Netizens blast Health Ministry for star-studded Raya do

Summary

• Netizens criticise Health Ministry for hosting grand Raya open house yesterday with performances from famous singers Siti Nurhaliza and Jamal Abdillah as entertainment.

• They question how much the ministry spent on such an extravagant event when healthcare workers struggle with being underpaid and overworked due to the ministry’s budget constraints.

The Health Ministry has come under heavy criticism for organising a grand Hari Raya celebration at its headquarters yesterday.

Many netizens raised questions on the price tag that the ministry had to pay for such a star-studded open house, after photos from the event showed an elaborate celebration that included performances by famous local singers.

Based on photos posted on Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad's Facebook, among those invited to entertain guests were pop queen Siti Nurhaliza Tarudin and legendary singer Jamal Abdillah.

Traditional Malay dancers were also seen performing on stage during the event, which was also attended by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

Dzulkefly's Facebook posting, uploaded shortly before 11pm last night, attracted hundreds of critical comments, including from individuals believed to be healthcare workers.

"The ministry staff members are so lucky, they can afford a ’level kayangan' (grand level) feast and invite expensive artistes (to perform).

"(But) it would be better if they could use that kind of budget to repair clinics that are in poor condition," a netizen responded in the comment section below the post.

A different netizen outrightly asked what it cost, while another described it as an embarrassing move to flaunt such an extravagant event.

"If I were (the minister), I would be ashamed to organise such a feast and upload about it on social media when those who work under my command are facing burnouts," the Facebook user said, believed to be referring to the workload issues that government doctors faced nationwide.

A separate netizen wrote: "You can add food to your plate. When are you going to add more staff?"

There were also comments suggesting that Dzulkefly resign.

Malaysiakini has reached out to the ministry and the minister's office for comments.

An aide to Dzulkefly indicated that the minister would issue a response soon.

How much did it cost?

While it has yet to be ascertained how much the ministry had to fork out for the event and performers, Malaysiakini was informed that Jamal had agreed to sing at the event upon the invitation of its secretary-general, whom he said is a friend.

The crooner, famous for his “Gadis Melayu” and “Kekasih Awal dan Akhir” songs, said he did not set an amount but instead agreed to perform for a small token.

"Because I am a friend of the secretary-general, I did not mind how much they wanted to pay me.

"(I received) only a small amount, several thousand ringgit.

"But I was pleased to be able to entertain the prime minister and Health Ministry staff," Jamal added.

Attempts to get comments from Siti Nurhaliza through her manager have yet to be successful.

The Health Ministry has been plagued with manpower issues for many years, which the ministry blamed on financial constraints.

According to media reports, many healthcare workers, including doctors, have been experiencing burnout due to extreme working hours and heavy workload from a lack of manpower.

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