“We need a government that value human lives. Fix the hospitals and pay the doctors well. Respect health workers. End the excuses.“
– A quote from Nigeria
LET me make an honest statement here: whenever there is a dispute between our public-sector health workers and the government, I am biased.
And I have my reasons for standing firmly with doctors and health workers in our public hospitals and other health institutions.
Foremost among them is first-hand experience. Having been a patient in a public hospital on several occasions over the years, I have watched them labour on the front lines, far from cameras and commendations. This is where exhaustion is real, and duty leaves no room for performance or pretence.
I have watched them endure punishing hours, move from one patient to another with little rest, and shoulder responsibilities that most of us would struggle to carry even briefly.
They do this quietly, often without complaint, and almost always without adequate recognition.
Their commitment is not theoretical; it is lived daily in overcrowded wards, understaffed clinics, and emergency rooms that never truly rest.
So, if ever a dispute arises between these healthcare workers and the government, no one needs to ask where I stand. My position is clear and unwavering.
I will stand with those who stand at patients’ bedsides, who bear the human cost of policy decisions, and who continue to serve even when the system fails to serve them.
Today, I support the Sabah chapter of the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) in its call for the government to reconsider cuts to the regional incentive allowance for doctors and pharmacists transferring to East Malaysia.
It warned that slashing the Bayaran Insentif Wilayah (BIW) could further discourage medical professionals from serving in Sabah and Sarawak.
I am not surprised that there has been significant outcry over the government’s decision to cut the BIW for doctors, pharmacists (and other healthcare workers) who transfer to Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan under the new Public Service Remuneration System (SSPA).
I agree with the MMA that the move could worsen healthcare workforce shortages in East Malaysia and undermine efforts to deliver equitable healthcare across the country.
Sabah and Sarawak already struggle to attract and retain enough medical professionals, particularly in rural and remote areas.
Sarawak Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian has repeatedly raised the matter with the federal government. Only this year, it was revealed that a high percentage of newly offered permanent postings to Sarawak have reportedly not been taken up, suggesting reluctance among doctors to accept postings there.
Recently, this paper also reported that Sarawak’s doctor-to-population ratio remains below the national average, indicating a staffing gap; worsening incentives could make it even harder to recruit and retain personnel.
I understand where the medical associations are coming from when they argue that the BIW is not a mere bonus but a recognition of the higher personal and financial costs that come with relocating to East Malaysia.
Frankly, I find it quite ludicrous that decision-makers at the Health Ministry seem unaware that relocation often involves flight tickets, moving costs and family adjustments that are far more expensive than internal transfers within Peninsular Malaysia.
Again, I am with the critics who maintain that the BIW has been a policy tool to support equitable healthcare across East and West Malaysia. Cutting it sends a negative signal about how much service in Sabah and Sarawak is valued.
It also risks deepening regional disparities in access to care, as fewer professionals are likely to work in areas with more difficult living conditions and fewer opportunities for training or professional growth.
Another point made by the medical associations, which is particularly valid, is that restoring the old BIW structure would cost only around RM4.2 million annually — a relatively modest amount compared with broader government expenditure — yet would significantly benefit recruitment and retention.
Why, we could easily donate RM200 million to people we do not even know 8,000 km away, simply because it was the world’s most popular thing to do, while we attempt to take away just RM4.2 million a year in allowances for our own doctors and other health workers. Pray tell, how does that make sense to Malaysians?
I recently came across a comment by a Malaysiakini reader that struck a deep chord with me. The reader wrote that “the government should cut the salaries and generous allowances of our Members of Parliament, not the small allowances of our doctors serving in East Malaysia.” It was a blunt remark, but an honest one — and it echoed a point I raised myself a few months ago.
I raise it again now in the hope that this message will not fall on deaf ears in Putrajaya.
Indeed, a healthy nation cannot exist without dedicated medical professionals, but it can certainly function with fewer career politicians.
Malaysia must show genuine respect to its doctors, not just in words but in action. If we can afford to pamper politicians, surely we can afford to keep our doctors from walking away.
I wish to appeal to the government to take better care of our doctors in public service. Be more generous; pay them better than many of the self-serving politicians in our midst.
The views expressed here are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of Sarawak Tribune. The writer can be reached at sirsiah@gmail.com.
