Tough job: A file photo of a care home volunteer pushing a wheelchair-bound resident into his room. A recent report found that care workers, including in the health sector, are planning to leave their jobs within five years.
PETALING JAYA: Imagine that you are required to work for more than 45 hours a week and then battling patients who refuse immune shots for their children.
This is a normal week for Sara, 35, who has been working in the public healthcare sector as a nurse for more than a decade.
The nurse, who is based in the Klang Valley, has been considering leaving the public healthcare sector once a better opportunity comes along.
“I take pride in being a nurse. It is a challenging job but I feel satisfied when my parents proudly tell me I serve the public.
“Like my colleagues, we faced the hardest challenge during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“We were working night and day. After the cases went down, we thought the worst days were over. But the hours we have to work did not reduce.
“Now, we have to deal with patients who threaten to file a complaint against us just for recommending vaccine shots for their children,” she said.
A report by research initiative RE:CARE project found that care workers, including those in the health sector, are planning to their jobs within five years. Many of the respondents also showed signs of burnout or declining wellbeing.
Sara is contemplating resigning from her job as there is a lack of future financial security in terms of pension.
“At this point, it’s not just myself but also my colleagues who have been weighing options whether to go to private hospitals or just change industry.
“My current salary is not enough and does not equate to the amount of work I have to do.
“Sometimes I work just over 45 hours, that is okay, but I would like to be compensated fairly. I have been feeling burnt out as well,” she added.
Malaysia Healthy Ageing Society vice-president Dr Wong Teck Wee said the government must take the lead in improving wages, accreditation and professional recognition for Malaysia’s care workforce to ensure the sector remains resilient and sustainable.
Dr Wong said while many Malaysians working in aged and social care are deeply committed to their profession, they remain undervalued and poorly compensated despite the essential services they provide.
“These care workers are in the right industry, the only problem is that they are not well compensated for their service and skill,” he said,
He stressed that the government has a big role to play in developing a long-term strategy that includes proper training, certification and financial incentives to raise the professionalism of local care workers.
He suggested taking an example from Singapore, on how consistent their support for skill development and accreditation can uplift an entire workforce.
“In Singapore, the government provides training and certification across industries, from manufacturing to services, so workers can improve their skills.
“Malaysian care workers used to be able to find jobs there but now it’s harder because Singapore has raised its standards and invested in its people,” he said.
Dr Wong added that Malaysia should emulate this approach by creating structured pathways for care workers to gain qualifications and formal recognition, similar to professional bodies in other fields.
“Doctors, for example, have societies that advocate for their welfare. Care workers also need a professional body or union that can represent their interests, push for fair pay and ensure their rights are protected,” he said.
He said that the government’s planned Care Ecosystem Blueprint, announced by the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry, could serve as a good platform to introduce such reforms.
On the question of gender representation in the care sector where women form the majority of the workforce, Dr Wong said policies should remain inclusive.
“We shouldn’t make it about male or female workers. Both bring different strengths to care giving.
“Male care givers, for instance, can handle more physically demanding tasks, while female care givers often excel in communication and emotional support. They complement each other,” he added.
Dr Wong said that ensuring care workers are adequately paid, trained and recognised will help the country retain skilled personnel and strengthen Malaysia’s aged care system as the population grows older.
“If we don’t address this now, we risk losing experienced care workers at a time when our ageing population needs them the most,” he warned.
On Oct 28, Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said an ecosystem is being developed to strengthen the national care sector.
She said the ecosystem, which will be formed through the Malaysia Care Economy Strategic Framework and Action Plan 2026-2030, would properly address the sector which provides much-needed services for children, the elderly and persons with disabilities.
