MMA asks govt to clarify contract doctors’ tenure

 

MMA president Dr Azizan Abdul Aziz said the confusion stemmed from the SPA apparently inviting current contract doctors to apply for the interim contracts as well.

PETALING JAYA: 

The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) has asked the government to clarify the initial length of service for contract doctors and whether it is still offering seven-year deals to medical officers.

“If it has changed, we request that the health ministry and the public services department (JPA) announce the guaranteed tenure for contract doctors in civil service.

However, if it has not been changed, we request the ministry and JPA to clearly define ‘candidates still serving with the health ministry’,

 MMA president Dr Azizan Abdul Aziz said in a statement released today.

The MMA said that on July 18, the public services commission (SPA) opened a portal for interim contract applications, targeted at doctors who had left the health service, either upon the expiry of their seven-year contract or before.

Azizan said the confusion stemmed from the SPA apparently inviting current contract doctors to apply for interim contracts as well.

She said the government needs to clearly state the starting salary for interim contract doctors and whether they will need to relocate upon signing the contract.

Our doctors are our country’s assets. We hope the ministry and JPA understand the need to take good care of the doctors,

 she said.

Last Saturday, health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad said medical officers initially hired on a contract basis and transitioning to permanent status will receive salary offers based on their final contract-based earnings.

In a post on X, he said this also applied to contract officers who were appointed on an 

interim basis

. - FMT