I wish it can be made clear that non-returning doctors with a contract to return are traitors in every sense.

You have already agreed to return and work in exchange for your education. You have been fully paid to study abroad, and in some cases, with daily expenses paid and a computer! If you did not receive your end of the bargain, fine, leave for all I care, but once you've received everything, it s time for you to pay back.

Not coming back is akin to buying something, and not paying for it.

At the same time, I wish it can be made clear that those who leave public medical service after their time is up are honourable doctors. Who in their right mind would stay for low wages and bad working conditions longer than is necessary?

Some might have other reasons to do so, and people should be grateful to them. After so many years of study to commit themselves to a profession which requires lifelong learning, one should expect doctors to live life reasonably comfortably.

Living in a terrace house, driving a Kancil is not very comfortable, no offence to anyone in those positions. We as doctors (or future doctors) do not hope to be rich, but we do expect to be more comfortable than those who enjoyed life through high school and university.

Given the squandering of valuable ringgit by the government on failed/failing projects, it is no wonder why public health is in such a bad shape. State-of-the-art equipment in hospitals are a one-off expense, but saving Proton seems to be a lifelong problem.

Give priority to what is important, and not much comes close to public health in terms of importance. Make healthcare a big issue in the newspapers come election time. Aim to reduce waiting time in hospitals. Train more allied health staff to lighten the workload. Train more triage nurses.

Subsidise private healthcare to further reduce the number of patients in public hospitals. One doesn't need to be a doctor to know that there are many ways to achieve better healthcare than just training more doctors.

Give public sector doctors the incentive to stay on and to go out to the kampungs - don't criticise them for not staying on in public service. Ask yourself before condemning these doctors - are you working for the government? If you are, compare your salaries and workload.

In the end, their services are still important to the country. By condemning them, you are just urging them to leave the country, creating a total loss as you no longer have the option of seeing these doctors for your healthcare needs. Being in private practice in Malaysia would be a much better option for Malaysian doctors than being in private practice in the UK.

I wish I don't have to read another letter on why doctors who leave the public service are evil. Few as they may be, those who write in condemning private practice are only concerned about themselves, much more than the people they're condemning.

And I hope this does not spark off any letters on doctors who leave the country. Again, this is their own right to do so.