THE one-year extension given to contract doctors by the Health Ministry (MoH) is merely an attempt to shut them up, said junior doctors. 

Several doctors who spoke to The Malaysian Insight on condition of anonymity said there must be a permanent solution to the predicament of the contract doctors. 

They said the employment status of contract doctors will still be up in the air when the Covid-19 pandemic ends. 

“It’s just to temporarily shut everyone up. Like you ask for something and you’re given something else temporarily so that you will forget what you asked for,” said a doctor in Malacca. 

On Tuesday, the ministry issued a circular stating existing contract doctors will be offered reappointment on a contract basis as medical officers (MO) from December 5, 2021 to December 4, 2022. 

The contract doctor system was first introduced in 2016 as an initial solution to the delayed placement of house officers. 

Upon joining government service, the junior doctors are given a five-year contract package that consists of a three-year contract with an option of a two-year extension. 

However since 2016, out of 23,077 contract doctors, only 789 have been given permanent positions in public healthcare. 

“Since the pandemic, most government servants from other sectors are not working, but we are involved with the vaccination efforts, placed in Covid-19 quarantine centres and such. 

“We in fact share the same responsibility as the permanent doctors, and sometimes more but our pay is lower, we can’t pursue our masters and we don’t get housing loans. 

“Even your basic civil administrator is a permanent staff (but we are not),” she said. 

The doctor added that since contract doctors decided to voice their displeasure at the system and are now actively taking part in the Code Black movement, many have been warned to keep quiet or face disciplinary actions. 

“On July 1, some of my senior doctors got a call from the police asking if anyone from our hospital was taking part in the Code Black movement. 

“Some of my friends’ superiors have been warning them not to get involved. If not, disciplinary action will be taken,” she said, adding that this was the only way they could protest because they can’t take to the streets. 

The Code Black campaign was started by a medical group as a sign of protest against what it sees as an unfair contract MO system. It will run from July 1 to 12, culminating in “Black Monday” on July 12.

A doctor in Sabah also agreed that this was an attempt to silence contract doctors. 

“They are doing this perhaps just to shut this current issue up as usual, to cover the momentum at the moment.” 

He said that the MoH must make clear the criteria for contract doctors to be absorbed as permanent MOs so that they can work towards it. 

“Now everyone is almost lost and don’t know how to progress in this line of work and they will lose motivation to continue doing the job as well,” he said. 

Another doctor who is currently based at a quarantine centre in Sabah said the year-long contract extension was pretentious and that the MoH was making use of contract doctors for its own benefit. 

“What’s going to happen after the pandemic?” he asked. 

“No one knows. Contract doctors need a permanent solution. We spent thousands to study medicine, not to be treated like shit.” 

In the Klang Valley, a doctor who is currently working in a hospital that handles the bulk of Covid-19 cases in the area said the one-year extension was given because hospitals were running low on staff. 

“I really feel it’s because they need MOs as house officers are not allowed to handle Covid-19 patients. They are most probably trying to accommodate supply and demand. 

“So this one-year extension actually gives some time for the senior house officers to become fresh MOs and put them in the Covid-19 pool,” he said. 

He added that MoH was treating contract doctors as if they were “factory products” or “cattle”. 

“If they are giving this one year to come up with a better solution then it’s fine. But if it is just to shut us up then it’s bullshit.” – July 10, 2021.