Imagine public hospitals to be a big family dinner — all Malaysians are invited, and everyone gets a fair share of the food, no matter how much you’re wearing or what car you drove.
Now, Rakan KKM suddenly walks in and brings a “premium” table, where you get served faster, if you fork out a little extra! Suddenly, the line between “family” and “VIP guest” gets blurred, with some folks wondering if the kitchen is cooking more for the paying table than the rest.
What’s The Fuss With Mixing Up Public And Private Health Care?
When doctors and resources (bought with the public’s taxes) start working overtime for special paying customers, the hospital’s job as the “great equaliser” starts to wobble.
It’s like the family chef making two curries — one spicy, one mild — but only serving the good stuff to those with extra angpau money. The next thing you know, the following might happen:
- Pay-more patients jump the queue, while others polish the bench longer or get “B-grade” service.
- Doctors juggle tasks, and equipment paid for by the public gets used for extra-profit work.
- People start side-eyeing the system, thinking, “Eh, is this a hospital or a part-time business?”
Why Is Fairness Such A Big Deal?
Letting money pick who gets the best bed and the most handsome doctor goes against the spirit of public hospitals, where everyone’s health means something, not their bank balances.
Public hospitals should be about treating illness, not treating wallets. Programmes like Rakan KKM might say, “Don’t worry, it’s to reward hardworking doctors and keep them around”, but there are better ways to do this, like proper pay, better working conditions, or letting doctors run a side clinic only after working hours. Keep the kuih on separate plates!
Don’t Let Public Goods Become A Private Piggy Bank
Hospitals built with public funds should benefit every makcik and abang, not just those who can splash out more. When even a little bit of public resources go into private profit, trust will waver, and suddenly everyone will be asking why they’re paying double — once in taxes, and again at the counter!
That’s how a family dinner becomes a buffet with a price tag on everything.
What Should We Do?
- Draw a thick, bold line (with a permanent marker) between public service and private business.
- Make sure hospitals remain “for everyone”, not just the well-heeled.
- Say thanks to doctors with decent pay, and not let them hustle side gigs at the same place.
- Keep hospital decisions about health, not making cash registers ring.
If public hospitals start moonlighting as five-star service centres for paying guests, the health care system risks losing its sense of fairness.
Good fences make good neighbours, and good boundaries keep public hospitals honest, fair, and working for every Malaysian, not just the highest bidder.
Don’t let public beds become private cash cows, because when it comes to health, everyone deserves a seat at the table (and a slice of the cake).
The author is a general practitioner (GP) based in Kuala Lumpur.
- This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of CodeBlue.
