Ding speaking at the press conference via Zoom.
SIBU (July 24): Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) Education Bureau says that Sarawak is capable of managing medical services and the medical profession.
Its chairman Datuk Ding Kuong Hiing said that the recent innoculation of Covid-19 clearly demonstrated the abilities and professionalism of Sarawakians, and suggested that the Ministry of Health of Malaysia be changed to Ministry of Health of Sarawak and replace the Malaysian Medical Council (MMC) with Sarawak Medical Council (SMC).
In a press conference via Zoom today, he called on the state government to consider this proposal.
“Sarawak is the most effective and efficient region in Malaysia to administer innoculations to its peoples in Sarawak and will reach herd immunity as early as August this year,” he said.
He also put up the suggestion in view that there was no transparency in the selection process for the permanent post for contract Medical Officers (MOs).
According to him, recently, he had been informed that MOH had promoted 300 contract MOs as permanent MOs whereby 150 would be sent to the hospitals in Sarawak and another 150 to Sabah.
“For the 150 MOs sent to Sarawak hospitals, we do not know how many are Sarawakians. We have many Sarawak contract MOs who are just as competent as those from West Malaysia. Why can’t they be offered permanent posts?” he asked.
Thus, in this he said it is unfair to Sarawak contract MOs.
He said since December 2019, SUPP Central Education Bureau has fought for four Sarawak contract MOs whose contracts were expired and not renewed by MOH to become permanent MOs .
However, until now, only two were given the permanent posts.
He said the other two MOs who did not get the permanent posts are Public Service Department (JPA) scholars working in Sibu hospital and Sarawak General Hospital.
Ding, who is also Meradong assemblyman said based on JPA scholarship agreements, they have to serve in government hospitals for 10 years.
However, now they are only being given contracts renewable on yearly basis.
“The government obviously has breached the JPA agreement signed with the JPA scholarship holders. MOs on contract who are JPA scholarship holders are in a limbo caused by the policy of MOH,” he lamented.
Then, on Sept 16, last year, he said the current Minister of Health gave the assurance to the SUPP leaders that ‘all was considered done’ and to ‘ask the parents not to worry’ after reading letters of appeal from patients and a letter of support from the Chief Minister.
However, he said to the best of their knowledge there are still two Sarawakians MOs who had passed part of their post graduate examinations who are still waiting for their permanent posts.
“The Health Minister gave this assurance in the presence of Senator Robert Lau Hui Yew and Deputy chairman of Sibu Rural District Council (SRDC) Wong Ching Yong. The health minister must walk the talk.
“When the Prime Minister visited Kuching in April 2021, the letter of appeal for the two said MOs was handed to the principal private secretary of the Prime Minister. Up till now, there is no response from his office,” he lamented.
He said MOH must also openly disclose the criteria of offering permanent posts to MOs on contract.
“We have repeated this request many times already but for reasons only best known to MOH, it seems it has fallen on deaf ears,” he said.
Ding also said that prime minister’s announcement on the maximum of four years of contract at the end of the compulsory service is not good enough.
He said four years is insufficient for almost all MOs to prepare and pass a specialist examination.
“Obviously, the MOs on contract are not happy too with the offer of the Prime Minister because they will carry on with the scheduled strike on July 26, 2021.
“It is reported that about 18,000 will go on strike and we are concerned with ongoing severe outbreak of Covid-19 and Delta virus, a few thousand MOs on contract will be enough to significantly disrupt the medical services,” he said.
Thus, he said the bureau is of the strong view that a one-go contract of 10 years is more reasonable if permanent posts are not financially feasible for the government.
Meanwhile, MMA Sibu branch chairman Dr Wong Chya Wei said the prime minster’s offer of the maximum of four years of contract at the end of the compulsory service is quite confusing.
He explained that medical officers would have to undergo two years of compulsory service after finishing their two years of housemanship.
He said normally, medical officers would try gain entry into a master programme during those four years of service.
He said if the medical officers were able to gain entry into a master programme within the years of compulsory service, the four-year extension offered by the Prime Minister should be adequate to complete the programme.
“But, in reality, it is very seldom that any medical officers would be able to gain entry into the master programme within the years of compulsory service.
“Unless the Prime Minister direction is that; after the four years of service, meaning two years of housemanship plus two years of compulsory service, they get another extension of another two years which means six years.
“Then, in these two years, they get entry into the master programme and they gain another four years extension, then that is possible, that means it is a total of 10 years of service,” he said.
SUPP Dudong Youth Branch Chief Benjamin Tian also said that the offer by the Prime Minister on the maximum four years contract did not make any difference for the contract pharmacists.
Tian, who is also a pharmacist, said contract pharmacists faced a similar situation as contract medical officers whereby they could not attend specialist training to become clinical pharmacists.
He said such training is only offered to the permanent pharmacists.
Also present at the press conference was SUPP Dudong Branch chairman Wong Ching Yong.