20% of doctors wanting out of East Malaysia must ‘bite the bullet'
PETALING JAYA : About 20% of 600 medical officers who have applied to be transferred out from Sabah and Sarawak will have to 'bite the bullet' and stay put for now, says health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad.
Dzulkefly said the ministry was reviewing the transfer requests but could ot accommodate every application without affecting health services in East Malaysia, which face a critical shortage of manpower.
About 20% would not have their applications approved, he said.
'I know it's not ideal, but I've seen many specialists in Sabah who initially didn't want to go there. Now it's their 10th year and counting,' he told reporters today after launching a book on the Covid-19 pandemic and its effects on Malaysia.
Dzulkefly said not all placements can rely on arrangements for mutual transfers.
On Thursday, the Dewan Rakyat was told there were 650 vacancies for permanent posts in Sarawak, but only seven medical officers have opted to take up these posts.
Dzulkefly encouraged doctors, especially those posted as couples, to consider the long-term benefits of serving in East Malaysia.
Asked what steps the ministry was taking to solve the high number of transfer requests, the minister said Putrajaya was exploring offering better incentive schemes to retain doctors in Sabah and Sarawak.
'We are trying to see what other incentives can be offered. We know this is an issue we can't completely avoid, but we will do our level best to manage it.'
No queue jumping in Rakan KKM
Dzulkefly gave an assurance there would be no queue jumping in the Rakan KKM programme, which offers 'premium economy' services at selected public hospitals.
Under the programme, specialists can offer paid elective services, with the income reinvested to improve the health service.
'This isn't about jumping queues for emergency cases. It's about giving people an option for elective procedures while retaining top talent,' he said.
He said a briefing on the programme would be held as some information on the initiative had been misinterpreted.
Two weeks ago, the Malaysian Medical Association had questioned if wealthier patients would get faster access to health services, and urged the ministry to clarify the programme and if it would strain an already overstretched health service.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Malay Mail
an hour ago
- Malay Mail
Hunger is killing Gaza's children, and it's man-made, says WHO
GENEVA, July 28 — Malnutrition rates are reaching 'alarming levels' in the Gaza Strip, the World Health Organization warned Sunday, saying the 'deliberate blocking' of aid was entirely preventable and had cost many lives. 'Malnutrition is on a dangerous trajectory in the Gaza Strip, marked by a spike in deaths in July,' the WHO said in a statement. Of the 74 recorded malnutrition-related deaths in 2025, 63 had occurred in July — including 24 children under five, one child aged over five, and 38 adults, it added. 'Most of these people were declared dead on arrival at health facilities or died shortly after, their bodies showing clear signs of severe wasting,' the UN health agency said. 'The crisis remains entirely preventable. Deliberate blocking and delay of large-scale food, health, and humanitarian aid has cost many lives.' Israel on Sunday began a limited 'tactical pause' in military operations to allow the UN and aid agencies to tackle a deepening hunger crisis. But the WHO called for sustained efforts to 'flood' the Gaza Strip with diverse, nutritious food, and for the expedited delivery of therapeutic supplies for children and vulnerable groups, plus essential medicines and supplies. 'This flow must remain consistent and unhindered to support recovery and prevent further deterioration', the Geneva-based agency said. On Wednesday, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called the situation 'mass starvation — and it's man-made'. 'Dangerous cycle' of death Nearly one in five children under five in Gaza City is now acutely malnourished, the WHO said Sunday, citing its Nutrition Cluster partners. It said the per centage of children aged six to 59 months suffering from acute malnutrition had tripled in the city since June, making it the worst-hit area in the Palestinian territory. 'These figures are likely an underestimation due to the severe access and security constraints preventing many families from reaching health facilities,' the WHO said. The WHO said that in the first two weeks of July, more than 5,000 children under five had been admitted for outpatient treatment of malnutrition — 18 per cent of them with the most life-threatening form, severe acute malnutrition (SAM). The 6,500 children admitted for malnutrition treatment in June was the highest number since the war began in October 2023. A further 73 children with SAM and medical complications have been hospitalised in July, up from 39 in June. 'This surge in cases is overwhelming the only four specialised malnutrition treatment centres,' the WHO said. Furthermore, the organisation said the breakdown of water and sanitation services was 'driving a dangerous cycle of illness and death'. As for pregnant and breastfeeding women, Nutrition Cluster screening data showed that more than 40 per cent were severely malnourished, the WHO said. 'It is not only hunger that is killing people, but also the desperate search for food,' the UN health agency said. 'Families are being forced to risk their lives for a handful of food, often under dangerous and chaotic conditions,' it added. The UN rights office says Israeli forces have killed more than 1,000 Palestinians trying to get food aid in Gaza since the Israel- and US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation started operations in late May. Nearly three-quarters of them died near GHF sites. — AFP
