KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 23 — The Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) is short of 257 veterinary officers nationwide, with only 255 officers in place against an estimated requirement of 512 posts, Agriculture and Food Security Minister Mohamad Sabu told Parliament.
In a written Dewan Rakyat reply on Monday (February 9), Mohamad said 310 veterinary posts were approved in 2020, representing about 60 per cent of the 512 positions needed to strengthen DVS’ organisational structure.
Of the 310 approved posts, 255 have been filled, or about 83 per cent. Overall, this leaves DVS operating at just under half of its projected manpower requirement of 512 officers.
Mohamad was responding to Kluang MP Wong Shu Qi, who asked for the number of veterinarians nationwide by gender, state, age group, and ethnicity, as well as whether current staffing levels were sufficient to meet current industry and market needs.
The figures indicate that although most approved posts are occupied, the overall veterinary workforce remains about 50 per cent below DVS’s projected requirement.
In Peninsular Malaysia, DVS has 255 veterinary officers, comprising 59 men (23 per cent) and 196 women (77 per cent), aged between 25 and 57 years. The largest age group is 30 to 39 years, accounting for 41.6 per cent of officers. The workforce spans multiple ethnic groups, including Malay, Chinese, Indian, Bajau, and others.
In Sabah, 23 of 39 approved veterinary officer posts are filled, or 59 per cent. The state has eight male and 15 female officers aged between 26 and 59 years, with the majority in the 30 to 39 age group. The Kadazan/Dusun community forms the largest ethnic group among officers. DVS Sabah estimates it requires 50 officers in total, indicating a shortfall of 11 posts.
Sarawak has filled 16 of 26 approved posts, or 61.5 per cent. Its veterinary workforce comprises seven men and nine women aged between 28 and 60 years, with half in the 30 to 39 age bracket. Malays and Chinese form the largest ethnic groups. DVS Sarawak estimates it needs 51 officers overall, reflecting a shortfall of 25 posts.
Mohamad said vacancies cannot be filled automatically even when posts are identified as empty, as appointments are subject to approval by the Public Service Department’s (JPA) Staffing and Organisation Division (BPO).
“A vacancy occurs because its filling is subject to the procedures and approval of the JPA’s BPO and cannot be filled automatically even if the post is identified as vacant.
“Accordingly, based on JPA guidelines, departments must verify the vacancy, prepare complete planning and documentation including justification and financial implications, and obtain BPO approval at the appointment grade before the appointment process is implemented, in line with phased establishment procedures to ensure establishment management is carried out in an orderly and prudent manner,” Mohamad said.
CodeBlue reported the DVS as saying in August last year that Malaysia’s shortage of veterinarians risks undermining animal health, disease control, biosecurity, and food safety even as the livestock sector expands, with the department urging stronger training pipelines and workforce planning to close gaps in animal health capacity.
