MMA: End contract doctor system with better pay, fairer postings

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) has called for an end to the country's contract doctor system, urging the government to provide better pay, fairer placements and clearer training pathways to retain doctors in public service. The call came in response to the Budget 2027 announcement, which brought relief following years of uncertainty over doctors' careers.

Dr Sean Thum Chern Choong, chairman of MMA's Section Concerning House Officers, Medical Officers and Specialists (SCHOMOS), emphasized that the commitment to abolish the contract doctor system must be followed by concrete actions. He explained that doctors face long-term career uncertainty and that uncertainty affects specialist training, family commitments, and financial decisions, ultimately impacting patient care.

Permanent positions alone will not solve the issue, Thum stated, stressing the need for improved remuneration, fairer placement systems, and transparent training pathways. He reflected on his own experience as a houseman under a three-year contract, which was extended for two years during the Covid-19 crisis before being terminated. Thum, like his colleagues, faced the same risks and worked shoulder to shoulder with permanent staff, without distinction.

Amirul Azhar Zulkifli, a medical officer at IIUM Hospital Ahmad Shah, echoed the MMA's concerns and welcomed the government's announcement. He called for clarification on the implementation process, particularly for doctors whose contracts had expired or who left public service due to family commitments. Amirul Azhar praised the advocacy efforts, particularly through the Hartal Doktor Kontrak movement, which fights for doctors' welfare regardless of the government in power.

He stressed the importance of follow-up measures to protect and improve doctors' welfare, encouraging a new generation to enter the profession.