PETALING JAYA: The move to end the contract doctor system by offering over 9,000 temporary doctors permanent positions next year is a good thing.
However, the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) says it had expected more initiatives towards workforce retention, including addressing the critical shortage of medical specialists.
Its president Dr Sivanaesan Letchumanan said Malaysia faces a shortage of nearly 11,000 specialists and, with cases of non-communicable diseases on the rise and an ageing population, the demand for specialist care is high.
“We commend the government for taking this important step towards providing greater job security and career certainty for our young doctors. Permanent appointments are an important step forward, but they must be supported by a comprehensive workforce retention strategy.”
“We cannot afford to lose more specialists when we urgently need to train and retain more of them. Greater investment is needed to expand specialist and subspecialist training opportunities, improve career progression, ensure fair remuneration and address the working conditions driving experienced doctors out of public service,” he said.
Dr Sivanaesan said the MMA also welcomed the overall increase in the Health Ministry’s allocation to RM47.7bil from RM46.5bil last year.
Public health medicine specialist Datuk Dr Zainal Ariffin Omar said although the increase in allocation was not “aggressive”, the large-scale permanent appointment of contract doctors and the logistical procurement addresses the most urgent bottlenecks in the health system.
“Overall, this Budget is among the best and focuses on important issues. It is based on the logic of more money, more manpower, more equipment,” said the former Health Ministry deputy director.
Hartal Doktor Kontrak said the announcement to end the contract system has put an end to a decade-long uncertainty, insecurity and unequal career opportunities that the medical workforce had to endure.
“Our doctors have waited long enough. They deserve more than promises; they deserve a system that delivers fairness, security and dignity,” it said.
“Since 2016, thousands of doctors have endured years of uncertainty, while many others have left public service in search of better opportunities and a more secure future. For those who have spent years advocating for change, this announcement is a long-awaited glimmer of hope,” added the group.
“Clear timelines, fair eligibility criteria and proper recognition of doctors who have served for years under contract will be essential to ensuring that no one is left behind,” it said.
However, Hospital Sultan Idris Shah, Serdang (HSIS) board of visitors chairman Datuk Dr Alagendran RS Vengadeson expressed disappointment, saying the government could have done better in remunerating medical personnel instead of offering meagre perks.
He also questioned if there is a compulsory requirement for the 9,000 contract doctors to have a credit in Bahasa Malaysia before they are offered permanent positions.
“There are so many Malaysians who studied medicine overseas, including at prestigious colleges and are eager to return and serve the country,” he said.
Former Sungai Bakap hospital director Senator Dr Lingeshwaran R. Arunasalam said that while the ministry’s budget has increased every year over the past five years, its growth pace is currently trailing the broader expansion of the national economy.
He said following a peak investment of 2.24% of GDP in 2025 during heavy post-pandemic structural resets, the healthcare budget’s share of the national output stabilised towards the 2.13% to 2.18% range for 2026 and 2027.
“This indicates that while nominal spending is rising, the state is increasingly relying on systemic efficiencies, outsourcing and private sector integration to manage healthcare demands rather than purely expanding public expenditure. We seriously need to correct this and progressively increase it to 5% of our GDP,” Dr Lingeshwaran said.
