A SENIOR contract doctor who led some 30 young doctors to participate in the “Hartal Doktor Kontrak” at Hospital Shah Alam reminded the government that they are not lab rats.

Dr Omar Izmir told reporters after the strike that many of them were given empty promises by Putrajaya for many years. 

“We have been at the forefront for many years. Some of us here were also part of the team of doctors treating patients during the Kim Kim river pollution in Johor,” he said. 

“Some of us here have been infected with Covid-19, but we are still serving the people. We have tried negotiating through various bodies, but all hit a dead end. 

“Only recently we were told that our contracts will be extended for another two years, but that is not what we want. 

“We are not your lab rats. We are the front-liners and we should get equal treatment as others. We do not deserve this kind of treatment.”  

Omar also said half of the medical practitioners at Hospital Shah Alam are contract doctors.

He said many senior doctors have given encouragement to young doctors to participate in today’s strike. 

“Only the directors and some big bosses are against us doing this, but my superiors and seniors are supportive,” he added.

The strike at Hopsital Shah Alam ended at 11.45am.

Meanwhile, the spokesperson for striking doctors at Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL), identified only as Dr Muhammad, said they were unhappy with the police ordering them to disperse.

“We were not causing any trouble to the public,” he said.

“We chose to strike on this day because exactly a month ago, we already proposed to the government that we want to be treated equally as permanent doctors. 

“We hope the entire country will stand with us as we have given so much to the nation in handling the Covid-19 pandemic.”  

Another doctor, who only wants to be known as Liza, said the participating doctors were mostly off duty today.

“Most of us here are off duty, which means the patients in the wards are taken care of by those who are on duty,” she said. 

About 50 doctors gathered in support of the strike at HKL. They dispersed peacefully at 11.27am. 

Photos of the strike at the hospital showed police checking the MyKad of participating doctors.

Mohammad, who is from Hospital Seremban, said the government and hospital directors had ample time to intervene, “but they chose to ignore”. 

“Now, on the day of the strike, they’ve called our organiser to the director’s office, and he is still there,” he said. 

“He couldn’t join us for the gathering now. We will stand and wait.”  

He said the 30 participating doctors had not neglected their duty. 

“I’ve just finished my duty in the Covid-19 ward and did a proper handover before joining this protest,” he said.

Over at Sungai Buloh Covid-19 Hospital, police have restricted the group’s representative from speaking to the press.

Speaking to reporters on the condition of anonymity, one doctor said “we wouldn’t be here if we were treated fairly”. 

“We are not having a bad time, Covid-19 is manageable but we should be appreciated for what we do,” he said.

The group of 50 doctors dispersed at 11.26am after officers from the Sungai Buloh district police headquarters issued a warning against the gathering and that action can be taken under the movement-control order. 

In Terengganu, about 200 contract doctors took part in the walkout, Dr Amirah, 29, from Sultanah Nur Zahirah Hospital, Kuala Terengganu said.

She said she is not worried of any repercussions for taking part in the strike. 

About 5,000 contract doctors had planned to stage a walkout at 11am today, although the government has offered solutions to the matter of their employment, which lies at the heart of the strike. 

Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has announced that the government would extend their contract before a permanent solution could be put in place. 

The Hartal Doktor Kontrak group behind the protest has rejected the offer as “half-baked” and said it was not the solution they were looking for. 

Director-general of health Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah yesterday reminded doctors of the oath they took. – July 26, 2021.