KUALA LUMPUR: The proposed Health Services Commission will not have the authority to create new posts or formulate a remuneration system, says Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad.
"It will have the power to appoint officers, confirm appointments, place them on permanent or pensionable establishment, promote and transfer them, and exercise disciplinary control over members of the service or services within its jurisdiction.
"These powers are provided for under Article 144 of the Federal Constitution," he said during the question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday (Oct 27).
Dzulkefly said the limitation applied to all service commissions in Malaysia, including the Education Service Commission and the Police Force Commission.
"Both functions (creating posts and setting up a salary system) fall under the authority of the Public Service Department (PSD) and the Finance Ministry," he added.
The commission is to be established through the Health Services Commission Bill, which forms part of the structural reform plan for human resource management and staffing in the medical sector outlined in the 2023 Health White Paper.
Dzulkefly said setting up the commission would help strengthen human resource management under the ministry, particularly in safeguarding the welfare of healthcare personnel across all 86 service schemes.
This includes medical officers, dental officers, pharmacists, nurses, assistant medical officers, radiographers and laboratory technologists.
He said the ministry held an engagement session with other service commissions and the PSD on Thursday (Oct 22) to learn about best practices in carrying out the duties and functions assigned to service commissions, as well as the process of establishing such agencies.
Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa (PH-Sekijang) had asked about the commitment to table the draft Health Services Commission Bill for its first reading before the end of next year, in line with health reform aspirations outlined in the 2023 Health White Paper.
Dzulkefly said the ministry hoped to table the Bill before the end of the 15th Parliament's term.
