.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
First Malaysian woman with disability joins haj medical team
Published on: Fri, Jul 11, 2025 Text Size: Fatimah (front, second left) with the other Malaysian hajj operations team members. KOTA KINABALU: A Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) PhD student, Dr Fatimah Sabrina Mohammad, has made history as the first Malaysian woman with a disability to serve in the medical team during the annual haj in Makkah and Madinah. Her role with Tabung Haji's medical mission highlights Malaysia's commitment to inclusivity while showcasing the contribution of local professionals abroad. Fatimah, a public health PhD candidate and medical officer with the Sabah Health Department, served for several months under demanding conditions, attending to pilgrims in extreme weather and high-stress situations. Her dedication and resilience were praised as a reflection of the values upheld by Malaysia's public healthcare service on the international stage. A fellow haj welfare team member described her as an inspiring colleague who always arrived early, never complained, and remained on her feet despite personal fatigue. UMS expressed pride in her accomplishment, saying it reflects the success of inclusive education and sustained support for students with special needs. Fatimah's journey stands as a powerful symbol of national service and inclusion, as she breaks new ground while carrying Malaysia's name with quiet determination and care. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available.
Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
44 minutes ago
- The Sun
MOH expedites permanent roles for doctors to retain healthcare talent
KUALA LUMPUR: The Health Ministry has reiterated its focus on retaining doctors and healthcare workers in Malaysia's public sector, even as it acknowledges the lack of legal power to stop them from pursuing opportunities abroad. Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad emphasised ongoing efforts to incentivise staff to remain, including accelerating permanent placements for contract doctors. He clarified that while international recruitment falls under regional labour agreements, the ministry is prioritising local retention. 'We cannot block cross-border recruitment, it's an individual right. This is also aligned with the Mutual Recognition Arrangement and the ASEAN Framework Agreement on Services,' he said during the ASEAN Dengue Day 2025 event. The statement follows reports of Singaporean hospitals offering high salaries to attract Malaysian medical professionals. A recruitment drive targeting doctors is reportedly scheduled next month at a local hotel. Dzulkefly assured that the ministry is fast-tracking permanent roles for contract doctors to address staffing shortages. 'We won't delay; we are expediting the process to absorb contract workers into permanent roles. As soon as there are vacancies, we will act,' he said. The contract system was initially implemented to manage an influx of medical graduates, but with numbers now declining, Dzulkefly confirmed sufficient vacancies for permanent hires. - Bernama
New Straits Times
an hour ago
- New Straits Times
Ministry reaffirms vows to end contract doctor issue
KUALA LUMPUR: The Health Ministry assures that the government remains committed to resolving the long-standing issue of contract doctor appointments, with efforts underway to expedite their absorption into permanent positions. Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said the contract hiring system, introduced in 2016, was a temporary measure to address a backlog of medical graduates. "I want to stress that the contract system was implemented as an interim solution. We are now at the final stage of that policy and the government is committed to ending this model as soon as possible," he said. He also said the interim move was introduced when there were too many medical professionals in the country, but now the situation has changed and there is a dire need to have more doctors. He added that the contract of service system was nearing its end, but the transition would not be easy. "It depends on the availability of permanent positions, as well as several other important aspects involving other agencies," Dr Dzulkefly added. He said the ministry, in collaboration with the Public Service Department (PSD), would accelerate the process of appointing eligible contract doctors into permanent roles once vacancies are identified. He said this in response to renewed calls by the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA), which urges the government to abolish the contract system altogether, citing its negative impact on morale and long-term career progression within the public healthcare sector. The issue has gained urgency due to increasing concerns about Malaysian healthcare workers moving abroad, especially to Singapore, drawn by better pay, clearer career paths and improved working conditions. "We must act decisively to strengthen our healthcare workforce and ensure they remain motivated and valued within our system," Dr Dzulkefly said, in reference to the broader challenge of brain drain. In the past, the contract doctor issue had sparked protests, with junior doctors voicing frustration over job insecurity, a lack of benefits and limited access to specialist training opportunities under the current Contract of Service system. In the 2024 Budget, the government announced an increase in the number of permanent positions and allocations for housemen and medical officers, but critics said the implementation has been slow and uneven. Dr Dzulkefly said the ministry would work with stakeholders to ensure the transition is managed effectively and fairly. "We acknowledge the challenges and concerns raised. Our aim is to reform the system for the long term, not just patch the immediate gaps," he added. Yesterday, the MMA urged the government to take immediate action to prevent a worsening brain drain among domestic medical professionals. Among the suggestions proposed was for the ministry to do away with the contract system for new doctors and offer permanent positions in the government, fulfil the promise to increase on-call allowances, establish clear career pathways for specialisation, amend policies to allow more doctors to undergo specialist training and rectify the current disparity in regional incentive payments.
