Take it or leave it all behind, warns ministry

PETALING JAYA: Contract healthcare workers who did not accept their placements will not be considered for permanent positions in the future, according to Health Ministry presentation slides sighted by Sunday Star.

The slides, dated July 20, showed that between June 6 and June 24 of this year, 4,154 doctors (UD category), 329 dentists (UG) and 304 pharmacists (UF) had applied for permanent placements via the ministry’s replacement system.

The document stated that if a contract healthcare worker does not accept a placement, the offer for a permanent position will be cancelled.

“The officer will remain under contract appointment. [They] will not be eligible for permanent positions in the future,” it said.

Such officers will also remain at their current placement unless they are ordered to transfer to another department by their head of department.

A total of 101 contract medical officers, four dentists and eight pharmacists did not choose their placements. Eight doctors, two dentists and four pharmacists had rejected their offers.

The slides also revealed that 196 officers were undergoing specialist training.

Those who have accepted the offered permanent position and have relocated to a new healthcare facility will report for duty on July 31.

The officer’s pay scale in the permanent position will be determined by the department head based on the last drawn salary under contract.

On June 24, Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa said there were 4,914 vacancies, of which 4,263 were for contract medical officers, 335 for dentists and 316 for pharmacists this year.

During the hiring for permanent positions this time, the ministry received more than 1,000 appeals from officers to let them remain in their current placements.