Sarawak’s Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian has dropped a bombshell about the state’s healthcare system — hospitals are running at half their required capacity because there simply aren’t enough doctors.
Speaking after a food distribution to exhausted staff at Bintulu Hospital, Dr Sim revealed a shocking figure: out of 150 medical officer (MO) posts, only 80 are filled. “Eighty doctors are doing the work of 150. Burnout is inevitable. Many will leave for the private sector,” he warned.
This isn’t a new problem, but it’s worse than ever. During the recent Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) Implementation Action Council meeting, a Ministry of Health (MOH) team admitted Sarawak needs an additional 11,000 posts across just seven hospitals — an eye-watering number that lays bare the scale of the staffing crisis.
Dr Sim traced the roots back to 2011, when the Sarawak Heart Centre moved out of Sarawak General Hospital, forcing the same number of staff to cover more beds with no extra manpower. “This imbalance continues to strain our healthcare workers to this day,” he said.
One big reason doctors avoid Sarawak? Nobody pays their relocation costs. “These are young doctors starting their first jobs, often on contract. Without proper incentives, it’s hard to attract and keep them here,” Dr Sim explained.
Despite the mounting pressures, Dr Sim paid tribute to frontliners — doctors, nurses and healthcare staff — who continue serving tirelessly through festive seasons and public holidays when patient appointments can’t easily be rescheduled.
He ended with a rallying call to both federal and state governments: act now, fund the posts, and fix the system. “Sarawakians deserve equal access to healthcare. We must staff our hospitals properly to give the best care possible,” he urged.
