Sabah MMA warns allowance cuts could worsen shortage of doctors in East M'sia

The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) Sabah chapter has urged the government to reconsider cuts to the regional incentive allowance for doctors and pharmacists transferring to East Malaysia.

It warned that slashing the Bayaran Insentif Wilayah (BIW) could further discourage medical professionals from serving in Sabah and Sarawak.

MMA Sabah chairperson Dr Brandon Patrick Senagang said Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan already struggle to attract and retain healthcare workers, and the revised policy risks deepening shortages in critical services.

“Even under the old framework, Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan had struggled to attract and retain medical professionals.

“Such steep cuts will just aggravate an already dire situation of insufficient medical professionals, jeopardising the quality of care for our patients,” he said in a statement today.

Since December 2024, newly appointed medical officers posted to Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan have been receiving a significantly reduced BIW allowance compared with their seniors, fixed at RM360 monthly for certain grades under the new Public Service Remuneration System.

CodeBlue reported yesterday that before the revised BIW scheme, UD14 grade medical officers received a RM1,000 monthly allowance.

‘Not a call for special treatment’

Senagang said the allowance is not merely a financial perk, but a recognition of the costs and challenges associated with relocating and serving in regions where healthcare delivery is shaped by distance, logistics and resource limitations.

“When young doctors perceive that the system is less willing to recognise the genuine burdens of service in East Malaysia, it translates into reduced willingness to accept postings and weaker retention,” he added.

MMA Sabah called on the Public Service Department and the Finance Ministry to urgently review the decision.

“This is not a call for special treatment. It is a call for equitable policy design.

“Protecting incentives that support staffing in Sabah is, ultimately, protecting the health of Sabahans,” he stressed.

Budget 2026: Fund public healthcare, scrap sugar subsidies - MMA

'Ship has sunk': Specialist reflects on doctor cousin's move to work in NZ

Who did health minister consult over shift work, Bersatu leader asks

Health Ministry's town hall on shift work plan 'disastrous' - report