{
  "id": 11721225,
  "title": "Doktor ke Sabah, Sarawak boleh tuntut elaun pindah penuh, kata KKM",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/03/doktor-ke-sabah-sarawak-boleh-tuntut-elaun-pindah-penuh-kata-kkm-11721225",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-10-03T15:46:23.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today-freemalays",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/bahasa/tempatan/2026/10/03/doktor-ke-sabah-sarawak-boleh-tuntut-elaun-pindah-penuh-kata-kkm"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Health Minister announced the full relocation allowance issue will be resolved from the 2025 cohort of fixed-term staff. PETALING JAYA: The Health Ministry (KKM) approved full relocation allowance to ease the placement of medical staff in Sabah and Sarawak. KKM said this initiative is a strategic move by the ministry to ensure financial challenges are no longer a burden for health staff receiving cross-state placements. Under the approval of the Finance Ministry and Public Service Department (JPA), the issue of relocation costs was fully resolved starting with the 2025 fixed-term appointees. The KKM also successfully ensured the same benefits will continue for appointees in 2026 and beyond. This ongoing initiative demonstrates the government's commitment to valuing the sacrifices of its workers, according to Berita Harian. The explanation came in response to social media reports of doctors facing difficulties in applying for relocation allowances in Sabah and Sarawak, claiming their claims were denied due to alleged dishonesty. The benefit is also aligned with the 20 Madani Government Initiatives for KKM Staff Welfare, which allows staff with a fixed status to claim full relocation allowance. In related developments, KKM clarified that the issue of doctor shortages and imbalance in medical staff placements can be managed once the ministry is given autonomy to manage and allocate its own staff. This step would reduce the problem to a greater extent. The government also took long-term steps, including offering fixed-term appointments to 4,500 contract medical staff this year, KKM said. Additionally, KKM requires contract medical staff receiving fixed-term appointments to choose at least one placement in Sabah, Sarawak, or Labuan through the improved placement system ePlacement, which started last year. Meanwhile, the waiting time for placement in the internship program for medical graduates has been shortened to two months, compared to over 10 months before, KKM said.",
  "summary": "Kementerian mahu pastikan cabaran kewangan tidak lagi jadi beban petugas kesihatan yang menerima penempatan rentas wilayah.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Doktor ke Sabah, Sarawak boleh tuntut elaun pindah penuh, kata KKM",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/03/doktor-ke-sabah-sarawak-boleh-tuntut-elaun-pindah-penuh-kata-kkm",
        "published": "2026-10-03T15:46:23.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}