KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 1 — Universiti Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) announced today that it will pay medical and dental officers the new on-call allowance (ETAP) rate this month.
The university hospital said the new ETAP rate, which came into force last October 1 when it was allocated under Budget 2026, was “being implemented”.
“UMMC is now in the final phase of coordinating the new rate, including outstanding payments. All payments are expected to be coordinated with emolument payments this month,” said UMMC director Prof Dr Mohd Zulkiflee Abu Bakar in a statement.
“UMMC is always committed to ensuring that the welfare of medical workers is given the appropriate attention. UMMC believes that worker wellbeing is an important foundation in providing the best health care services to patients and the community.”
The statement by the Klang Valley quaternary hospital followed complaints by the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA), as well as a few lawmakers, about the delay in university hospitals paying doctors the revised ETAP rate.
Seputeh MP Teresa Kok told Parliament that the management of university hospitals were allegedly awaiting “written instructions” from the Ministry of Higher Education, even though an October 30 circular by the Ministry of Health secretary-general had said the new ETAP rate applied also to doctors and dentists in public universities and the Armed Forces.
The new ETAP rate for weekend active calls for medical officers was increased by RM80 from RM220 to RM300 per shift, while specialist doctors will get an RM100 raise from RM250 to RM350 per shift.
The new RM300 weekend on-call allowance rate for medical officers is equivalent to RM12.50 per hour for a 24-hour shift.
