KUALA LUMPUR, June 8 – Bersatu’s youth wing Armada has urged the Ministry of Health (MOH) to extend the contracts of allied health care professionals that are due to end this month.
Armada information chief Mohd Ashraf Mustaqim Badrul Munir, who is also deputy information chief of Perikatan Nasional (PN) Youth, pointed out that as a former medical officer, Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa should be well aware of the work challenges and burdens of health care workers.
“We must remember that it’s not only medical doctors that we must pay attention to, but also assistant medical officers who are equally important in ensuring the smoothness of operations in the health sector,” Mohd Ashraf Mustaqim said in a statement yesterday.
“Don’t ‘menganaktirikan’ them; the government must remember all of their sacrifices that have been made for the health sector.
“As a representative of Armada Bersatu, I urge the Ministry of Health to review this matter and to extend the contracts of health care workers, especially those not under MOH sponsorship, and to give them room to serve longer in the public service.
“Terminating their service contracts will cost them their source of income and, in addition to the worsening economy, make it difficult for them to find a new job in a short period of time.”
More than 10,000 people have signed a petition by Hartal Contract Allied Health Care Workers – representing assistant medical officers or medical assistants (PPP), medical laboratory technologists (JTMP), assistant environmental health officers or health inspectors (PPKP), and radiographers – to call for immediate two-year contract extensions in the public health service.
The group representing four allied health care professions noted that as many as 1,271 workers were terminated from early 2023 until now, while 1,889 officers are due to face the same fate in this month of June.
