KUALA LUMPUR, June 10 — An Opposition MP demanded today that the government table its health spending cuts in Parliament, saying the cost-cutting measures could jeopardise public health care services.
Kuala Langat MP Dr Ahmad Yunus Hairi said reductions in the Ministry of Health’s (MOH) operational expenditure this year, especially those involving human resources, had the potential to further worsen conditions in hospitals and health care facilities that are already burdened by staff shortages.
“The reduction of the MOH budget is not merely an internal administrative matter, as it involves changes to 2026 Budget allocations that have already been announced to Parliament and the public,” Dr Ahmad Yunus, who is also the PAS central committee health chairman, said in a statement.
“With the cuts estimated to reach 10 per cent, or approximately RM4.65 billion, the impact could affect the health care workforce, clinical services, and public treatment services.
“The government should therefore present an official explanation in Parliament so that the rationale for the cuts, mitigation measures, and assurances regarding the public’s right to access quality health care services can be scrutinised transparently and held accountable by Members of Parliament and the Malaysian public.
“If this proceeds, it would mean that the government is gambling with the lives of Malaysians. The prime minister and health minister should resign.”
Dr Ahmad Yunus took particular issue with four of 10 cost-cutting measures in the MOH that came into effect last June 1, as stated in a circular by ministry secretary-general Hasnol Zam Zam Ahmad last month.
The four measures that the Opposition lawmaker disagreed with were a hiring freeze, as well as tighter controls over ELM overtime allowance claims, medicine usage, and laboratory investigations.
“The postponement of new positions and additional MyStep quotas at a time when the MOH is facing a shortage of doctors and operational pressures in hospitals is a worrying move. A hiring freeze will not only increase the workload of health care workers, but may also affect patient waiting times, continuity of care, and clinical safety,” said Dr Ahmad Yunus.
“Critical positions in emergency departments, critical care wards, and ambulance services should be exempted, while cost-saving efforts should focus on expenditures that do not compromise health care services.”
Dr Ahmad Yunus said although tighter controls over ELM claims might appear reasonable from an administrative perspective, the reality was that overtime work in the health care sector often resulted from workforce shortages and urgent operational demands.
“If ELM payments are restricted without addressing the root causes, frontline workers such as nurses, paramedics, and ambulance drivers will continue to bear the burden, affecting their welfare, morale, and the quality of care provided to patients,” he said.
“The government must establish clear and fair ELM criteria and resolve workforce shortages, rather than merely limiting payments to those who are compensating for systemic weaknesses.”
Dr Ahmad Yunus, who is also a medical doctor, told the MOH that drug cost savings must be guided by clinical need, not solely by cost targets.
“Strengthening a generic-first policy and prescription controls can help improve the efficiency of the health care system. However, implementation must not prioritise cost savings over patients’ clinical needs,” he said.
“Doctors and pharmacists must continue to be given the freedom to make decisions based on safety, effectiveness, and the appropriateness of treatment, rather than purely fiscal pressures. Any effort to reduce pharmaceutical expenditure should also be evaluated against treatment outcomes to ensure that savings are not achieved at the expense of health care quality.”
The PAS MP further cautioned that “prudent” laboratory testing must not end up as “under-testing”.
“Efforts to reduce costs through tighter control of laboratory testing must be implemented carefully to avoid creating a culture of under-testing, where necessary tests are limited or delayed,” he said.
“Such a situation could lead to delayed diagnoses, more severe illnesses, and higher treatment costs in the future. Clinical decisions must therefore continue to be based on patient needs, while the MOH should provide clear guidelines and monitor the impact of reduced testing on diagnoses, complications, and patient safety.”
