JOHOR BARU: Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi (pic) wants the Health Ministry to fulfil its pledge to immediately fill critical vacancies at three major hospitals in the state.
Onn Hafiz said there should be no compromise on matters involving the lives, health and welfare of locals, as the issue was first raised in 2023.
He also rubbished claims by certain quarters that the state government was merely putting on a show by criticising the Health Ministry and urging it to act.
“Such allegations are defamatory and need to be corrected,” he said on his social media yesterday.
Onn Hafiz said the state government was forced to publicly raise the matter as it remained unresolved despite the ministry’s recent meeting with Johor Regent Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim to address the issue.
“Among the commitments made was to immediately fill critical vacancies at Hospital Sultanah Aminah (HSA), Hospital Sultan Ismail (HSI) and Hospital Kulai, besides increasing the manpower at Hospital Pasir Gudang,” he said.
He added that it was only logical for the state government to refer staffing shortages at public hospitals here to the ministry, akin to matters involving teacher and immigration personnel shortages being referred to the Education Ministry and Home Ministry.
Onn Hafiz said he was previously informed that the Public Service Department (JPA) had given the Health Ministry the mandate to manage and distribute posts according to the needs of healthcare facilities.
While waiting for the ministry to act, he said the state government had initiated its own measures to ease the burden on the state’s healthcare system.
Among the measures, he said, were funding locum doctors at major hospitals, including HSA and HSI, to assist emergency departments in reducing waiting times and the workload of existing staff.
Other measures included providing additional ambulances and medical equipment to healthcare facilities and working with the private sector, including KPJ Healthcare, to provide expertise and manpower.
“Clearly, the Johor government is not merely putting on a ‘show’ when it comes to the lives, health and welfare of Johoreans.
“As I have said, we are only demanding what was promised.
“That is why we are speaking up and urging those with the authority to carry out their responsibilities,” he said.
