PUTRAJAYA: Doctors may finally get clarity on their on-call allowances as the Cabinet is set to make a decision this Friday, says Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad.
The Health Minister said this was conveyed to him yesterday by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim – who is currently on a work trip overseas – but refrained from providing further details on the matter.
“I had the opportunity to speak with the Prime Minister, and he mentioned that we should wait for this Friday’s Cabinet meeting for a definitive decision,” he told a press conference at the Health Ministry here yesterday.
“The spirit of it reflects what was mentioned last August in the Prime Minister’s speech – this increment is something he and I have already discussed, and he also mentioned it during the tabling of Budget 2025.
“That is the position as it stands. As for the details, we will wait for the decision and guidance from the Prime Minister this Friday,” he added.
When presenting the budget last year, Anwar announced an increase in the on-call duty allowance for doctors and dentists in specific categories, ranging from RM55 to RM65.
This represents about a 25% rise from the current rate of RM200 for a 24-hour active call on weekdays.
For weekends and public holidays, the allowance for active calls is RM220 per call.
For passive calls, where doctors remain on standby at home, the rates are RM80 for weekdays and RM85 for weekends and public holidays.
Doctors recalled to work for more than four hours during passive calls are entitled to an additional payment of RM50 on weekdays and RM55 on weekends.
Specialists, meanwhile, are set to receive higher on-call allowances, with RM230 allocated for weekdays and RM250 for weekends and public holidays.
Dzulkefly acknowledged that healthcare workers in Malaysia face extremely high workloads, with extended working hours of up to 33 hours per on-call duty and a staggering 99-hour work week.
“Such conditions should not be the norm in a profession aimed at improving public health and saving lives,” he added.
In response to these challenges, he said the ministry has established the Medical Advisory and Action Committee (MAAC) in January 2024.
Comprising 10 frontline clinical experts from various specialisations, including internal medicine, obstetrics and gynaecology, orthopaedics, surgery, radiology, paediatrics, anaesthesia, emergency medicine, family medicine and others, MAAC aims to address pressing issues affecting healthcare workers, he added.
Meanwhile, Dzulkefly said the February launch of the Waktu Bekerja Berlainan (WBB) pilot project, or alternative working hours system for medical officers, will depend on the decision of the MAAC.
According to him, the MAAC or relevant units will determine whether to proceed with the plan on Feb 1.
He explained that the system’s implementation remains an internal matter to be addressed by the committee and relevant departments, with formal approval required from both him, as the minister, and the Public Service Department (PSD).
To address long working hours and promote better mental well-being and work-life balance for medical officers, Dzulkefly said the MAAC had gathered feedback from doctors in high-intensity departments.
“The new system, developed by doctors for doctors, incorporates input from various stakeholders.
“It is not intended to replace the existing systems but to serve as an additional option, depending on the resources and readiness of individual hospital departments,” he explained.
He said internal guidelines for the programme were shared with health facilities to prepare for its implementation.
However, Dzulkefly expressed disappointment over the premature disclosure of the internal circular, which he said had caused misunderstandings and unnecessary concerns among medical staff and the public.
“This unfortunate leak has led to confusion and raised questions that could have been avoided.
“Pilot programmes allow for evaluation and improvement. I encourage all stakeholders to contribute their ideas professionally to strengthen our healthcare delivery system,” he said.
