world today. Together with Drs Christopher Williams and Jerry Waye, Professor Sakai has made colonoscopy into a fine art and has been involved in recent years in the development of the "scope guide" for colonoscopy. Professor Sakai has been involved in teaching colonoscopy throughout the world particularly in the less developed countries in the Asia-Pacific region.

Stefan Seewald
Dr. Stefan Seewald is lecturer and Consultant Therapeutic Endoscopist at the Department of Interdisciplinary Endoscopy at the University Hospital, Eppendorf, University of Hamburg, under the directorship of Professor Nib Soehendra. Dr. Seewald belongs to the new breed of endoscopists who are highly skilled and dedicated to interventionaI EUS procedures. Dr. Seewald is also an expert at endoscopic mucosal resection using the Erlangen diathermy snare.

Joseph Sung
Joseph Sung is Professor and Chairman and Chief of Service, Department of Medicine & Therapeutics, Prince of Wales Hospital, as well as the Associate Dean of Chinese University of Hong Kong. Professor Sung is a "man for all seasons" and is a leader in world gastroenterology with seminal published work in many aspects of gastroenterology and hepatology. A top-class endoscopist, Professor Sung is also co-course director with Professor Sydney Chung of the highly prestigious Annual Hong Kong International Therapeutic Endoscopy Workshop which is considered by many to be the best live endoscopy workshop in the world today.

Previous Endoscopy Workshops and Courses organized by the University of Malaya/Malaysian Society of Gastroenterology and Hepatology