KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) has urged the government to ensure that newly created medical positions are made permanent for contract doctors, with priority given based on their years of service.
In welcoming the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s recent announcement on Wednesday (Jul 23) on the creation of more than 4,000 positions at public healthcare facilities, MMA president Datuk Dr. Kalwinder Singh Khaira said such a move would mark a significant step forward in addressing the long-standing challenges faced by contract doctors nationwide.
“It is our hope that these positions will be permanent, particularly for contract doctors, and if so, that the permanent positions will be given based on seniority in terms of years of service,” he said in his recent statement.
Dr. Kalwinder also stressed the need for the government to fully utilise all existing vacant permanent posts and to create more to ensure that all remaining contract doctors are eventually absorbed into permanent service.
Once an adequate number of permanent roles are in place, he urged the government to abolish the contract employment scheme altogether and return to the policy of offering permanent placements for all new doctors entering the public healthcare system.
“This will help restore confidence and motivate doctors to stay and join the public sector, providing them with better job security
and clearer career progression,” he said.
Dr. Kalwinder noted that reinstating a permanent employment policy — similar to other civil service sectors — would ultimately strengthen the public healthcare system, especially in view of increasing demands and the critical need for a stable medical workforce.