Tian Chua calls on people to support contract doctors' strike

 

Former lawmaker Tian Chua has called on Malaysians to support the Hartal Doktor Kontrak (HDK) proposed strike tomorrow saying that unfair treatment against a section of medical workers is also an exploitation of the entire health care system.

The PKR vice-president said this is as it affects the wellbeing of the patients and the quality of health services as a whole. 

"The planned action will not jeopardise patient care, instead it is an expression of the frustration and suffering of those who have deliciated full-heartedly to serve the people.

"In most countries where unionisation is fully recognised and functional, trade unions would be the rightful representative to negotiate on behalf of workers' interest.

"Although contract doctors have no union representation, their rights to organise industrial action should be respected," said Chua (above), who served as Batu MP from 2008 to 2018.

The campaign, he added, was not only about improving the pay and working conditions of contract doctors.

"The struggle is about defending our health care system and justice to contract doctors is justice to the health of Malaysian people.

"Support for contract doctors is a way to express our gratitude to the services and sacrifices of an important segment of frontline workers," he said.

Chua added that the withdrawal of service or so-called "strike" is the fundamental right of workers, saying it was a universal right recognised under the law, International Labour Organisation conventions and the UN Human Rights charter.

Yesterday, HDK said the nationwide protest by government contract doctors will go ahead as planned on Monday despite Putrajaya making last-minute offers to appease them.

The group spearheading the HDK movement said the solutions offered by the government in Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin's statement yesterday, were "half-baked" and only intended to keep them quiet.

"Offering us another year of contract is not a solution; it’s a sugarcoated statement to shut us up. We know well how the system works, we are not buying it. Nobody wise enough will accept it.

"Stop giving us a half-cooked solution by people who are not even in this field, or don't even know how the system works, or maybe don't even bother to think thoroughly about it because the problem is not theirs," they said in a statement posted on the movement's Facebook.

"Hartal (strike) is definitely going on," the group added.

HDK spokesperson Dr Umar Baraka said the group's survey had identified some 5,000 contract medical officers nationwide who are expected to join the walkout on June 26.

The organisers have also outlined procedures to ensure that the care of hospital patients will not be jeopardised in any way, he added.

Among others, HDK's guidelines for participants assigned to critical care departments state that they should only walk out at 11am after "pass-over" or transfer of duties to the permanent doctor on duty.

Contract medical officers at other smaller health facilities with limited personnel are encouraged to show their solidarity via videos posted on social media at 11am.

Two days ago, Muhyiddin announced that the government agreed to provide contract medical officers, dentists and pharmacists career path opportunities at par with their permanent colleagues.

The cabinet had also decided to allow contract officers other benefits such as fully paid study leave, he added.

However, the statement did not address the group's main demand, which is to get permanent positions for all government contract doctors.

The government instead offered to extend their contract to a maximum of four years. - Mkini