Social media at odds over PSD move to cut courses

PETALING JAYA: The announcement by the Public Service Department (PSD) that medicine, dentistry and pharmacy will not be among the fields of study sponsored this year has led to a furious debate on social media.

While some users said there was a profound need for more doctors and dentists in the country, others claimed there was already an “oversupply” of medical students.

Facebook user Ridzwan Jude said these “fields are very crucial for the country to prosper”, while Baladewan Kalaivanee wrote that the cull did not make sense.

Twitter user @RMalanjum_ said Malaysia was already “very lacking” in doctors, complaining that the government “wanted to cut almost everything”.

However, others believed that there were too many doctors.

“How many medical graduates are there who could not find jobs?” tweeted @IvarCripple.

“Many of those who got full sponsorships serve only 10 years as per their contract. After that, many stopped. I don’t agree that they not be sponsored, but perhaps (they) need a 20-year contract for scholarships,” wrote Twitter user @ShoibZahari.

Twitter user @deebankumar said it took time to come to this level.

“It’s not an overnight story. It should have taken at least one year to come to this stage,” he said, blaming the previous administrations.

Meanwhile, Association of Private Hospitals Malaysia president Datuk Dr Kuljit Singh said the new PSD policy would not have a direct impact on private hospitals.

“We are far removed from this because most private hospitals hire mature and experienced doctors or specialists,” he said when contacted yesterday.

Dr Kuljit added that apart from locally trained doctors, private hospitals also source overseas medical graduates, including Malaysian doctors abroad or even those from the public sector.