THE issue of contract doctors was not a major problem during Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s tenure as the prime minister as a large number of them were given permanent posts.

The two-time prime minister and Langkawi MP said the matter was not even a problem during Najib Razak’s administration.

“It was not a major problem during my time because the contract doctors did have much to complain about, and even during Najib’s time,” said the Pejuang founder.

“It is bad now as many of them are not given permanent post even after serving for many years. Last time, these doctors managed to get permanent posts.”

Pejuang information chief Ulya Aqamah Husamudin, who was the online press conference host, later clarified that in 2019 under the Pakatan Harapan government, more than 10,000 contract doctors were given permanent posts.

However, it has been reported that since the contract doctor system was introduced in 2016, only 789 out of more than 23,000 contract doctors have been given permanent posts.

On today’s Hartal Doktor Kontrak strike, Dr Mahathir said the young doctors should be given equal rights as their senior colleagues.

The 96-year-old leader said it is grossly unfair to treat the doctors in such a way.

“They are doing what real doctors are doing. Therefore, they should be treated equally,” he said.

This morning, hundreds of contract doctors went on a strike nationwide to demand the government provide them permanent posts.

The strike started at 11am despite police presence at various hospitals.

Clad mostly in black, the doctors held placards that read “We are future specialists” and “Specialists in the making, yet our future is aching”.

The walkout went ahead despite Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s announcement that the government would extend their contract before a permanent solution could be put in place.

The Hartal Doktor Kontrak group behind the protest rejected the offer as “half-baked” and said it was not the solution they were looking for. – July 26, 2021.