The Ministry of Health (MOH) has allocated 960 permanent medical officer placements to Sabah and Sarawak in the first phase of its latest recruitment drive as part of efforts to address the shortage of doctors in East Malaysia.
In a written reply in the Dewan Rakyat, the ministry said 650 positions have been allocated to Sarawak, while 310 will go to Sabah through the ePlacement system. Together, the two states account for 42.7 per cent of the total 2,248 placement quotas announced, the highest allocation compared with any state in Peninsular Malaysia.
To help fill vacancies, all contract medical officers who receive permanent appointments are now required to select at least one placement in either Sabah or Sarawak through the ePlacement system.
The ministry also confirmed that it is expediting the permanent appointment of 4,500 medical officers in stages. In the first phase, 328 doctors accepted permanent positions and began reporting for duty at MOH healthcare facilities from 29 June.
A further 4,172 medical officers offered permanent appointments are scheduled to begin work in October, strengthening healthcare services nationwide, particularly in underserved regions.
The written reply was in response to a question from Datuk Andi Muhammad Suryady Bandy (BN–Kalabakan), who asked about the government’s medium- and long-term plans to address the imbalance in doctor distribution between Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia, including incentives, career progression and staff retention in rural areas.
To encourage more doctors to serve in East Malaysia, the MOH said it offers a range of financial incentives, including the Regional Housing Allowance (BIPW), Regional Home Visit Travel Allowance (TZW), and Compassionate Regional Travel Allowance (TIW) for officers visiting critically ill or deceased family members.
Doctors posted to remote locations are also eligible for the Location and Hardship Incentive (BIMLTK), the Home Leave Allowance (EBK), and relocation claims covering moving expenses. In addition, medical specialists assigned to Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan are entitled to specialist placement incentives.
Recognising that relocation costs had discouraged some contract doctors from accepting permanent postings in Sabah and Sarawak, the ministry said it has revised its placement procedures from June onwards. Under the new arrangement, contract doctors who are offered permanent positions in the two states will now receive full relocation benefits based on their eligibility.
Looking ahead, the MOH said a long-term solution lies in producing more locally trained doctors from Sabah and increasing scholarships and financial assistance for Sabah-born students pursuing medical studies, helping to build a sustainable healthcare workforce for the state.
