KUALA LUMPUR: Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad has stated that any study on recruiting nurses from Indonesia must prioritise public interest, staff welfare, and healthcare efficiency.
He confirmed the ministry’s full cooperation with the Public Service Department (JPA) for the study proposed by the Public Service Commission (SPA).
The study follows a suggestion by the Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia in Johor Bahru, Sigit S. Widiyanto.
Dzulkefly noted that the ministry is addressing the nursing shortage through a multi-pronged approach but acknowledged no quick fixes exist.
He attributed the shortage to a two-year suspension of intakes at MOH Training Institutes (ILKKM) during the pandemic and a private nursing school moratorium lifted only in 2024.
At the SPA MADANI Career Carnival 2025 launch, SPA chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Jailani Muhamed Yunus stressed the need for a thorough study before hiring Indonesian nurses for government hospitals.
The proposal gained momentum after Johor’s Health and Environment Committee chairman Ling Tian Soon supported strategic cooperation with Indonesia to tackle the nursing shortage.
Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi highlighted severe shortages in Johor Bahru hospitals, with nurses handling up to 14 patients per shift against the ideal 1:6 ratio. - Bernama
