KUALA LUMPUR: The Ministry of Health (MOH) has introduced a mandatory requirement for contract medical officers transitioning to permanent roles to select at least one placement option in Sabah or Sarawak via the e-Placement 2.0 system. This move aims to bridge the healthcare workforce disparity between Peninsular Malaysia and the Borneo states.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad stated that this unprecedented measure underscores the government’s dedication to equitable specialist, doctor, and nurse distribution nationwide. “It is mandatory that one of the three choices must be a placement in Sabah or Sarawak, which has never been done before,“ he said during the Dewan Rakyat session.
The policy responds to concerns raised by Datuk Dr Richard Rapu (GPS-Betong) regarding uneven healthcare staffing. Dzulkefly revealed that placement quotas for permanent medical officers have been set at 650 for Sarawak and 310 for Sabah, accounting for 42.7 per cent of the 2,248 officers recently appointed.
As of March 31, 1,002 contract medical officers were stationed in Sabah and 937 in Sarawak to bolster public health facilities. Long-term strategies include state-sponsored medical scholarships and merit incentives for service in remote areas. “This merit serves as a weightage – an added score in evaluating candidates for scholarship selection,“ Dzulkefly explained.
Addressing retention strategies, he highlighted the absorption of 13,552 contract officers into permanent roles over three years, supported by Medical Act amendments recognising Parallel Pathway and local Master’s programmes. – Bernama
