By Shikin Louis
KUCHING, Nov 27: The Sarawak government has tasked University of Technology Sarawak (UTS) with carrying out a six-month feasibility study on the need to establish the State’s own medical school.
Deputy Minister for Education, Innovation and Talent Development I (Education and Innovation) Datuk Dr Annuar Rapaee revealed that UTS has already formed and obtained Senate approval for a feasibility study group, which will comprise five identified experts.
However, he declined to reveal their names until formal offers are issued.
“The feasibility study will take about six months. If we appoint the group by December, they will start in January, and by June they should submit the report to us.
“There will also be an interim report before the final submission, and the State government will study the findings and then decide on the next steps,” he told reporters in Sarawak Legislative Assembly Complex here today.
To obtain the licence, he said the proposal must be submitted to three regulatory bodies namely Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE), Malaysian Medical Council (MMC) and Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA).
He stressed that the question of whether Sarawak should establish its own medical school no longer arises, as the need is clear.
Dr Annuar also said Sarawak currently depends on Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) to increase medical student intake, but the university’s admissions are controlled by the federal government through the Central Unit for University Admissions (UPU).
“As you know, intake is controlled centrally by UPU. Therefore, going to medical school is a very stiff competition. Even those with a 4.0 flat CGPA don’t have a chance to do medicine,” he said.
He noted that with a State-owned medical school, talented Sarawakian students could pursue medicine locally and eventually serve the State.
Dr Annuar further said a key motivation behind establishing the school is to mitigate Sarawak’s critical shortage of doctors.
“This year, 54 per cent of the doctors posted to Sarawak turned down the postings. They never turned up. One of the reasons is they don’t want to come to Sarawak, and I’m sure they are not Sarawakians.
“Hopefully, by setting up our own medical school, our own Sarawak people will graduate and serve our people,” he asserted. – DayakDaily
