KUCHING: The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) has urged for the abolition of the contract system for new doctors joining service in the public healthcare system
The call was made following viral reports of the Singaporean recruitment drive in Kuala Lumpur, targeting Malaysian doctors with attractive remuneration packages.
In a statement, MMA president Datuk Dr Kalwinder Singh Khaira urges the government to take serious note of the increasing consequences of such recruitment, while affirming that the association respects the rights of individuals to seek opportunities abroad.
“Although Singapore has long recruited Malaysian healthcare professionals, recent developments suggest an intensification of these efforts, likely driven by growing healthcare demands in the island nation.
“The potential impact on Malaysia’s public healthcare services is significant and cannot be understated. We are already experiencing critical shortages of healthcare workers in many public facilities across the country.
“This is especially so in Sarawak and Sabah where shortages have led to calls for more autonomy to allow these States to fill up the long-standing shortages of Medical Officers (MOs) and Specialists.
“The loss of even more medical professionals to neighbouring countries and also to the UK, Australia and Ireland will further strain our delivery system,” he said.
Dr Kalwinder said the government should reinstate the previous policy of offering permanent positions — with a probationary period — to all newly appointed doctors, as was practiced in the past.
He explained that the contract system was introduced a decade ago due to a surge in medical graduates and a shortage of permanent posts.
“That situation no longer applies, as the number of new graduates has dropped significantly. There are now sufficient positions available to allow for direct recruitment into permanent roles,” he said.
“This change would ensure job security and eliminate the current burdensome contract structure of 3+2+2+4 years, which creates uncertainty in career progression. It would also help restore confidence among students and parents in the medical profession as a viable long-term career.”
Dr Kalwinder also urged the government to expedite the long-overdue revision of on-call allowance rates for doctors in the public health service.
“There must be an understanding that retaining healthcare professionals comes at a cost. The current allowance rates do not fairly reflect the dedication and service of our doctors.”
He further called for clearly defined and transparent career pathways within the healthcare system, providing structured opportunities for doctors to specialise and advance.
Additionally, Dr Kalwinder proposed allowing doctors to undergo specialist training under the parallel pathway postgraduate programmes in MOH hospitals without being required to accept the compulsory Hadiah Latihan Persekutuan (HLP).
He also recommended that the government revise policies to allow for travel and cargo reimbursements for all interstate transfers, particularly for those transitioning from contract to permanent positions — including moves between Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah or Sarawak.
Addressing another concern, Dr Kalwinder highlighted the need to fix the disparity in the Bayaran Insentif Wilayah (BIW) allowance. He said changes under the new SSPA salary scheme, effective from December 1, 2024, have led to unequal take-home pay for doctors of the same seniority working in different regions.
“This inequality has discouraged more doctors from serving in Sabah and Sarawak. Paying doctors differently for the same role and responsibility based solely on transfer timing is unfair and must be addressed.
“The MMA strongly maintains that doctor retention must be made a national priority,” he stressed.
