It has now been 16 months since Dzulkefly Ahmad was reappointed as Malaysia’s health minister on December 12, 2023. In that time, Malaysia’s public sector doctors – who are the backbone of the Ministry of Health (MOH) – continue to shoulder brutal 24-hour shifts, bear the burden of a crumbling health care system, and wait in vain for a long-promised revision to their meagre on-call allowances.
The issue isn’t new, nor is the suffering invisible. Doctors have been consistently raising their voices, especially after the 2025 national budget failed to announce any meaningful incentives for health care workers.
While other civil servants enjoyed a blanket 15 per cent salary increase, doctors received no special consideration for their unique workload, expertise, and sacrifice.
The on-call allowance, which remains at RM220 for a 24-hour weekend call – equivalent to a mere RM9.16 per hour – has not been revised in over a decade. Weekday calls offer even less, and many doctors are expected to resume regular duties the following day with little rest and no extra compensation.
This is not just financially exploitative—it is a public health risk.
As reported by Free Malaysia Today on January 9, 2025, doctors began publicly questioning the government’s silence: “Mana kenaikan elaun on-call kami?”—Where is our on-call allowance increase?
Even more damning is the timeline. Despite being in office since December 2023, Dzulkefly only started hinting at a review of the on-call system in August 2024, a full eight months into his tenure. But instead of announcing improvements, the government shocked the medical fraternity by proposing the abolition of weekday on-call claims under a supposed cost-saving “shift system.”
As reported in CodeBlue, the plan sparked widespread outrage and was eventually shelved—but since then, there has been zero follow-up and no transparency on the government’s next steps.
Contrast this with what is happening in Australia. In April 2025, public hospital doctors in New South Wales (NSW) went on a three-day strike to demand safer working conditions and better pay, particularly in relation to excessive unpaid overtime and poor treatment of junior doctors.
As covered by ABC News and Honi Soit, the doctors’ union took direct action after negotiations with the state government failed to produce results. Their strike was not a last resort—it was a necessary response to a government that refused to listen.
The comparison is painful. If Australian doctors—working in a far more developed and better-funded system—have the courage to stand up and strike for their rights, what excuse do Malaysian policymakers have for doing absolutely nothing?
Malaysian doctors are not asking for luxury. They are demanding dignity, fair compensation, and proper recognition. What we need now is not more surveys, empty committees, or vague promises. We need immediate action:
- Increase on-call allowances to at least RM25/hour (RM600 per 24-hour call).
- Introduce an additional RM80/hour overtime rate for work beyond call duties.
- Implement a maximum monthly call cap to prevent overwork.
- Provide structured, compensated rest periods post-call.
- Roll out a transparent, published timeline for reforms.
The current situation is unsustainable. More and more doctors are burning out, resigning, or leaving for the private sector and overseas opportunities. We are hemorrhaging talent while pretending everything is under control. If we allow this to continue, public health care in Malaysia will collapse, and no amount of superficial policy tweaking will save it.
YBMK, you have had 16 months. That is more than enough time to act. If Australia can take its doctors’ demands seriously, why can’t we?
To the Malaysian government: You are running out of time, patience, and goodwill. If no real progress is made soon, a nationwide strike among doctors may no longer be a distant threat—it may be the only path left.
And to the people of Malaysia: this isn’t just a doctors’ issue—it’s your issue too. Because when the system breaks down, it’s the rakyat who will suffer first.
The message is clear. We’ve waited long enough. No more excuses. No more silence. No more betrayal.
The author is a medical officer at a government hospital in the Klang Valley. CodeBlue is giving the author 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.
