An effort to collect donations for flood victims has not sat well with Health Ministry staff after they were apparently forced to part with their hard earned cash instead of giving out of free will.

 

According to memos to hospitals and district health departments in Johor, sighted by Malaysiakini , the Health Ministry provided specific amounts the staff is expected to donate.

 

The memos said all funds will go towards assisting Health Ministry staff who were victims in the recent floods.

 

When contacted, Health Ministry director-general Noor Hisham Abdullah confirmed the directive came from Health Minister Dr S Subramaniam ( left ) and the ministry.

 

He added that everyone at the Health Ministry were "very much encouraged" to help their colleagues but said the ministry cannot take action against them for refusing to donate, at least not legally.

 

However, asked if staff who refused to comply with the directive would see their appraisal affected or transfer requests rejected, Noor Hisham indicated that this might happen.

 

"Yes, indeed. If you guys are calculative, we too can be calculative," he said.

 

Staff told to donate specific amount

 

A Health Ministry memo to 12 hospitals in Johor sighted by Malaysiakini provided specific amounts staff are expected to donate which it described as "suggested donation".

 

The "suggested donation" for staff with Jusa A rank is RM3,000 followed by RM2,000 for Jusa B and RM1,000 for Jusa C.

Officers with other grades were suggested to donate a minimum of RM10.

 

The memo, issued by Johor Health Department (Management) deputy director Khairul Anwar Bachok, said that all funds must be banked in by Feb 2 and the bank slip is to be faxed or emailed to the Health Ministry’s finance officer.

 

A similar memo, sighted by Malaysiakini , was sent to Johor Health Departments in 11 districts and 11 units in the public health division.

 

In the memo, it listed a "collection rates" as follows: Jusa B (RM2,000), Jusa C (RM1,000), Grade 54 (RM500), Grade 52 (RM400), Grade 48 (RM300), Grade 44 (RM200), Grade 41 (RM100), Grade 36 (RM50), Grade 32 (RM40), Grade 17 to 29 (RM10) and support staff 2 (RM5).

 

It asked that all funds be banked and the bank slip sent to the public health division's secretary.

 

The memo was issued by the Johor Health Department deputy director (public health) Fatimah Othman.

 

Noor Hisham told Malaysiakini the directive applied to all Health Ministry staff nationwide.

 

He added that even the minister himself is chipping in, with a "suggested value" of RM10,000 and RM7,000 for the deputy minister and RM5,000 for the director-general and secretary-general.

 

In December last year, the East Coast was devastated by the worst flooding the country has seen for decades, displacing over 250,000 people.