PETALING JAYA: A total of 2,138 contract doctors have been placed on a waiting list after they failed to make the cut for permanent positions in government service.
They were among a total of 9,152 contract officers under the health ministry who were called for interviews last month to fill 4,914 permanent posts – 4,263 Grade UD43 medical officers, 335 Grade UG41 dental officers and 316 Grade UF41 pharmacists.
As for the contract doctors, 11,563 had applied for the 4,263 permanent posts available but only 7,062 had been called for interviews.
Of those unsuccessful, 2,138 were then placed on a waiting list. This is said to be a departure from past practice when the Public Services Commission (PSC) letter states only it “regrets to inform you that you have not been selected.”
According to a few contract doctors who contacted the PSC, they were told that those on the waiting list will be offered the posts if those selected rejected the offer or when vacancies opened up due to others leaving the service.
A medical officer who spoke to FMT on condition of anonymity said the move was an obvious attempt to pacify the huge group of contract doctors at a time when many had threatened to stage strikes or quit en masse in protest.
“Besides this, many of those who failed to be selected are upset as they included doctors who have passed their part one of their specialist examination and others who have already served in rural areas.
“Seniority was also not used as a criterion. In one hospital, two juniors were selected while two of their seniors were not offered,” the doctor said.
The doctor said the waiting list might not make any difference to the contract doctors if they had to wait another year to apply again.
“Some of them are worried as their contracts are due to end in a year. No one knows if it will be extended again. This is causing much anxiety too,” the doctor said.
Another doctor said the PSC and health ministry have not considered the call by the Malaysian Medical Association’s Section Concerning House Officers, Medical Officers and Specialists (MMA-Schomos) to introduce a points system to ensure greater transparency and merit in the awarding of permanent posts to contract officers.
“At present no one knows why he or she was successful or why they were not selected this time. This really frustrates many of us,” the medical officer said. - FMT
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