KUCHING: The request by over 800 medical personnel to return and serve in Sarawak will be discussed in the upcoming Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) Technical Committee meeting.
In stating this, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said the matter, along with broader discussions on healthcare administration and economic authority in Sarawak, is being studied at the federal level.
“We will bring this up for discussion in the MA63 Technical Committee meeting, which is expected to take place this month.
“Sarawak will present its matters and we will also consider the Federal Government’s perspective,” he said during his visit to the Satok Ramadan Bazaar here today.
He highlighted the importance of balancing the workforce between Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia, ensuring that healthcare professionals are well-distributed across the country.
“If everyone wants to return to Sarawak, it may not be ideal either.
“There needs to be assimilation so that all States are represented in the sector, maintaining the Malaysian spirit.
“If all Sarawakians work in Sarawak, then there will be no Sarawakians in Peninsular Malaysia,” he explained.
Fadillah also emphasised that the administrative feasibility of the transfers must be assessed, particularly in terms of job availability and the overall requirements of the Ministry of Health.
“We need to look at this matter practically.
“If Sarawak wants all its healthcare personnel to return, the positions may not even be available.
“That is why we need to review this issue comprehensively,” he added.
On the broader issue of Sarawak’s economic and healthcare authority, Fadillah confirmed that the State Government has put forward demands, which are currently under thorough evaluation at the federal level.
“Sarawak has indeed raised these matters, and the Federal Government is studying them in depth.
“We are awaiting the report, which will be presented in the upcoming MA63 meeting,” he said.
When asked if the transfer of 800 nurses and paramedics would be a challenging matter to negotiate, Fadillah said that it remains an open topic for discussion.
“Everything can be discussed,” he said.
Recently, Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr. Sim Kui Hian said that over 800 nurses and paramedics have expressed their wish to return and serve in Sarawak.
On the matter, he said discussions under MA63 are ongoing to bring back Sarawakian medical personnel working outside the state due to local staff shortages.
He emphasised the need for Sarawak to manage its own healthcare system rather than relying on federal decisions, highlighting the push for health autonomy.
