KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 25 — Even if the government were to form a Health Services Commission, this body will not be empowered to create positions in the health service, Dzulkefly Ahmad said today.
The health minister explained to parliamentarians that the Federal Constitution currently does not provide a services commission the powers to create new positions. Neither does a services commission have the power to devise a retirement system, including setting the rate for emoluments or allowances for civil servants.
“Even if we were to have a Health Services Commission, the main purpose for its formation would still fall outside of its authority,” said Dzulkefly during his winding up of the debate on the motion of thanks for the royal address.
“A Health Services Commission won’t have a role in creating new positions.”
The health minister instead touted the Rakan KKM programme, which has yet to launch, as a way for the Ministry of Health (MOH) to increase positions and wages for specialist doctors, nurses, and other health care workers, besides improving practices in the full-paying patient (FPP) service.
“Rakan KKM will produce revenue. With that, I will have some authority to fix issues related to public health care facilities and to challenge the private sector through benchmark pricing. They should not be charging so high; we will be able to provide quality and affordable premium economy facilities.”
Amid widespread shortages of doctors and nurses in the public health service, besides old equipment and facilities raised by MPs, Dzulkefly did not explain how the MOH would provide the necessary resources for Rakan KKM.
Khoo Poay Tiong (PH-Kota Melaka) suggested enacting or amending legislation to empower a Health Services Commission to create new positions or set wage scales for doctors and other health care professionals in the public sector.
“Medical officers’ on-call allowance has not been reviewed for 13 years. Raise their allowance. We must remember Covid-19 when these frontliners protected us,” Khoo told the Dewan Rakyat.
A planned raise in the on-call allowance for doctors from select departments or hospitals was postponed when Cabinet killed the unpopular Waktu Bekerja Berlainan (WBB) project last month, before its scheduled February 1 pilot. Doctors’ on-call allowance increase had been tied to the WBB.
Dr Ahmad Yunus Hairi (PN-Kuala Langat), who is also a member of the Health parliamentary special select committee (PSSC), backed Khoo’s proposal to increase the powers of a Health Services Commission by amending laws if necessary.
Dzulkefly then appeared to suggest that the Health PSSC work on a bill.
“This august House is where we enact and amend legislation to be in line with current needs. So if there are restrictions, the Health PSSC can make suggestions,” said the health minister.
“I’m sure that the [government] backbenchers and Opposition bench can work together to get the MOH and me – the whole of government and whole of Parliament – to develop and create a Health Services Commission that is appropriate for the current times.”
