by Wilfred Pilo
KUCHING, April 1:Â Deputy Health Minister Lukanisman Awang Sauni says that he has no information on whether any Sarawakian contract medical doctors would be involved in mass resignations or threatening to go on strike this month.
He said he had only heard of such an issue based on social media chatter.
“We are monitoring the situation but I can tell you that Ministry of Health (MOH) through its minister is actively in discussion with the Publi Service Department Malaysia (JPA),” he told reporters during a press conference after his first working visit to Sarawak General Hospital today.
He said that the purpose of his visit was to look into issues and problems encountered by SGH and for MOH to provide solutions to rectify them.
Lukanisman said since the new health minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa helmed the ministry, they have been doing town-hall sessions with the medical fraternities, namely medical doctors and other medical profession including dental and pharmaceutical practitioners.
“During the sessions, we received feedbacks on the problem they faced and also during the meeting with the director general of JPA, many proposals were put forward, and one of them is to give full contribution to the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) despite being bound by the Pension Act 1980.
“We need to review whether an amendment to the Act is needed, and this is all at the discussion stage and has not been finalised,” he shared.
”This is a good development to establish a permanent position for the health care workers under MOH,” he added.
“We are going to present our White Paper to be targeted during the Parliament session on May 22,” he said.
It was reported recently by a national online news portal that a group of contract doctors with the Health Ministry would go on strike this month. — DayakDaily
