Materia Medica Malaysiana

BIM supports MMA's call to review doctors' salary package

KUALA LUMPUR May 11 - The Balai Ikhtisas Malaysia (BIM) supports the call by the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) for a review of the salary package for the doctors in government service, said its Chairman Dr Vellayan Subramaniam.

"This review has to take into consideration the skills, expertise and the professionalism of services provided by the doctors. The condition of the workplace like the government clinics and hospitals, its locality and the number of patients treated daily are vital factors to be emphasised," he said in a press statement here Tuesday.

Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek had recently said that the government was considering a new salary scale for government doctors and specialists while MMA president Datuk Dr N. Arumugam said the government doctors' salaries were tied to the salary scale of civil servants and could not be changed without approval from the cabinet.

According to Dr Vellayan, the basic salary now was incremental but the allowances were fixed at predetermined rates and the salary package was rather outdated because the increased number of patients and longer hours taken for treating or attending to them had not been taken into consideration.

"More doctors are doing overtime work to treat their patients. They put in more than 24 hours of work ... the longer time spent in hospitals and clinics had reduced valuable hours for their family members especially in developing good parenting and families," he added.

He said the doctors were committed to their code of ethics to serve the public professionally and the government should treat them fairly and justifiably.

Looking at the position of the government doctors, he said other government professional staff should also be given the opportunity to enjoy a review of their salary package.

"A proper perspective has to be given on professionalism in line with the government policy to encourage the development of science and technology in this country. Professional services are closely related to science and technology that play a pivotal role in developing Malaysia," he said.

According to him, the review proposed should also avoid the long delay in the promotion exercise of doctors in government service by considering the scale of promotion in the profession based on the years of service and expertise acquired.

"BIM hopes that the current Minister of Health (Chua) will be more passionate to listen to their grievances. Medical services in Malaysia cannot be effective and efficient with the equipment alone without the welfare of the doctors and specialists heightened accordingly," he added. - Bernama