We write this with regard to the Ministry of Health’s (KKM) recent decision to invalidate the e-Placement results which was held on February 27, 2025.
On February 5, over 2,000 medical officers were offered permanent placement. A couple of days later, we were informed that e-Placement would be held on February 27 at 3pm.
Thousands of medical officers scrambled to take last-minute leave, adjust their on-call rosters, and, for our colleagues serving in the more rural parts of Malaysia, these young doctors made extensive plans to travel to the nearest city for reliable internet access.
All of this required a significant amount of effort, time, and money.
For those wondering why such arrangements were necessary, it is because e-Placement is an online platform where available state options are displayed and allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
Simply put, you would need a good internet connection to get through the system and choose your preferred option.
On February 27, despite multiple hurdles, we managed to log in and select our placements.
Most of us were relieved; some, not as much. Those who did not get their preferred state made an appeal through the official channel, which was open from the day of e-Placement until March 4.
We were supposed to report for duty at our new states/ hospitals on May 19. Many of us made plans to move—some cancelled their existing rental contracts, others put down deposits for new housing, and some even registered their children in new schools and daycare centres.
Then, on March 6, just a week after e-Placement and two days after the appeal period closed, KKM announced that all e-Placement results and appeals were invalidated due to “technical issues.”
We are now expected to go through this entire painstaking process again on March 17. In the blink of an eye, KKM has upended our futures.
We are disappointed, frustrated, and so very exhausted by how MOH is treating us. We feel robbed. Worse still, this invalidation had absolutely nothing to do with us, yet we are the ones forced to pay the price while KKM takes no accountability.
KKM’s official statement claimed the website experienced technical issues for an hour and 30 minutes. While this is true, it is not the first time. This issue has persisted for years, yet placements have never been recalled before. So it begs the question, why now?
Most of us who tried calling KKM’s human resources department received vague explanations. Some were told that the glitch in their system caused more spots in Selangor to be available than there actually was. However, no data, statistics, or further details have been provided by the government.
Medical officers do the bulk of the work in every hospital and clinic. We work tirelessly day and night, pulling 36-hour active calls five to 10 times a month, staying beyond our scheduled work hours, skipping lunch and dinner breaks, and even toilet breaks.
For all that we do, is this how KKM treats us? Does KKM not care that its decision is emotionally, mentally, and financially draining its own medical officers? Is this truly the best they can do?
We collectively call for KKM to reverse its decision and uphold our initial placements and appeals. We do not want to repeat this depressing process. We do not want to go through it all again.
The group consists of eight Ministry of Health medical officers serving in major hospitals across the Klang Valley and Pahang. CodeBlue is giving the group anonymity because civil servants are prohibited from writing to the press.
- This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of CodeBlue.
