WE are the parents of a junior doctor serving in a government hospital and we are compelled to write this having read the letter by Datuk Ding Kuong Hiing (“Give Sarawak MOs their dues”, The Star, Oct 9; online at bit.ly/star_sarawak). We applaud him for taking up the plight of junior doctors in Sarawak. Kudos.
At the same time, we are saddened wondering who is championing the plight of junior doctors in Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah. We have read letters from a group of specialist doctors expressing their concern about the future of these junior doctors and would like to thank them and appeal to them to continue their support.
What about the role of the universities that have churned out graduate doctors? Are they doing anything to help lobby the Health Ministry for their graduates’ future in the country? We frequently see advertisements put up by the various universities – have these universities levelled with the prospective students and their parents about the bleak future of medical graduates in Malaysia? Do these prospective students know about the three+two-year contracts given to doctors when they join the government service?
What is the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) doing to help these junior doctors? Can the MMA please enlighten us parents?
Ding’s letter quoted Health Minister Datuk Seri Adham Baba as saying, “All considered done, and tell the parents not to worry”, when the minister was presented with and read appeal letters written by the parents of medical officers on contract. Can we parents of Peninsular Malaysian and Sabahan doctors be given the same assurance?
Datuk Seri Adham, we parents appeal to you to help our children resolve this problem that is undermining their future and the future of the country’s medical resources. Please give us some assurance that plans are being drawn up, and an indication of some timeline when all the plans will be put in place.
You have to hurry, sir, as there are many batches with “kontrak terakhir” (final contracts) expiring in progression. What will happen to these doctors then?
ANXIOUS PARENTS
Shah Alam
At the same time, we are saddened wondering who is championing the plight of junior doctors in Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah. We have read letters from a group of specialist doctors expressing their concern about the future of these junior doctors and would like to thank them and appeal to them to continue their support.
What about the role of the universities that have churned out graduate doctors? Are they doing anything to help lobby the Health Ministry for their graduates’ future in the country? We frequently see advertisements put up by the various universities – have these universities levelled with the prospective students and their parents about the bleak future of medical graduates in Malaysia? Do these prospective students know about the three+two-year contracts given to doctors when they join the government service?
What is the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) doing to help these junior doctors? Can the MMA please enlighten us parents?
Ding’s letter quoted Health Minister Datuk Seri Adham Baba as saying, “All considered done, and tell the parents not to worry”, when the minister was presented with and read appeal letters written by the parents of medical officers on contract. Can we parents of Peninsular Malaysian and Sabahan doctors be given the same assurance?
Datuk Seri Adham, we parents appeal to you to help our children resolve this problem that is undermining their future and the future of the country’s medical resources. Please give us some assurance that plans are being drawn up, and an indication of some timeline when all the plans will be put in place.
You have to hurry, sir, as there are many batches with “kontrak terakhir” (final contracts) expiring in progression. What will happen to these doctors then?
ANXIOUS PARENTS
Shah Alam
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