LETTER | The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) welcomes the Health Ministry's launch of its Guidelines on Management of Bullying in the Workplace for its personnel.

This is an initiative that is the fruition of repeated calls on the need to foster safe and respectful working environments for healthcare workers across the healthcare system.

We hope these guidelines will not only provide clear procedures for reporting and handling cases but will also bring about real change on the ground. The well-being of healthcare workers must remain a priority, as it directly impacts the quality of care delivered to patients.

At the same time, we wish to stress the importance of ensuring closure for cases of bullying that have already been reported. The MMA has, in the past, brought up cases to the attention of the ministry, including a case in Sabah.

For healthcare workers to have confidence in the system, it is vital that complaints are not only addressed with urgency, transparency, and fairness but also bring about closure for all affected.

We trust that with these new guidelines in place, such cases will be resolved swiftly and that this initiative will mark the beginning of a stronger, zero-tolerance culture against bullying in our healthcare services.

DR KALWINDER SINGH KHAIRA is president of the Malaysian Medical Association.

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