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.
