RM10,000 incentive mooted to draw doctors to Sabah, Sarawak

A coalition representing trade unions under the health ministry has urged the governments of Sabah and Sarawak to consider offering a RM10,000 incentive to encourage doctors from the peninsula to serve in the states.

The Joint Council of Presidents and Secretary Generals of the Health Ministry Workers Union (Mapsu) said the state governments should introduce a special incentive scheme as an interim measure to attract more doctors to serve in Sabah and Sarawak.

Mapsu president Ajulahin Japin said doctors from other states could receive a one-off payment of RM5,000 to cover relocation costs and initial expenses, followed by a second RM5,000 payment upon completing three years of service.

He said the first portion of the incentive should be paid by the respective state governments when doctors report for duty.

“The scheme would primarily target rural and remote areas that face challenges recruiting sufficient healthcare personnel,” he said in a statement.

Ajulahin said such an initiative would encourage more doctors and other healthcare workers to serve in the states, while demonstrating that the state governments were willing to help address the shortage rather than relying solely on the health ministry to ensure public well-being.

However, he said the scheme was intended as a temporary measure rather than a permanent solution.

He said its implementation could be reviewed and discontinued once the supply of local medical graduates, particularly from higher education institutions in Sabah and Sarawak, is sufficient to meet the states’ healthcare workforce needs.

Health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad said last week that only 63% of medical officers offered permanent postings in Sabah and Sarawak this year had reported for duty.

Ajulahin said remuneration packages and long-term welfare guarantees were among the factors that could influence doctors’ decisions to accept and remain in postings in Sabah and Sarawak.

He added that financial incentives alone would not be sufficient without adequate basic facilities and support.

“The state health departments should therefore play an active role in assisting doctors newly posted from outside the state, including by ensuring access to housing, transport and other basic necessities, particularly for those serving in rural and remote areas,” he said.