By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, April 7: The Ministry of Health (MOH) has clarified that there will be no contract extensions for pharmacists whose services are reportedly ending, as they have reached the maximum contract tenure of five years.
In response to concerns raised by the media report titled “45 Contract Pharmacists In Limbo As Jobs End Saturday” published on April 2, MOH emphasised that any offer of permanent appointment is strictly conditional.
“Appointment letters and placements will only be issued once candidates meet all required criteria, including health clearance, statutory declarations, and confirmation of finalized vacancies.
“Some officers are also reserve candidates who must wait their turn based on current openings,” the ministry explained in a statement today.
MOH added that affected pharmacists may reapply when permanent appointment recruitment opens at the end of 2027.
“The new entry grade will be UF10 (previously UF43), in line with the Public Service Remuneration System (SSPA) that came into effect on Dec 1, 2024,” it said.
The ministry reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding the welfare of healthcare personnel, noting that these strategic adjustments are aimed at creating a fairer, more transparent, and competitive national health human resource system in the long term.
FMT had reported that up to 45 experienced contract pharmacists would lose their government jobs by last Saturday (April 4) after failing to receive appointment letters, despite being offered permanent positions last October.
Aside from this group, which had served as contract officers for at least five years, another 40 will lose their jobs in July if the MOH does not offer them permanent posts.
Former senator Dr RA Lingeswaran, who raised the matter in the Dewan Negara in October, said these officers were among 352 contract pharmacists offered permanent posts and told to wait for their appointment letters, with no dates given.
The MOH had put 352 contract pharmacists on a waiting list for permanent positions.
“Of these, only 143 pharmacists still remain in service while 209 have quit for various reasons. Some told me they quit because of the undue delay and uncertain future,” Lingeswaran said.
