(From left) Dr Bong, Dr Wong and Malaysia Medical Association (MMA) Sibu branch president Dr Albert Yong at the press conference.
SIBU: Two doctors who had served in Sibu Hospital are among four medical officers (MO) now left in the lurch after their contracts were not renewed by the government.
Dr Wong Woan Hui and Dr Bong Ing Hui were MOs on contract with Sibu General Hospital before they were served with letters of termination, with no reason given.
Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) SUPP Dudong branch chairman Wong Ching Yong described the turn of events as “really shocking” and “grossly unjust”.
Speaking at a press conference here this morning in an open letter to the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, Ching Yong said: “As fellow medical professionals, please treat our young doctors and dentists fairly,” adding that SUPP Education Bureau would also be posting a petition on petition website www.change.org in regards to the matter.
“We hope to procure at least 100,000 signatories. SUPP Education Bureau urges the public, particularly House Officers (HOs), MOs and parents of the HOs and MOs to sign this petition to highlight this travesty of justice and raise public awareness to gain strong support for our case,” he asserted.
He also appealed to all medical officers in Malaysia, who faced similar predicaments, not to be ashamed of how they had been treated by the government as it was not their fault.
“This is (due to) the bad policies of the Ministry of Health. I hope all medical doctors, who have experienced similar termination of contracts to email us at [email protected].
“Please highlight your full names, positions and the hospitals you are working with in the email and also include your handphone number,” Ching Yong added.
Giving the background facts in chronological order, Ching Yong noted Dr Wong was with the Obstetrics & Gynecology (O&G) department and passed MRCOG part 1 paper in February 2018, while Dr Bong was with the Pediatric department for two years and one year as HO and she had also passed her MRCP (Pediatric) part 1 in 2018.
On Nov 20, 2019, both of them received a letter from the Ministry of Health informing them that their contracts would not be renewed anymore, he continued.
“Although they were engaged as medical officers, they received their wages in the grade of UD41 for two years because they were MOs on contract and not permanent staff.
“Their basic salary is RM664 per month less and the loss totals up to RM7,968 per year, excluding the yearly increment.
“MOs are further humiliated as the HOs are getting Flexi Allowance amounting to RM600 per month but the allowance is not available to MOs. The workload as a contract medical officer with UD41 is as heavy as their colleagues on the Permanent UD44 scheme.”
“On Nov 13 last year, a bigger and more devastating injustice was dealt when they were informed by the Ministry of Health that it had decided not to renew their contracts. No reason was given in the letter of termination.
“There are four doctors whose contracts are terminated. They are now left in a limbo. They have passed respectively MRCOG part 1 and MRCP (Pediatric) part 1. Without working in an approved hospital for a period of not less than four years, they cannot sit for their final part of the paper in O&G and Pediatrics,” he added.
Ching Yong said all medical officers who wish to become specialists have legitimate expectations that the Ministry of Health would allow them to work in government hospitals for a period of approximately seven years so that they can have the requisite training.
The decision of the government not to renew contracts for medical officers who are undergoing postgraduate studies is a travesty of justice, he pointed out.
He said the termination of contracts was akin to rubbing salt into their wounds, because Sibu General Hospital in the letter dated Nov 22, 2019 to the Ministry of Health had confirmed that the O&G and Pediatric departments in the hospital were understaffed.
“Under such circumstances, why does the Ministry of Health still decide not to renew their contracts? They are informed that their termination is the first case in the country whereby contracts of medical officers are not renewed.
“Therefore, they expect that more terminations of medical officer contracts will follow soon. This unreasonable termination of employment of doctors must be stopped immediately,” Ching Yong highlighted.
At this point, he said SUPP Education Bureau requests Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, the Minister of Health to answer the following questions:
“SUPP Education Bureau is informed that only 25 per cent of the medical and dental officers will get permanent posts. We demand that the Ministry of Health publicly disclose the criteria of giving permanent posts to those medical and dental officers.
“Since Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad assumed the office in May 2018, there were several controversial policies that caused public outcries. This include proposing abolishing the Critical Service Incentive Payment (BIPK), which was postponed after the issue was highlighted in the media.
“The controversial amendment of Poison Act 1952 was withdrawn after it was revealed that jail awaited doctors who refused patients’ prescription requests. The amendment was postponed after strong protests from doctors and dentists,” he said.
Likewise, on the abrupt termination of MOs, SUPP Education Bureau would like to know if the Minister of Health is being properly advised by Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, the Director General Ministry of Health on issues affecting the welfare of the doctors, dentists, pharmacists.
“Has the DG of Health withheld any pertinent information from the Minister? Has the DG done his research and homework thoroughly before advising the Minister?”
“If a civil servant didn’t do the research – the minister will be misled and misdirected.
“We are being informed that when come to the confirmation of permanent posts of Medical Officers and Dental Officers, priority is given to West Malaysia for example, in Klang Hospital, a total of 73 MOs are given confirmed posts.
“There is no information about the confirmation of permanent posts in Sarawak,” he observed.
Meanwhile, Education Bureau chairman Datuk Ding Kuong Hiing also described the situation as most unfair and unfortunate.
“We want to highlight the issue here to the Ministry of Health and federal government. If there are too many doctors, we should control the intake of medical students. Now that they have all graduated as doctors – we have an obligation to train them to give them proper guidance,” Ding stressed.
Also present at the press conference were SUPP Dudong advisor Datuk Dr Soon Choon Teck, Malaysia Medical Association (MMA) Sibu branch president Dr Albert Yong, Sarawak Taiwan Graduates’ Association (STGA) advisor Dr Hu Chang Lek, MMA Sibu branch member Dr Wong Chya Wei and lawyer Victor Lau.