We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations.
—Charles R. Swindoll, American pastor
This week, let me tackle a subject I have written many times in the past — the question of allowing Sarawakians in government service to be posted in their homeland.
I’m glad that Deputy Premier Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian has broached the subject again, for it serves as a reminder to me to seek a fresh perspective on the issue.
We have the Madani government led by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim now. The new PM has promised that looking after the welfare of Malaysians and ensuring a top-class civil service is there to serve the citizenry are among his administration’s top priorities.
We can recall how Anwar wanted the resolve the nagging issues surrounding the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) soon after he took office as PM.
He gave his deputy, Sarawakian Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, the mandate to work out the final resolutions which should satisfy both the Borneo territories and Malaya.
So far, I believe Sarawak has received quite a number of concessions, the latest being putting the Bintulu Port Authority back under Sarawak control. Syabas to Fadillah and his colleagues in the MA63 negotiating team.
I’m sure the people of Sarawak and Sabah would like to see more of their rights returned, so that finally the two Borneo territories could proudly claim that they are indeed “equal partners” in the federation called Malaysia. Anything less will not do.
Somehow, I could sense that GPS and GRS support and partnership are truly valued because they are crucial to the survival of the unity government.
Anwar knows this and we could see that he has given Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg and Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor a lot of respect by consulting with them regularly on major issues.
As the PM is giving much attention to requests from Sarawak leaders, I think the timing of Dr Sim’s suggestion last Friday that permanent posts for contract doctors should be offered to those already serving in Sarawak or Sarawakians who are waiting for an offer is almost perfect.
The deputy premier was reacting to a July 18 statement by Deputy Health Minister Lukanisman Awang Sauni who disclosed that more than 200 doctors have failed to report for work or rejected contract positions to serve in Sarawak.
Lukanisman, who said the group were among the 800 doctors offered contract positions by the Health Ministry, urged the remaining doctors to accept their postings in the state.
“Since it is considered a headache or unfair for those in Peninsular Malaysia, please support healthcare autonomy for Sarawak. Let us take away your headache,” Dr Sim said in a Facebook post.
“Perhaps (instead of) those whose heart is not to serve the calling of the medical profession (and are) unwilling to come to Sarawak, the permanent posts should be offered to those who are already serving in Sarawak, as well as Sarawakians who are waiting for permanent posts, and those who want to come home to serve in Sarawak,” he said.
Dr Sim added that he has been in contact with Health director-general Dr Radzi Abu Hassan about the matter.
He noted that despite Malaysia being formed more than 60 years ago, the level of medical care, healthcare and hospital facilities in both Sabah and Sarawak still lag behind that of the peninsula.
Sim also pointed out that based on data from 2019, the doctor-to-patient ratio in Sarawak was 1:682, while the ratio in the peninsula was 1:454.
All those who know Dr Sim or have worked with him, either in the medical field or politics, must be aware that the deputy premier’s heart is always for Sarawak and Sarawakians.
I’m also fortunate to know Dr Sim personally and when he talks about his vision for the health services in Sarawak, one can feel his commitment and passion for the tasks he envisions ahead.
I’m also grateful to the good doctor and politician, for I have also been a patient at the Sarawak Heart Centre, a brainchild of Dr Sim. Another Dr Sim’s project of love and compassion, the Sarawak Cancer Centre, will be built soon. The RM900 million project has been approved in principle by the federal government.
I agree with Dr Sim’s suggestion on the placement of doctors on their home ground. Not only doctors, but teachers, police officers and others in the essential services should also be given the opportunity to serve at home.
Seriously, why should a doctor from Sibu be placed in Kelantan or Kedah, for example? Assuming the doctor is unprepared to serve away from home, he or she would probably leave the government service and join the private sector.
It’s okay if they are still young and single. However, after they got married and have a family, placements far away from their home base will be very difficult for the young family, and understandably so.
I’ve also noted Fadillah’s response to Dr Sim’s request in that efforts should be focused on producing more doctors among Sarawakians so that they will be able to serve in their own state.
Indeed, Sarawak not only lacks doctors, especially specialists, but we also need to produce more doctors among Sarawakians.
I believe that will be another task for our good Dr Sim to resolve.
The views expressed here are those of the columnist and do not necessarily represent the views of New Sarawak Tribune.
