Zaliha denies 'U-turn' on health commission, hits back at report

PKR MP Dr Zaliha Mustafa has denied opposing the formation of a Health Service Commission (HSC) during her tenure as the health minister between December 2022 and December 2023.

Zaliha (above) was responding to a report by health news portal CodeBlue yesterday, which accused her of “backtracking” from her alleged initial opposition to the HSC when she recently proposed that the government expedite efforts towards the HSC.

The Sekijang lawmaker’s call yesterday came as the issue of healthcare workers’ welfare and remuneration resurfaced following the fatal Sept 8 helicopter crash in Sarawak, which killed a pilot and four healthcare personnel on Flying Doctor Service (FDS) duty.

Taking to Facebook, Zaliha sought to clarify her stance on the matter by arguing that CodeBlue’s report is “inaccurate and does not reflect the actual record and context”.

In particular, she said her comments in the Dewan Rakyat on June 15, 2023 - as referenced by the portal - were not an “absolute rejection” of efforts to establish an HSC.

READ MORE: Activist questions Zaliha’s U-turn on health commission after fatal heli crash

“I explained the limits of a service commission's powers under Article 144 of the Federal Constitution (and) stated that the functions of a service commission cover matters of appointment, confirmation of post, promotion, transfer, and discipline.

“I also explained that the establishment of a HSC would not, on its own, grant the power to create new posts or draft remuneration systems, including setting more competitive emolument rates…establishing a new service commission involves a complex process, including the need for constitutional amendments and two-thirds support in the Dewan Rakyat and Dewan Negara,” she added.

‘Govt was studying proposal’

Zaliha also highlighted that about three weeks after her winding-up speech in Parliament, she had stated that the government would still establish HSC and the Health Ministry was studying the most suitable model to implement.

“In October 2023, the Health Ministry under my leadership went on to form a technical working group to study the establishment of the HSC, including looking into appropriate models and mechanisms.

“Hence, where did the narrative come from that I previously ‘opposed’ the HSC and have now changed my stance?” she questioned.

She further labelled CodeBlue’s report as “disappointing,” insisting that a single excerpt from her parliamentary winding-up speech in June 2023 was “selected and framed” as if it constituted her overall rejection of the HSC.

“The media has the right to criticise me or any leader. I respect that freedom. However, press freedom comes with the responsibility to report accurately, fairly, and with sufficient context.

“Taking a single quote from a parliamentary speech, stripping it of its actual context, and then building a narrative as though a shift in stance occurred - when records before and after the statement show otherwise - does not, in my view, reflect proper journalistic standards,” she said.

Experts had previously emphasised that the HSC was a promised aspect of the Health White Paper (HWP), which Parliament passed in 2023 under Zaliha’s tenure without mentioning the establishment of an HSC.

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