Sabah's son long-term solution to the shortage of doctors - MAPSU

KINABALU KOTA, Oct 7: Training more Sabah children as doctors is seen among the best long-term solutions to address medical staff shortages in the state, especially in rural areas.

Sabah Medical Services Union (SMSU) President Ajulahin Japin said that locals are generally more prepared to serve in their own state, whether in rural areas, suburbs or cities.

He, who is also the President of the Joint Council of Presidents and General Secretary of the Malaysian Ministry of Health Workers Union (MAPSU), said that the number of medical graduates among Sabah children at this time was still insufficient to fill the existing vacancy.

"If we look at Sabah and Sarawak, locals are actually more prepared to serve in their own state than officials from the Peninsula.

"For some young people from the Peninsula, when it is called Sabah and Sarawak, there may still be an impression that settlement here involves a village or rural setting. Perception in terms of comfort may be among the factors that led them to become less interested in coming to Sabah", he said when contacted by Bernama today.

Ajulahin said the shortage of local medical graduates caused Sabah to still have to rely on medical officials from the peninsula to fill the gaps in hospitals and health clinics in the state.

In this regard, he said the government should pay attention to efforts to increase recruitment and training of Sabah children in medical field as a measure to reduce dependence on foreign energy in future.

He said a survey conducted by MAPSU also found a tendency among some doctors from the Peninsula to be less interested in accepting placement in Sabah, especially in rural areas.

He said among the identified factors were Regional Payments Wage (BIW) and allowances related to settlement in rural areas which are now being used.

Ajulahin said that BIW was previously paid at a rate of between 17 to 25 percent of the tree pay, while rural allowance was around 10 percent of the tree pay.

He said the issue of incentives was among the issues often raised by unions in discussions about attracting and retaining medical officers to serve in Sabah.

"So, that's what we are recommending to the Ministry of Health (MoH) to investigate and conduct a study on medical staff shortages in Sabah and also re-evaluate appropriate incentives to attract medical personnel from Peninsula serving in Sabah state", he said.

In addition to increasing the number of local pediatricians and reviewing incentives, Ajulahin suggested that medical graduates from Peninsula be given early exposure to Sabah's working environment by undergoing graduate training or housemanship in hospitals in the state.

"Perhaps among the approaches to be considered is to give them an opportunity to undergo hospital housemanship in Sabah so that they get early exposure to work and living conditions in the state.

"With that exposure, they can get to know Sabah better before being appointed as medical officers and may be more prepared if deployed for duty in the state", he said.

MAPSU brings together 29 trade unions under SMEs across the country.

Earlier, media reported that several hospitals in Sabah and Sarawak faced shortages of medical staff after it was alleged no new doctors had applied for permanent appointments this month.

Subsequently, KKM in a statement has given till 7 Oct to the Stage 2/2026 Permanent Surveillance Medical Officers who have not yet reported themselves to attend their respective placement facilities.

According to the ministry, a total of 4,255 medical personnel were offered placements through ePlacement system for Phase 2/2026 applications effective from September 28 last. - TVS