Doctors owe the public a debt of gratitude

 Having enjoyed a heavily-subsidised education funded by taxpayers, doctors in return should serve the public.

From Moaz Nair

It is encouraging to see that despite severe bureaucratic and financial constraints, the government has finally introduced decisive reform measures to retain doctors within the national health service.

Chief among these reforms is the health ministry being granted full authority by the public services department to manage and distribute positions independently, effectively bypassing lengthy bureaucratic red tape.

Furthermore, the health ministry aims to end the contract system by 2028 by accelerating permanent job offers. A clear example of this commitment was seen in mid-2026, when 4,500 contract doctors were offered permanent appointments.

In addition, contract doctors relocating to fill permanent positions, including those moving to Sabah and Sarawak, are now eligible to claim relocation and cargo allowances.

To sustain this momentum and retain young medical talent, ensuring a predictable path to permanent employment must remain a priority.

However, granting doctors autonomy over their hospital placements would be another effective strategy for maximising retention rates. This practice would simultaneously address individual personal needs and act as a robust incentive for continued public service.

The other side of the equation

Medical professionals must exercise patience and a sense of patriotism when serving the nation. The government has invested heavily in public-sector medical professionals so they can serve the public with dedication. While the medical field faces undeniable challenges, the vocal grievances of a minority should not dishearten the broader workforce or drive them away from public service.

When doctors continuously complain about salaries and working conditions, it erodes public trust in both the medical profession and government hospitals. Public healthcare workers must remember that they are not the only ones in a “critical” profession. Lawyers, engineers, teachers, and nurses are equally vital to Malaysia’s prosperity.

The myth of unfair compensation

Current complaints from certain government doctors are largely driven by shifting demand-supply dynamics. However, if money is one’s sole ambition in life, no amount of wealth will ever bring satisfaction. Compared to many other civil servants, doctors remain among the highest-paid professionals in government service.

Beyond a competitive base salary, the public sector offers robust benefits funded directly by taxpayers. These include unique financial supplements, fully sponsored opportunities for local and overseas postgraduate specialisation, regular promotions, performance bonuses, and secure government pensions.

Public duty over financial gain

The government has a fundamental duty to protect public health. For many Malaysians, especially low-income families, government hospitals represent the only access to affordable healthcare. Doctors who feel underpaid for their gruelling hours should have weighed these realities before entering the profession.

Prestige does not always equate to wealth or an easy life. In reality, no profession offers an effortless path if one genuinely intends to serve the community. Doctors thus owe a debt of gratitude to the nation that heavily subsidised their education, and they are reasonably expected to serve the public in return.

In the public sector, many doctors eventually transition into administrative roles. Despite no longer treating patients directly, they command high salaries — a stark contrast to private hospitals, where non-medical managers handle operations.

Furthermore, many government doctors find legal avenues to supplement their income, such as taking leave to perform locum work at private clinics or engaging in part-time university lecturing. Given these unique privileges, a sense of duty and patriotism should inspire them to serve the public with minimal complaint.

Freedom of choice

Doctors are not alone in migrating to corporate spaces: public sector lawyers, accountants, and architects frequently do the same. Everyone has the right to choose their path. If doctors are unhappy, no one can stop them from resigning, provided they have fulfilled their compulsory service bonds.

The country respects individual career choices, but exiting doctors should not tarnish the reputation of the health service.

The domestic medical landscape is also shifting. With the government expanding medical training opportunities and recruitments, the doctor shortage may soon be resolved. Once the market hits saturation, inflating doctors’ salaries far above other civil servants will no longer be justified.

Many developed nations have already reached this point of workforce optimisation, treating medicine as a standard, respected profession rather than an exceptional financial exception. - FMT

Moaz Nair is an FMT reader.

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.