DOCTORS’ group Hartal Doktor Kontrak will proceed with its strike on July 26 by staging a walkout as a sign of protest against the government’s position on permanent postings for contract medical doctors.

A spokesman for the group said doctors will stage a walkout during work as a sign of protest over poor working terms amidst the rising Covid-19 cases over the last two months. 

“We will proceed with a massive walkout as a symbol to show that we want our voices to be heard,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

However, he did not reveal how many doctors from the Minister of Health’s (MoH) facilities will be part of the strike. 

On being at risk of losing the goodwill of the public considering that Covid-19 care is the utmost priority now, the spokesman said: “I think the public has to understand it is now or never for us and the healthcare (system).”

Meanwhile, when asked if MoH has responded to the group’s memorandum demanding for permanent positions for contract doctors, he said so far only the Public Services Commission (PSC) has given a reply.

The response by the PSC director-general Zainal Rahim Seman to the group’s memorandum, made available to The Malaysian Insight, revealed that the matter is not solely under the purview of the commission.
 
Zainal said that PSC has no qualms and has always been ready to approve permanent positions for contract medical officers. 

However, the PSC would only be able to approve a position if there is an application from MoH, which would have to be authorised by the PSD, he added.

“The PSC has never set aside any permanent positions for medical officers. Any applications by  MoH will be sorted immediately.
 
“Unfortunately, the PSC was made to understand by MoH that no permanent position can be considered at this time as the Public Services Department (PSD) has not given approval for permanent positions therefore the appointments cannot be made,” Zainal said in the letter.
 
The PSC D-G asked the group to refer the matter to MoH and PSD.

Meanwhile, the spokesman for the group said that the strike is the last resort.

“Please get this issue handled and settled. We resorted to hartal as the very last option,” he said.

The issue of contract medical officers not being offered permanent positions in the civil service is a long-standing controversy that has been ongoing since 2016. 

The group had on July 1 given Putrajaya a three-week timeline to resolve the issue of permanent positions for contract doctors, failing which they would go on strike.

The warning was issued after a memorandum was given to the PSC, PSD, MoH, and the Malaysian Medical Council.

Data from MoH shows that a total of 23,077 UD41 grade contract medical officers were picked to undergo graduate training and compulsory service between December 2016 and May 2021.

However, only 789 of them were offered permanent positions, leaving many in limbo while many others have applied for jobs overseas.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Dr Adham Baba previously said that he would bring the matter up to Cabinet.

The Malaysian Insight is currently awaiting his response on an update on the matter. – July 22, 2021.