KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 9 — Yesterday’s crash of a Flying Doctor Service (FDS) helicopter in Sarawak, which killed all five people on board, has triggered anger among Ministry of Health (MOH) staff and the public.
On social media, many shared the low Air Health Service Incentive Payment allowance, which was created in 1978, that pays medical officers, assistant medical officers, nurses, and community nurses only RM30 for a return flight.
Dr Justine Sim, who works in public service, said he accompanied a patient with a complete heart block by helicopter from Miri Hospital to the Sarawak Heart Centre in 2018.
“I did not even know this RM30 allowance existed. Nobody told me. Nobody asked me to claim it either. But RM30 is actually not the most disturbing part,” he posted on Facebook.
“Before that flight, I received no dedicated aviation safety training. No structured emergency evacuation training. No proper briefing on brace position, rotor hazards, fire, hard landing or what to do if the aircraft itself became the emergency. No dedicated aviation risk insurance protection was explained to me either. Basically? Terus masuk helicopter & fly.”
Another person posted on Threads that the question wasn’t about asking for a higher allowance, but “an acknowledgement appropriate for the responsibility and risk”.
Dr Sim disclosed an indemnity form, which he had to sign before serving on the FDS, that indemnifies the Malaysian government, Malaysian Armed Forces, or any Commonwealth Armed Forces from any legal claim or action brought by the person signing it, their next-of-kin, or their estate in the event of injury, disability, or death during travel on an aircraft, ship, or car managed by the armed forces.
The government doctor said the MOH and Public Service Department (JPA) shouldn’t simply increase the RM30 allowance to RM40 and boast of a 33.3 per cent hike.
“Review the whole arrangement — the allowance, safety training, occupational risk insurance, compensation, emergency preparedness and the indemnity paperwork health care workers are required to sign before flying,” said Dr Sim.
“Five people died while carrying out a health care mission. Perhaps this is the moment to ask who exactly this system is designed to protect.”
The victims of the helicopter crash yesterday afternoon were a pilot and four health care workers in the MOH on official duty: Dr Ainul Baraah Kamaruddin, a 33-year-old female medical officer from Kelantan, as well as an assistant medical officer and two nurses.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) said in a brief statement yesterday that the crash involved a BO-105 helicopter, with a 9M-LLF registration number, and that the incident will be probed by the Air Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) under the Ministry of Transport.
The Borneo Post reported that the helicopter was flying from Miri Airport to Long Lellang when it crashed at the Long Lellang STOLport in the interior of Baram. CAAM said it received notification of the incident at 3.58pm yesterday.
Videos posted on social media showed the helicopter on fire in the sky before it crashed.
Others have questioned the age of the helicopter, posting an AI answer that the MBB BO-105 helicopter model went on its first flight in 1967 in Germany, with manufacturing from 1967 to 2001.
A Malaysian posted on Threads that at a time when the country’s leaders and high-ranked civil servants fly on modern and well-maintained aircraft, “the country’s heroes take a risk in flying on ancient and dilapidated aircraft for the sake of responsibility.”
“Don’t the minister, KSU (secretary-general), and Health director-general feel guilty? Don’t you all have a heart? These are human lives. The people have lost the country’s heroes,” he wrote.
Many commenting on Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad’s Facebook post of his condolences to the victims similarly expressed anger.
“Some say that that helicopter was 35 years old, whereas others say it was 50 years old. Whatever the real age of the helicopter, the MOH must take responsibility and provide appropriate compensation for the families of the victims for losing their loved ones,” a woman wrote.
“At the same time, ensure that helicopters used after this are truly verified to be safe and fulfil all safety requirements. This facility is very important, especially for the interiors that are hard to reach on road or river.”
Another person posted that an RM30 allowance was “highly inappropriate” for risking one’s life for patients living in the interiors.
A government doctor wrote: “Black day for KKM.”
MOH provides FDS and Medical Evacuation (Medevac) services for Sabah, Sarawak, and the Orang Asli residing in rural areas in Perak and Kelantan.
Dr Sangeetha Siniah, a paediatrician and specialist in infectious disease, allergy, and immunology, recalled her Medevac helicopter rides in Sarawak.
“Once, we had to get an emergency landing, it was so scary. Only after that I actually bought life insurance,” she posted on X.
Retired paediatrician Dr Amar-Singh HSS posted on X that he previously transported ill children by Medevac helicopters in Sarawak.
“Remember once getting caught in a storm and an emergency landing in a field. Frightening. Had to continue ventilating the child (ambu bag & ETT).”
