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Yii rejected the view that BIW was a privilege, describing it instead as recognition of the unequal realities faced by healthcare workers in East Malaysia. – Bernama file photo
KUCHING (Jan 30): Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii has called on the federal government to urgently review and restore a progressive, percentage-based Regional Incentive Allowance (BIW), warning that recent cuts and restructuring risk worsening the healthcare workforce crisis in Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan.
Speaking during the debate on the Motion of Thanks for the Royal Address in the Dewan Rakyat on Jan 29, Yii said the issue goes beyond allowances and is critical to the sustainability of healthcare services in underserved regions.
“Bring back a progressive, percentage-based BIW system, carried out through transparent and sincere consultations with the Ministry of Health, the Public Service Department, and professional bodies such as the MMA. Listen to the cries of our frontline workers,” he said.
Yii rejected the view that BIW was a privilege, describing it instead as recognition of the unequal realities faced by healthcare workers in East Malaysia.
“BIW is not a privilege. It is an acknowledgement of unequal realities. It is a balance to address the challenges of vast geography, chronic manpower shortages, and rising living costs.”
Referring to concerns raised by the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA), Yii highlighted a recruitment and retention crisis in Sarawak.
He cited data showing that 43 per cent of medical officers posted to the state failed to report for duty.
“Almost half of the doctors sent there chose not to turn up. What message are we sending to them?” he said.
He noted that Sarawak’s doctor-to-population ratio stands at 1:510, well below the national average of 1:406, meaning the state has 21 per cent fewer doctors per capita.
Yii said this gap translates into longer waiting times, delayed access to specialist care, and higher risks for patients, especially in rural areas.
He also highlighted the impact of the revised BIW structure on junior doctors.
Under the new scheme, a young medical officer in Miri or Keningau receives RM360 per month, compared to up to RM1,000 under the previous percentage-based system.
“This is not merely a cut. It is a signal that the sacrifices of serving in the most challenging locations are no longer valued as before,” he said.
Addressing cost concerns, Yii said the MMA estimated restoring the previous BIW structure would require around RM4.2 million annually.
“In a national budget of billions, this is a drop in the ocean. Yet the return is continuity of rural clinic services, lives saved in emergency wards, and stability for a healthcare system that is already fragile,” he said.
He warned that failure to act could accelerate the migration of Malaysian doctors overseas, noting that about 30 per cent of medical graduates reportedly choose to work in Singapore due to better pay and clearer career paths.
“Cutting BIW only adds another reason for them to leave and removes reasons to stay,” he said.
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