KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 19 — Pharmacist groups today criticised steep cuts to the Regional Incentive Payment (BIW) allowance under the Public Service Remuneration System (SSPA) for transfers to Sabah, Sarawak, and Labuan.
The Malaysian Pharmacists Society (MPS) noted that a UF12 pharmacist previously earned close to RM1,000 monthly in BIW under the old Malaysian Remuneration System (SSM), as the allowance then was based on a percentage of an officer’s basic salary and rose annually in line with salary increments.
Under SSPA, the BIW allowance for officers appointed from December 1, 2024, has been revised to a fixed RM360 monthly rate. Hence, in one year, newly appointed pharmacists stand to lose close to RM8,000.
“Over a five-year period of service, for example, the cumulative reduction amounts to tens of thousands of ringgit, raising questions about whether such cost-containment measures reflect the realities faced by health care professionals willing to relocate and serve in Sabah, Sarawak, and Labuan,” said MPS in a statement today.
In addition, the BIW allowance for existing permanent pharmacists appointed prior to December 2024 has been frozen at the last-drawn amount prior to SSPA implementation.
“This means that even as officers progress in grade and receive annual increments, their BIW no longer increases proportionately. Over time, the real value of the allowance diminishes, particularly as living costs rise, potentially affecting the retention of experienced pharmacists in East Malaysia,” said MPS.
CodeBlue reported yesterday on how the BIW cuts affected new medical officers posted to Sabah, Sarawak, and Labuan, as a UD14 medical officer appointed from December 2024 would only receive RM360 monthly under SSPA, compared to RM1,000 under SSM.
Like pharmacists, the BIW allowance for existing permanent doctors is frozen at the last-drawn amount before SSPA came into effect on December 1, 2024.
The BIW allowance’s new RM360 fixed monthly rate applies to the management and professional (P&P) group of Grades 9 to 15 in the federal civil service.
The Sarawak Pharmaceutical Society noted that BIW was originally intended to recognise the practical challenges of cross-regional postings, including cost-of-living differences and distance from family support systems.
“A fixed-rate approach may not adequately reflect the realities faced by newly posted pharmacists, particularly those serving in district and rural facilities,” said Sarawak Pharmaceutical Society chairman Ngu Soon Hieng.
Similarly, the Sabah Pharmaceutical Society highlighted that Sabah continues to rely heavily on newly posted pharmacists to sustain pharmaceutical services, especially outside major urban centres.
“Recruitment and retention of pharmacists remain ongoing challenges in Sabah, particularly in rural and remote areas,” said Sabah Pharmaceutical Society president Hiew Chui Li. “Remuneration frameworks should support workforce stability and service continuity in these settings.”
MPS president Prof Amrahi Buang described pharmacists as essential members of the health care team, saying: “Policies affecting deployment and retention must be assessed holistically to ensure they do not unintentionally discourage service in Sabah, Sarawak, and Labuan.”
Pharmacy bodies also raised concerns about a procedural requirement affecting contract officers transitioning to permanent appointments, where officers are required to resign from their contract posts before taking up permanent positions, despite continuing service within the public health care system.
“This administrative process results in the loss of certain contract-based allowances, as well as hotel or temporary accommodation entitlements typically provided for five to seven days upon reporting for duty,” said MPS.
“Consequently, pharmacists relocating to Sabah, Sarawak, or Labuan must bear significant upfront relocation costs, which can reasonably range from RM5,000 to RM10,000.
“For example, an officer relocating from Kelantan to a rural hospital in Pitas or Kinabatangan may incur expenses related to vehicle transport, new housing rental deposits, temporary accommodation, and costs associated with relocating family members — at a time when regional incentives have been reduced or frozen.”
The pharmacist bodies urged the government to review the BIW framework for health care professionals, including pharmacists and doctors, and to consider transitional, location-based, or progressive mechanisms that better reflect salary progression, cost-of-living differences, and the practical realities of cross-regional deployment.
“Pharmacists play a critical role in patient safety, medicines optimisation, and continuity of care, particularly in public hospitals and primary health care facilities that already face manpower constraints,” said MPS.
