Akmal raps Health Ministry over on-call allowance U-turn

Summary 

• Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh criticises the government’s U-turn on raising doctors’ on-call allowances, saying it undervalues healthcare workers’ sacrifices while ministers enjoy hefty perks.

• He warns that broken promises could demoralise doctors and push more to migrate overseas, further straining the public healthcare system.

• The Health Ministry previously said the allowance hike could not proceed due to staffing shortages and the scrapping of the flexible working hours system linked to the increment.

Putrajaya’s reversal on raising doctors’ on-call allowances has drawn flak from Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh, who said it is unacceptable that ministers receive hefty financial perks while healthcare workers remain undervalued.

In a Facebook post today, Akmal took the Health Ministry to task over Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad’s July announcement that doctors in public service will not receive the increased on-call allowance allocated in Budget 2025. 

Akmal highlighted that the announcement came despite Dzulkefly’s previous assurance that the ministry had received approval to increase the allowance for health workers.

“This is not about money, but about valuing the sacrifices of those who work day and night to care for patients, as well as those who give up time with their families to look after patients. All their sacrifices should be acknowledged.

“If ministers can have allowances worth thousands of ringgit, surely we cannot expect healthcare workers to remain stuck with allowances that do not match their efforts,” Akmal said.

More healthcare workers may migrate

The Merlimau assemblyperson also cautioned that the nation’s healthcare system could be at risk as more doctors and healthcare workers might migrate overseas in light of the “treatment” accorded to them here.

“For your information, YB minister, when it was announced that there would be an increase in the on-call allowance, our healthcare workers felt appreciated,” Akmal said.

“Even though the increase was not much compared to ‘locum’ pay in private hospitals, they still felt that their hard work was valued by the government.

“But, when there is now a U-turn saying that the on-call allowance cannot be raised, honestly, they feel cheated and disappointed,” he added.

Suggesting that Dzulkefly and other ministers “work together” with healthcare workers in hospitals for a week in order to better understand the situation, Akmal urged the government against doling out “empty promises”. 

“If you only sit on a cushioned chair, surely you will never truly be able to understand them. If the allowance really cannot be increased, just say it honestly instead of giving hope, which in the end turns out to be nothing but empty promises.

“They (healthcare workers) would rather work hard with all their exhaustion than be blatantly deceived,” he added.

In tabling Budget 2025 last year, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced an RM55 to RM65 increase in the on-call allowance for doctors and dentists in public service.

Allowance hike tied to canned flexible shift system

On April 26 this year, Dzulkefly said the increase in on-call duty allowance for health workers is expected to be finalised by June at the latest.

The minister noted then that a committee chaired by Abu Bakar Sulaiman, a former director-general of health, was in the final stages of negotiations before a decision was finalised.

However, on July 14, health news portal CodeBlue reported that the ministry had pulled the plug on the allowance increase. 

Dzulkefly reportedly attributed the matter to the Health Ministry’s inability to implement the flexible working hours (Waktu Bekerja Berlainan or WBB) shift system due to insufficient medical officers.

“Based on our observations, WBB was unable to be implemented due to insufficient medical workers in many healthcare facilities. Therefore, the Health Ministry finds that the on-call allowance (increase) cannot be given at this time,” the health portal quoted Dzulkefly as saying in a statement.

The minister also reportedly conveyed his instructions to the health director-general to continue “fighting and working” towards a solution to realise the provision of the allowance, adding that discussion with stakeholders will be continued.

In January, the cabinet decided to cancel the controversial pilot project on the WBB for healthcare workers, which was linked with an on-call allowance increment for medical officers and specialist doctors performing active calls on weekends or public holidays.

The increment, however, would only have applied for those in departments or units that implement the WBB shift system.

While aimed at reducing working hours and improving conditions, some quarters, such as the Malaysia Medical Association, had argued that its implementation could risk further burdening an already overstretched public healthcare system.

MOH ready to explore healthcare funding reforms for ageing population

MOH to consider buying purpose-built ambulances: Lukanisman

'Healthcare system failing disabled women on sexual, reproductive rights'

Doctors, nurses in public healthcare facilities quitting to be raised in Dewan

Dzulkefly assures fix for 'erased' seniority in healthcare sector