KUALA LUMPUR: Uncertainties about contract posts have made it hard for medical professionals to start a family and to apply for specialisation, says Malaysian Medics International (MMI) chairman Dr S.S. Vikkineshwaran.
Since permanent employment for doctors, pharmacists and dentists in the civil service were no longer guaranteed from 2017, he said these contract posts posed several issues for those who did not get permanent posts.
For one, a doctor applying for specialisation needed to be a permanent staff member and for at least three years, he said.
“Contract officers cannot apply for Hadiah Latihan Persekutuan, the scholarship to do a Master’s programme in order to specialise. You need to be a permanent staff member to apply for that,” he said.
“It is also difficult for them to apply for housing and car loans from banks because their jobs are not permanent.”
The government announced in Budget 2017 that only the best will be given permanent posts for the three professions.
On Wednesday, Public Service Department director-general Datuk Seri Borhan Dolah said that beginning next year, new appointments in the public service may no longer be made under the permanent and pension schemes but will be replaced by an improved contractual scheme.
He said the new contractual scheme, which is being studied, would offer better pay, welfare and protection.
Dr Vikkineshwaran said the government should maintain the pension scheme, if not, give them an option.
He said that from the first batch of contract housemen who completed housemanship in December, 600 were informed that they were offered permanent Medical Officer (MO) posts in May while another 300 were not.
Another three batches have completed their housemanship but have not been offered MO posts, he said.
MMI, a loose movement made up of about 4,000 Malaysian doctors and medical students worldwide, has termed these doctors “floating contract medical officers” – contract house officers (HO) who have completed their training and working in the capacity of MOs but still under the contract terms of an HO.
There were 1,300 “floating” MOs waiting for confirmation on whether they get a permanent or contract job, and placement, said Dr Vikkineshwaran.
The Medical Act requires housemen to serve as MOs for two years after completing their housemanship.
Dr Vikkineshwaran, who is a contract houseman himself, said he would complete housemanship in November but he does not know if he is getting a permanent or contract post.
The contract post for housemen is up to three years although most complete their programme in two years.
“As such, the housemen need to know by December whether they will get a permanent post. Otherwise, they will have to continue as contract MOs for another two years before they can leave the civil service,” he said.
Since permanent employment for doctors, pharmacists and dentists in the civil service were no longer guaranteed from 2017, he said these contract posts posed several issues for those who did not get permanent posts.
For one, a doctor applying for specialisation needed to be a permanent staff member and for at least three years, he said.
“Contract officers cannot apply for Hadiah Latihan Persekutuan, the scholarship to do a Master’s programme in order to specialise. You need to be a permanent staff member to apply for that,” he said.
“It is also difficult for them to apply for housing and car loans from banks because their jobs are not permanent.”
The government announced in Budget 2017 that only the best will be given permanent posts for the three professions.
On Wednesday, Public Service Department director-general Datuk Seri Borhan Dolah said that beginning next year, new appointments in the public service may no longer be made under the permanent and pension schemes but will be replaced by an improved contractual scheme.
He said the new contractual scheme, which is being studied, would offer better pay, welfare and protection.
Dr Vikkineshwaran said the government should maintain the pension scheme, if not, give them an option.
He said that from the first batch of contract housemen who completed housemanship in December, 600 were informed that they were offered permanent Medical Officer (MO) posts in May while another 300 were not.
Another three batches have completed their housemanship but have not been offered MO posts, he said.
MMI, a loose movement made up of about 4,000 Malaysian doctors and medical students worldwide, has termed these doctors “floating contract medical officers” – contract house officers (HO) who have completed their training and working in the capacity of MOs but still under the contract terms of an HO.
There were 1,300 “floating” MOs waiting for confirmation on whether they get a permanent or contract job, and placement, said Dr Vikkineshwaran.
The Medical Act requires housemen to serve as MOs for two years after completing their housemanship.
Dr Vikkineshwaran, who is a contract houseman himself, said he would complete housemanship in November but he does not know if he is getting a permanent or contract post.
The contract post for housemen is up to three years although most complete their programme in two years.
“As such, the housemen need to know by December whether they will get a permanent post. Otherwise, they will have to continue as contract MOs for another two years before they can leave the civil service,” he said.
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