00:01Only 63% of medical officers offered permanent postings in Sabah and Sarawak this year have
00:08reported for duty, said Health Minister Zulkifli Ahmad. In Sarawak, 337 of 527 officers offered
00:17postings reported for duty, while in Sabah, 336 of the 528 took up their placements.
00:25He noted this was an improvement from 2025 when 58% reported for duty but said he was
00:33still not comfortable with the level of performance. Zulkifli cited family separation, reluctance to
00:39serve in rural areas and a preference for urban facilities, among the reasons officers rejected
00:46the postings. Other factors included health, financial and logistical difficulties, relocation
00:53costs and concerns over opportunities for specialist studies. Zulkifli said the ministry was improving
01:00its placement system by providing briefings and announcing postings earlier, giving officers
01:06more time to prepare. Transfer costs will be paid in full, while officers who serve in Sabah
01:12or Sarawak will receive additional merit when applying for specialist training programs and
01:18study leave. The ministry had earlier clarified that the placement exercise was still ongoing
01:24after reports claimed 76% of officers assigned to Sabah and Sarawak had failed to report for
01:32duty.
01:33Roman Dawi Keparik, FMT
01:35.
01:36.
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