Kuching: The 30% quota for specialisation pathway places reserved for doctors serving in Sabah and Sarawak is a good step, but more must be done to make East Malaysia an attractive and sustainable career choice for doctors, said Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii Lee Wuen.
Yii said the measure should be followed by broader reforms covering career opportunities, remuneration, posting certainty, and living conditions, particularly for doctors serving in rural areas.
He said the quota addressed one of the key concerns among doctors posted to East Malaysia that serving in Sabah and Sarawak could affect their opportunities to pursue specialist training.
However, he urged the Health Ministry to go beyond the 30% quota by giving doctors who serve in Sabah and Sarawak additional priority or weightage when applying for master’s and specialisation programmes at local universities.
“Career priority, fair pay, clear postings, and proper living conditions must all form part of the solution,” he said.
Yii also renewed his call for the restoration or enhancement of the Bayaran Insentif Wilayah (BIW), particularly for doctors serving in rural areas.
He said remuneration should better reflect the realities of serving in remote locations, where doctors also have fewer opportunities to supplement their income through private locum work.
On postings, Yii proposed that doctors be informed from the outset of their specific location and duration of service, rather than receiving posting letters that only state Sabah or Sarawak.
He said greater certainty would allow doctors to plan their careers, families, and specialist training applications.
“That is why I welcome the Minister’s recent announcement that 30% of specialisation pathway places will be reserved for doctors who choose to serve in Sabah and Sarawak.
“This announcement comes only a few days after I raised the urgency of this issue in Parliament. I am glad the Ministry has responded quickly, and I hope this is the first of many steps,” he said.
Yii also called for closer cooperation between the Federal and Sabah and Sarawak governments to provide additional incentives and accelerate repairs and upgrades to staff quarters, particularly in rural areas.
“The growing number of doctors who do not report for duty after being posted to Sabah and Sarawak is not merely an administrative inconvenience, but if not addressed properly, will definitely be a healthcare crisis.
“Every doctor who fails to turn up is a clinic left understaffed and a rural community left without proper quality care. This must be addressed urgently, before the gap in healthcare between East and West Malaysia, as well as the urban and rural areas, widens even further,” he said.
Yii said such measures were necessary to ensure communities in Sabah and Sarawak receive the same standard of healthcare as Malaysians elsewhere.
