{
  "id": 17733268,
  "title": "Health ministry short of 1,176 drivers, including for ambulances",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/02/health-ministry-short-of-1-176-drivers-including-for-ambulances-17733268",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-02T02:02:53.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2026/11/02/health-ministry-short-of-1-176-drivers-including-for-ambulances"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The health ministry is currently facing a significant shortage of 1,176 drivers, including those required for ambulances, which is causing existing drivers to take on heavier workloads. This shortage is expected to last until April 2027. The issue arises due to a delay in recruitment by the public services commission (SPA) in 2024. The ministry has postponed the hiring of drivers to allow for the implementation of a new scheme under the Public Service Remuneration System. As a result, drivers are now officially referred to as general service assistants and are categorized as skilled service personnel. This change necessitates a more rigorous evaluation of candidates' qualifications to ensure they are suitable and competent to perform their duties, particularly for ambulance drivers. The ministry anticipates filling the vacancies in stages starting from April 2027, with candidates completing their driving competency tests on October 27. Currently, out of the 8,863 driver positions available nationwide, 7,687 have been filled. The region with the most vacancies is Peninsular Malaysia, with 1,003 drivers needed, followed by Sarawak with 92, Sabah with 73, and Labuan with 8. A union representing drivers under the health ministry has called for immediate action to fill these vacancies to ensure the public ambulance service operates at its optimal level, highlighting that the manpower shortage has led to driver burnout.",
  "summary": "The lack of manpower is reportedly expected to persist until April next year, caused by a postponement of recruitment by SPA in 2024.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "New Straits Times",
        "title": "Health Ministry faces 1,176-driver shortage, including for ambulances",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/02/health-ministry-faces-1-176-driver-shortage-including-for-ambulances",
        "published": "2026-11-02T01:38:44.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Malay Mail",
        "title": "Health Ministry faces shortage of 1,176 drivers, including ambulance personnel",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/02/health-ministry-faces-shortage-of-1-176-drivers-including-ambulance",
        "published": "2026-11-02T02:37:31.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "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."
}