The Star
2 hours ago
- The Star
Creative financing key to sustaining national healthcare, says Dzulkefly
PETALING JAYA: Bold, creative financing reforms are the only way forward to heal the deep cracks in Malaysia's healthcare system unmasked by the Covid-19 pandemic, says Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad (pic). Unveiling plans for public-private collaboration under a government-linked investment company (GLIC) model, he warned that health security must be treated with the same urgency as national defence. Dzulkefly said this yesterday at the launch of a book titled Crisis and Community: Covid-19 in Malaysia at Gerakbudaya here. On the concerns that the Health Ministry's Rakan KKM initiative is a form of healthcare privatisation, Dzulkefly said he will not reveal details but noted it was created due to budgetary allocation limits, national debt, and GDP ratios that restrict spending. He said health security must be dealt with 'the same urgency we defend our borders'. 'That means sustained investment in our healthcare workforce. 'I am introducing a game-changing initiative where public facilities collaborate with private sector specialists, likely under a GLIC model. 'The idea is to generate revenue through elective services (non-emergency), possibly in specialised private wings within public hospitals. 'Funds generated would cross-subsidise public health services and infrastructure,' said Dzulkefly. 'We want to retain our specialists, reduce the bleeding, and invest back into public facilities. 'I can't keep asking for more budget, so I'm unlocking value through reforms,' said Dzulkefly. He also said the Covid-19 had shown that the healthcare system has inadequate social safety nets for vulnerable groups such as the elderly and the mentally ill. 'Future crisis governance must be targeted, empathetic, data-informed and inclusive. 'We must design interventions that are community-driven and flexible, not one-size-fits-all,' said Dzulkefly. At the forum, consultant paediatrician and child disability activist Datuk Dr Amar-Singh HSS said that Covid-19 has revealed the fragility of our institutional services. 'During the height of the pandemic, we experienced desperate cries for help to find an ICU bed for their family members. 'The support for carers was weak, and equipment and resources were limited even in non-pandemic times, stretched thin. 'Some doctors placed their children with grandparents and did not see them for months,' said Dr Amar. He said that there must be better preparation for the next pandemic by placing greater emphasis on building our institutional services, especially health, education and social services. He also urged making indoor air more clean, as he said most indoor air is filled with 'airborne diseases'. Ampang Hospital paediatrician Dr Tan Hui Siu narrated how medical officers and healthcare workers trudged the pandemic and had to make do with what they had as frontliners. Virologist and policy analyst Dr Lyana Khairuddin called for better education on the vaccine naysayers as well as more investments be made into vaccine research and development.
The Star
2 hours ago
- The Star
‘Give Sabah, S'wak postings a chance'
Learning curve: Dzulkefly (fourth from right) holding a copy of 'Crisis and Community Covid-19 in Malaysia' at the launch event. — RAJA FAISAL HISHAN/The Star PETALING JAYA: About 20% of medical officers who have applied to be transferred from Sabah and Sarawak to Peninsular Malaysia may have to remain in their current postings, says Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad. He urged the doctors to 'give it a chance'. 'I have seen many specialists in Sabah during my hospital visits. When they were first posted, they were very reluctant to be there but now, they are in their 10th year. 'So give the posting a chance, especially if both husband and wife are posted together. 'We are looking into the appeals by doctors based in Sabah and Sarawak, but 20% may have to bite the bullet (and stay on),' he told the media after launching the book Crisis and Community: Covid-19 in Malaysia yesterday. Dzulkefly said the ministry is looking into ways to improve the incentives and allowances for those stationed in the two Borneo states. It was reported that around 600 medical officers currently posted there have applied for transfers to the peninsula. The Health Ministry said the high number of transfer requests has made it difficult to ensure sufficient public health services in Sabah and Sarawak. The Malaysian Medical Association had called for current policies to be amended to ensure travel and cargo reimbursements are allowed for all inter-state transfers, especially for those moving from contract to permanent posts across regions. It also called for the rectification of the Bayaran Insentif Wilayah disparity, which has led to discrepancies in take-home salaries of doctors transferred within regions after Dec 1, 2024. 'This has caused more doctors to refrain from going to Sabah and Sarawak. 'This policy sees doctors of similar seniority being paid differently for the same work and responsibility,' it added.
