We write this statement with extreme anger and heartbreak and publicly condemn the serious deficiencies and inaction of the Malaysian health care system, especially regarding the issues of doctors’ work pressure, mental health, and workplace bullying.
On August 29, 2024, Dr Tay Tien Yaa, a young and promising doctor, was found dead by suicide while working at the Lahad Datu Hospital in Sabah. Her death is not only a tremendous tragedy for her family, but also a silent indictment of the serious flaws within Malaysia’s public health care system.
We welcome the decision by the Ministry of Health (MOH) to establish an independent special task force to probe the death and study the work culture at the Lahad Datu Hospital. We laud the stance of the health minister to not tolerate bullying within the MOH.
Dr Tay was a senior chemical pathologist who graduated from Volgograd State Medical University in Russia in 2013, obtained her master’s degree in chemical pathology from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia in 2023, and was appointed head of the chemical pathology department at Lahad Datu Hospital in 2024.
She dedicated her youth and talent to the nation’s health care, yet this outstanding doctor chose to end her life in an extreme manner within less than six months of her employment.
Dr Tay’s case is not an isolated case. In recent years, cases of young doctors committing suicide or experiencing mental breakdowns have become increasingly common.
At the root of this issue is the government and hospital management’s tolerance of and indifference toward workplace bullying, as well as the neglect of mental health issues among doctors.
Relevant departments have repeatedly chosen to be silent regarding the poor working conditions within the health care system. This silence has directly led to the psychological collapse and loss of life among countless health care workers.
In Dr Tay’s case, it was evident that she faced not only immense work pressure, but also had to contend with the abuse of power and bullying from her superiors.
As a newly appointed department head, she took on tasks far beyond her responsibilities within just six months, including human resource management and financial planning, in addition to her professional duties.
Worse still, her superior not only failed to provide necessary support, but also exerted pressure through their authority, further burdening her mentally.
We must clearly point out that such workplace bullying is rampant in the public health care sector, particularly involving young doctors and newly appointed department heads, given the inequality of the power balance.
The indifference and inaction of hospital management and government departments regarding this behaviour do not only deprive doctors of a proper working environment and psychological support, but also demonstrate extreme irresponsibility toward life.
The administrators and leaders of the Malaysian health care system have not only failed to provide the necessary support and care for doctors, but have also allowed the abuse of power and rampant workplace bullying to continue unchecked.
This inaction must be severely condemned and those involved must be held accountable.
Is Dr Tay’s death not enough to alert the higher-ups in hospitals and government? Must we wait for more young doctors to commit suicide and more innocent lives to be lost before we start to address this long-neglected issue?
We cannot tolerate these problems being brushed aside. Relevant entities must take immediate action to thoroughly investigate the truth behind Dr Tay’s suicide, particularly the sources of the workplace bullying and mental pressure she endured. We demand the following:
Thorough Investigation Of Workplace Bullying And Accountability
Relevant departments must immediately intervene and investigate the workplace bullying Dr Tay faced at Lahad Datu Hospital, and publicly disclose the results.
Superiors who abuse their power and exerted mental pressure must be held legally accountable, and the hospital management’s indifference should also be questioned.
Improve Working Environment And Eliminate Workplace Bullying
The government must enact clear anti-workplace bullying laws and ensure that all public health care institutions and government departments establish anti-bullying mechanisms and seriously address any form of workplace bullying.
Every health care worker should work in an environment of respect and support, thus preventing similar tragedies from occurring again.
Strengthen Mental Health Support Mechanisms
Malaysia’s health care system urgently needs more focus on the mental health of health care workers.
A psychological health support system must be established to provide professional counselling and support services for doctors and other health care workers, ensuring they receive timely help when facing work pressures.
Ensure Transparency And Fairness In Career Development
There should be clear definitions and support mechanisms for the responsibilities and pressures of young doctors and newly appointed department heads. Excessive workloads and unreasonable workplace demands must be abolished.
The career development of all health care workers must be transparent and fair, ensuring that no one suffers unfair treatment due to the abuse of power.
Increase Public Awareness Of The Health Care Sector’s Conditions
We urge society to pay attention to the working environments and mental health issues faced by health care workers.
The government and health care institutions must take responsibility and raise public awareness and understanding of doctors’ work pressures and mental health issues through education and outreach, thus promoting a collective improvement in the working conditions of health care workers.
Dr Tay’s suicide is not an isolated incident; it reflects long-standing workplace bullying and mental health problems within Malaysia’s health care system. We cannot continue to remain silent, nor can we tolerate such tragedies happening again.
Life is paramount, and every health care worker deserves respect and protection. We demand that the government and relevant departments take immediate action to ensure that no more innocent lives are lost due to systemic and environmental deficiencies.
Dr Tay’s life cannot be brought back, but her death must awaken society’s attention to workplace bullying and mental health issues among doctors.
Stop ignoring, stop neglecting; otherwise, who will be responsible for the next victim?
Tan Wee Hong and Wong Yew Lee are the current serving members of the Board of Visitors of Putrajaya Hospital, also known as Ahli Lembaga Pelawat Hospital Putrajaya.
Editor’s note: The attribution of the letter has been changed to “Members of the Board of Visitors” from the overall “Board of Visitors” to more accurately reflect the authors’ position.
- This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of CodeBlue.
