By WU VUIDE
KOTA KINABALU: Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR) president Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan has linked the failure of medical officers to report for duty in Sabah and Sarawak to broader development and infrastructure deficits in both states.
The issue should not be viewed solely as a healthcare problem, but as a symptom of longstanding concerns over infrastructure, funding and development, he said.
Early reports indicated that no newly-posted medical officers had reported for duty at Keningau, Beluran and Sipitang hospitals in Sabah and Kanowit Hospital in Sarawak, while other facilities recorded non-reporting rates of 70 to 76 per cent.
The Ministry of Health has said the reporting process is ongoing until Oct 7.
Jeffrey said the preliminary figures must be verified and the reasons for non-reporting established before any action is taken.
The fundamental question, he said, is why postings in parts of Sabah and Sarawak remain unattractive despite offering permanent employment.
He cited poor roads, unreliable water supply, electricity disruptions, limited internet connectivity, inadequate accommodation and difficult transport links as factors affecting those working in rural and interior areas.
“These conditions can discourage doctors, teachers and other public servants from accepting or remaining in postings, particularly in rural and interior areas,” he said in a statement yesterday.
Financial incentives are important, he said, but allowances alone cannot compensate for persistent deficiencies in basic infrastructure and living conditions.
Doctors should not simply be blamed for declining postings, he added.
The government, he said should examine factors including living conditions, family separation, relocation costs, heavy workloads and uncertainty over the duration of service.
“If these conditions make professionals reluctant to accept a posting lasting several years, imagine the hardship endured by local communities that have lived with them for decades,” he said.
Jeffrey warned that shortages of doctors and medical staff could disrupt healthcare services, leading to longer queues, extended waiting times and shortages of medicines.
He described the issue as a systemic development problem that requires coordinated action by the Federal and State Governments.
The Health Ministry can appoint doctors and manage their placements, he said, but it cannot by itself resolve problems involving roads, water supply and other development deficits around hospitals and clinics.
He called for a comprehensive review of national development priorities and the distribution of resources, saying regional disparities must be addressed urgently.
Sabah and Sarawak, he said, should receive sustained attention and allocations that reflect their geographical size, dispersed populations, infrastructure deficits and the high cost of delivering services.
Annual allocations should be accompanied by clear delivery targets, effective implementation and public accountability, he added.
For Sabah, Jeffrey called for full implementation of its constitutional 40 per cent revenue entitlement under Article 112C and the relevant provisions of the Tenth Schedule of the Federal Constitution.
“Honouring the entitlement would strengthen Sabah’s capacity to address development needs, including basic infrastructure and essential services.
“A better developed and more progressive Sabah would reduce the number of no-shows in federal postings,” he said.
He also called for better financial and practical support for doctors and other public servants in challenging locations.
Regional and hardship allowances should reflect the actual difficulties and costs of such postings, he said.
He cited a reported RM60 difference between a RM360 regional allowance and a RM300 cost-of-living allowance in certain circumstances, while noting the figures did not apply to every doctor.
Relocation assistance, he said, should adequately cover reasonable actual costs and be provided promptly, along with suitable accommodation, support for eligible dependents and reasonable travel home.
Air travel between Sabah, Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia has become costly, particularly for posted staff travelling with dependents, he added.
Within healthcare facilities, staffing shortages and heavy workloads should also be addressed to support existing staff and ensure timely patient care.
While hospitals and the medical profession fall under federal responsibility, the conditions surrounding their operation require cooperation between the Federal and State Governments, he said.
The Sabah Government should take a stronger coordinating role in addressing the wider conditions affecting federal healthcare facilities, he added.
“The immediate task is to verify the posting figures and protect services at facilities under strain. The broader responsibility is to tackle the underdevelopment that makes these postings difficult in the first place.
“Sabah and Sarawak should be given a central place in national development planning, with their people provided reliable infrastructure, adequate essential services and equitable opportunities for development,” he said.
Jeffrey said the government should examine factors including living conditions, family separation, relocation costs, heavy workloads and uncertainty over the duration of service.
