PETALING JAYA: Hartal Doktor Kontrak (HDK) has expressed strong support for Health director-general Datuk Seri Dr Mahathar Abd Wahab for his unprecedented level of transparency in addressing the systemic crisis affecting Malaysia’s healthcare workforce.
HDK said Dr Mahathar’s acknowledgement of systemic weaknesses validated long-standing concerns raised by junior doctors over manpower shortages, inefficient recruitment processes, and lack of coordination between government agencies.
“We have repeatedly raised these concerns and warned that this situation would unfold as it has, but our voices were met with silence as many were afraid of retaliation and were effectively silenced,” the group said in a statement on Saturday (April 25).
HDK said the crisis did not occur suddenly, but stemmed from long-standing structural issues involving multiple agencies.
The group pointed to the Higher Education Ministry, which they claimed continues to produce graduates without a national quota aligned with service needs and national healthcare needs, and the Public Service Department (JPA), which they accused of limiting permanent medical positions and relying on outdated manpower assessments.
The group also echoed concerns previously raised by the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA), describing the situation as a collective failure by the government.
“While the Health Ministry is the face of healthcare, it lacks the authority to fix hiring and placement failures shaped by other agencies,” HDK said.
HDK further highlighted what it described as a worrying indicator of declining confidence in the system, citing reports that only 529 medical graduates reported for duty out of more than 5,000 positions offered.
“When only 10% of the workforce pipeline shows up, the system is failing,” it said, adding that overstretched medical staff were increasingly unable to cope with demand.
The group warned that patient safety was being compromised, leading to longer waiting times and delays in treatment, while also contributing to a growing brain drain among healthcare professionals.
Reiterating its policy stance, HDK urged the government to establish a Health Service Commission, stating that existing arrangements were insufficient.
“To claim that existing agencies are sufficient is, quite frankly, a denial of the reality we live every day.
“The current overlap is exactly what causes the delays, the confusion, and the lack of accountability.
“The commission should be empowered to streamline training, recruitment and placement of healthcare workers, decentralise employment processes away from JPA for a clearer career pathways with job security for medical personnel,” the statement added.
HDK commended the director-general for speaking openly on the issue, and urged the government to move beyond discussions and feasibility studies.
“This is no longer a matter for discussion or endless research. It is a matter of national survival.
“Policymakers must take responsibility for systemic failures affecting patient care, and continued delays would further strain the country’s healthcare system,” the group added.
