Sarawak extends RM300 allowance to all health workers

Sarawak says it will extend its cash incentive to all healthcare workers.

KUCHING: All Sarawak health workers, even those not on the frontline of the Covid-19 crisis, are to get a special state incentive payment of RM600 a month for six months, the state government announced.

State housing and local government minister Dr Sim Kui Hian, who is also in charge of health matters, said the decision to expand the programme followed feedback about health workers who did not qualify for special federal government allowance.

He said the state had agreed to extend the incentive and had asked the health department to identify the number of eligible health workers.

Under the “Sarawakku Sayang” stimulus package announced by Chief Minister Abang Johari Openg on March 23, frontliners battling to control the spread of Covid-19 will be paid RM300 for six months until September. This will benefit 6,232 medical doctors and staff.

Earlier this month, Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii urged Putrajaya to extend a RM600 special allowance to other medical staff including emergency and trauma department (ETD) doctors, pharmacists, essential medical supply logistics coordinators, psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, counsellors and cleaners.

He said some doctors and medical staff worked on weekly rotations in Covid-19 areas and might not be stationed for the minimum 15 days to qualify for the full allowance.

“But this does not mean that they don’t deserve to be rewarded for their efforts and hard work,” he said. - FMT