Doctor and Dentist Majors with JPA and MARA Scholarship are not guaranteed Permanent Posting

Dr Adham Baba, The Minister of Health, said the government is obligated under the law to provide placements in training and two year compulsory service for dental and medical graduates - as stated in The Medical Act 1971 and Dental Act 1971. 

The Minister was requested by Senator Rita Sarimah Anak Patrick Insol to state the number of contract medical and dental officers who received scholarships from both the Public Service Department of Malaysia (JPA) and Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) but did not receive any job postings.

Dr Adham Baba, The Minister of Health

Dr Adham clarified in a written parliament reply to the Senator that “permanent appointments of contract medical and dental officers’ consideration are made separately”.

According to the Ministry of Health, the reasons why medical and dental officers are not offered permanent job position are as follow:

• The scarcity of vacancies of permanent positions.
• Not in the top ranking of the list of permanent appointments
• Set criteria and requirements are not met by officers
• Officers in a particular cohort have not been offered permanent appointments as they are still undergoing graduate training or compulsory service.

Dr Adham also explained that the Public Service Commission of Malaysia (SPA) has offered permanent posts to a total of 665 contract medical officers and 477 contract dental officers until July 31 this year - 311 medical officers were JPA scholars and 164 received scholarships from MARA. Meanwhile, a total of 199 dental officers received scholarships from JPA, while 99 were recipients of the MARA scholarship.

This show that 71.43 per cent of contract medical officers and 62.47 per cent of contract dental officers who received permanent posts were government scholars from either JPA or MARA.

He also added that only the best talents, based on ranking are chosen but did not reveal the criteria for these performance reviews that some doctors have accused of being biased and opaque.

The government was previously urged by the Medical Student’s group, Malaysian Medics International (MMI) and Alor Setar MP Chan Ming Kai to free contract doctors on the JPA scholarship from its 10 year bond, with lack of monetary compensation for JPA, if medical officers are not extended contracts beyond their two- year compulsory service in the public sector.

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