AN MCA leader has urged the government to take immediate steps to reduce long waiting times at public hospitals and health clinics, saying timely healthcare should be a basic right for all Malaysians.
Its deputy president Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon said prolonged delays reflected persistent challenges within the public healthcare system, despite efforts by the Ministry of Health (MOH) to improve service delivery.
He noted that the ministry’s Cloud-Based Clinic Management System (CCMS) reported that 81% of patients were able to consult a medical officer within an hour, with the remainder seen within 90 minutes.
“While these figures are encouraging, they do not fully reflect the daily experience of many Malaysians who continue to spend hours waiting for basic medical consultation,” he stated.
Dr Mah said many Malaysians rely exclusively on public healthcare because private medical treatment remains beyond their financial means.“The government must ensure that public healthcare services are efficient, patient-centred and adequately resourced,” he stressed,
“Senior citizens, persons with disabilities and patients with chronic illnesses should be prioritised so they can receive timely consultation and treatment.”
He also cited reports indicating that patients admitted through emergency departments at government hospitals wait a median of two hours and 24 minutes before being assigned a ward bed.
According to Dr Mah, the situation underscores the need to recruit more junior doctors, medical officers and specialists to reduce overcrowding and improve patient care.
He highlighted conditions at Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahimah (HTAR) in Klang, where surgical clinics are reportedly staffed by only one medical officer per session responsible for seeing between 30 and 40 patients.
“Such workloads are simply not sustainable. They inevitably affect waiting times, staff wellbeing and the quality of care provided to patients,” he remarked.
Dr Mah said the country’s healthcare manpower shortage was being compounded by declining participation in housemanship programmes, staff burnout and the continued migration of doctors to the private sector and overseas.
He pointed to reports that only 529 medical graduates reported for duty despite 5,000 housemanship positions being offered for the January 2026 intake.
“This should serve as a serious warning. The government must address the underlying issues by offering fair employment terms, creating more permanent medical officer positions and providing competitive allowances and clearer career progression,” he emphasised.
While Malaysia has earned international recognition for its affordable and high-quality private healthcare sector through medical tourism, Dr Mah said ordinary Malaysians should also be able to access timely and quality treatment within the public healthcare system.
“Every Malaysian deserves timely access to medical treatment, and no patient should have to sacrifice half a day simply to see a doctor,” he said. ‒ Focus Malaysia
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