PN denies links to strike by contract doctors

 

Perikatan Nasional is not involved in the Mogok Doktor Kontrak strike, a member of the coalition's health committee claimed today.

Dr Aiman Alias said the coalition was merely supporting the movement, which demanded that all contract doctors be given permanent positions, an increase in basic salary and on-call rates, and a resolution to staff shortages.

“No, we’re not. I am part of PN’s health committee. We are just supporting their movement,” he told Malaysiakini, when asked if PN was involved in the strike.

The identity of the individuals behind Mogok Doktor Malaysia, who have chosen to remain anonymous, has raised suspicions of many.

This came after Mogok Doktor Malaysia refused to respond to Malaysiakini’s queries about the strike claiming that the news portal was owned by “DAP or Pakatan Harapan-linked (political) parties”.

It added that Malaysiakini’s previous articles on the strike were “highly biased” and did not want to entertain the portal’s request for comment when contacted.

This was despite explanations from the journalist that the portal had also contacted the organisation last week for comment.

After Malaysiakini reported the incident, several netizens were spotted questioning if the group had links to PN.

Aiman, who had earlier sent a statement by Kuala Langat MP Dr Ahmad Yunus Hairi to a Telegram group linked to Mogok Doktor Malaysia, was named as a suspect.

However, he explained that they had attempted to contact the organisers of Mogok Doktor Malaysia to no avail, therefore are only voicing their support.

“So what we do is just leave a message to their Telegram group and say that we are supporting them, understand what they are going through and that we are here to help,” he said, adding that he did not know the identities of the organisers.

“But I totally understand their decision to remain anonymous because they said that they are working medical officers, so we understand that,” he said.

10,000 doctors to go on strike

The Mogok Doktor Kontrak protest begun today and is scheduled to take place until Wednesday (April 5).

Organisers of the strike called on contract doctors to to take medical leave, emergency leave or resign en masse.

The strike's organiser, Mogok Doktor Malaysia, told The Vibes that they expected at least 10,000 to 12,000 contract doctors to go on strike.

However, checks by Malaysiakini and other media found that government hospitals appeared to be operating as usual today.

Earlier, Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa told the New Straits Times that government hospitals would be put on alert today to monitor if the strike would go as planned.

However, Zaliha gave her assurance that hospital and clinic operations would proceed as normal.

Prior to the planned strike, the government had established a high-level inter-ministerial committee to look into issues related to contract doctors.

Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had asked that the committee be given time to come up with a solution.

Separately, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim had said that resolving the woes of contract doctors may take three years, and he gave his assurance that 1,500 doctors would get permanent jobs this year. - Mkini