By Karen Bong
KUCHING, Oct 27: Sarawak welcomes non-Sarawakian medical professionals and specialists to practise or work in the State so long as they meet the immigration requirement as well as obtain the necessary approval and licence from the relevant regulatory bodies.
Premier of Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg emphasised that this is in line with the State government’s latest policy to issue a five-year work permit for foreign professionals or expatriates who come to work in Sarawak.
“You will be given a five-year work permit one shot so you don’t have to reapply annually. It covers all sectors of economic activities and I believe it also includes the medical and healthcare sectors.
“Sarawak can assert its authority for immigration due to MA (Malaysia Agreement 1963) which is why we have to protect the MA63,” he said in replying to a request from the Association of Private Hospitals of Malaysia (APHM) to ease the immigration restrictions to allow West Malaysian doctors to work in private centres in Sarawak.
Abang Johari highlighted this ok his speech at the ‘Networking Dinner with APHM’ event held in conjunction with its 50th anniversary at a hotel here tonight.
Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas and APHM president Datuk Dr Kuljit Singh were among those present.
However, Abang Johari pointed out that for non-Sarawakian medical professionals to come to Sarawak to practise, the medical regulatory bodies from both sides will need to coordinate the matters among themselves as there are certain arrangement which need to be complied with, just like non-Sarawakian lawyers intending to practise in Sarawak must get approval and licence from the High Court of Sabah and Sarawak as well as the Sarawak Bar.
“I believe the same arrangement also applies to the medical sector. In other words, doctors from the peninsula will have to make arrangements with the local doctors. If the local doctors give the green light, Sarawak welcomes you.
“We have to abide by that particular arrangement especially for professions specified in MA63,” he added.
On the request to extend the visa period for medical tourists which Dr Kuljit highlight ed was only for 14 days, Abang Johari gave assurance he would rectify the matter as normally Sarawak provides a three-month visa for medical tourists to seek treatment in Sarawak.
“As for the suggestion to have a seamless registration and renewal of hospital licences in Sarawak, I will let the regulatory body in Sarawak decide on it but if there a need for thr Sarawak government’s assistance, I will request SMA (Sarawak Multimedia Authority) to help in terms of setting up the digital registration and communication platform between you and the main hospitals,” he added. — DayakDaily
