A SPECIAL taskforce led by the Health Ministry (MOH) and the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) is studying amendments to the Pension Act to enable permanent posts for contract doctors, health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said.

“We hope a special taskforce led by MMA and MOH will see to the amendment of the Pension Act for permanent employment with EPF (Employees Provident Fund) within two years for all contract extensions given to all 23,000 doctors now,” he said in a tweet tonight.

In a series of tweets, he also urged MPs to support this move when the amendments come before Parliament, and for contract doctors to continue negotiations rather than protesting

“As we fight for the cause of better working conditions and better future for contract officers, we might suffer and be hurt in our journey.

“I would prefer (an) amicable solution via negotiations (ongoing with numerous parties) rather than demonstration during these difficult times and MCO.

“In the interim, the contract officers can still continue their postgraduate education in Masters or parallel pathway. 

“It is our utmost hope that in two years or less, they will be absorbed into permanent employment under EPF.”

Contract doctors launched a brief walkout yesterday at several government hospitals under the Hartal Doktor Kontrak movement, which planned the strike to pressure the government over the lack of permanent employment.

Since the system was launched in 2016, only over 700 out of 23,000 contract doctors have been given permanent posts.

Contract doctors, or medical officers (MO), have said that being on contract for the five years under the system denies them career progression and the chance to take up specialisation, which often takes longer.

The system also denies them equal treatment as doctors, such as paid study leave and federal training awards.

There are also complaints that the criteria and assessment for appointment to permanent posts lack transparency.

Various health and medical groups have warned of the shortage in specialists that the contract system would cause as young MOs begin to leave the profession for lack of a career path.

On July 23, as a temporary solution, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin announced a further two-year extension for of contract for all contract medical officers, dental officers and pharmaceutical officers upon completion of their mandatory government service.

The contracts of officers who have been accepted for specialist studies will also be extended for four more years.

While welcomed as a stop gap measure, doctors and medical groups have said it fell short of being a proper solution. – July 27, 2021.