PETALING JAYA: The Health Ministry has clarified that only 600 government pharmacist positions were open when it began its appointment exercise for the July 2024 intake.
It said this was why the recently reported 730 other pharmacy officers in the same intake had not been given permanent appointments.
“During the appointment exercise, the number of permanent pharmacist posts available was limited to 600 positions.
“Accordingly, offers of permanent appointment were made to 600 eligible candidates based on the vacancies available at that time.
“The remaining contract pharmacists were not offered permanent appointments as there were no additional vacant posts beyond the approved establishment,” the ministry said in a statement on Friday (Dec 12).
The ministry also confirmed that the reserve period for the 730 other pharmacy officers had already expired earlier this year, in October, in line with their existing appointment procedures.
However, the ministry confirmed that it plans to reopen applications for permanent pharmacist appointments next year which is subject to the availability of new or vacant posts.
“Eligible contract pharmacists, including the 730 who were affected, will need to submit fresh applications when the new intake is announced.
“The ministry remains committed to workforce planning that is transparent, merit-based, and aligned with service needs and approved staffing capacity,” it added in the statement.
This comes after Senator Dr RA Lingeshwaran told the Dewan Negara that only 600 out of 1,330 government pharmacists had been offered permanent posts, with the remaining 730 pharmacists left with contracts close to expiring, on Monday (Dec 8).
Lingeshwaran said this was despite promises to absorb them into permanent positions that have yet to be fulfilled.
This news has since drawn significant blowback from the medical community, with the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) calling on the government to reinstate the 'reserve candidate' status for the 730 pharmacists in limbo, in a statement on Thursday (Dec 11).
