Materia Medica Malaysiana

Rules relaxed for doctors

TO encourage more Malaysian-born doctors to return home, a move is under way to relax rules on compulsory service in the public sector.
Since 1991 Foreign-based doctors above the age of 45 will be exempted from the three-year service with the Ministry of Health while those under 45 will be exempted from compulsory service if they are returning to serve in a hospital or if they have qualifications and expertise needed by the country.
Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek said that this initiative was part of the comprehensive incentive package to attract talented Malaysians to return home.
The Government estimates that some 30,000 Malaysians are working overseas in disciplines which may benefit the country greatly. But this number may be grossly understated, judging by the number of Malaysian professionals in Australia alone.
For years, the Government had unsuccessfully tried to entice Malaysians working abroad to return home, with Human Resource Minister Datuk Dr Fong Chan Onn declaring the brain gain programme a failure.
Following that, a slew of incentives were approved by the Cabinet. These included:
* Conferring permanent resident status upon the non-citizen spouse and children within six months of return.
* Exemption from tax on income brought home to Malaysia within two years of return.
* Exemption from tax on all personal goods brought home.
According to the Health Ministry, the doctor-patient ratio in Malaysia is one to 1,400. Ideally, says the World Health Organisation, it should be one to 650.
Chua also said that a special committee responsible for this programme to attract Malaysian talent home had been directed to be flexible when determining the minimum overseas experience required in areas where there was a critical shortage.