Borneo Post
2 hours ago
- Borneo Post
SUPP's Wong urges fed govt to address healthcare crisis in Malaysia
Wong Ching Yong. – Photo by Peter Boon SIBU (July 12): Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP) Dudong branch chairman Wong Ching Yong has called on the federal government, particularly the Minister of Health, to take immediate and concrete action to resolve Malaysia's deepening public healthcare crisis. Wong, who is also SUPP Central Assistant Information and Publicity Secretary, attributed the worsening crisis to a chronic nationwide shortage of doctors. He stressed that the root causes include overworked and underpaid medical personnel, a lack of transparency in career progression and contract confirmations, unfulfilled government promises, and systemic neglect. 'The Health Minister (Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad) must honour the promises made to healthcare professionals, starting with the overdue increase in on-call allowances. On this, Wong also urged Sibu's two Members of Parliament, Alice Lau (Lanang) and Oscar Ling (Sibu), both from the Democratic Action Party (DAP), not to neglect their duties in Parliament and within the federal government. 'If they truly care about the people's welfare, they should prioritise resolving the crisis doctors facing in the public sector instead of remaining idle,' he stressed. While acknowledging some progress in the doctor-to-patient ratio, from 1:758 in 2012 to 1:412 in 2022, Wong warned that such figures mask a more severe issue: a critical shortage of specialists and a worrying decline in the intake of junior doctors. He cited alarming figures, where Malaysia currently faces a shortfall of nearly 11,000 specialists in the public healthcare system. That number is projected to exceed 14,000 within the next five years, he cautioned. 'Overall, we only have about 40 per cent of the specialists we need. How can we not be concerned?' he asked. Between 2019 and 2023, the number of housemanship appointments dropped by 47 per cent, he noted, signalling a shrinking pool of new doctors entering the public healthcare sector. The situation becomes even more dire when broken down by medical disciplines, he pointed out. 'For example, cardiothoracic surgery only has 18 per cent of the required specialists, while oncology is at 31 per cent. These numbers are simply terrifying,' Wong said. He also pointed out that brain drain remains a pressing issue, with more than 5,000 Malaysian doctors having left for better opportunities abroad over the past decade. In addition, up to 15 per cent of young medical graduates choose to remain overseas or never return to serve in Malaysia's healthcare system, he bemoaned. 'From 2019 to 2023, a total of 6,417 doctors resigned from government hospitals and clinics, including 1,046 specialists,' Wong observed. Among the key reasons for the exodus are unclear career pathways, lower salaries compared to other countries, and excessive workloads, he noted. Although the federal government has amended medical legislation to establish clearer training routes for specialists, Wong said the implementation has been slow and lacks transparency. 'This is precisely why both Sibu MPs must not remain silent. They must push for accountability and oversight.' He reminded both DAP lawmakers not to treat the challenges faced by public healthcare professionals as niche or isolated issues. 'This is not a problem for doctors alone. It is a national health crisis.' doctor shortage federal government healthcare Wong Ching Yong
