SERVICE CONTRACT TERMINATION
KUCHING: Sarawak Democratic Action Party (DAP) chairman Chong Chieng Jen has been criticised for his failure in taking care of the state’s interests.
Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) youth chief Michael Tiang said Chong would not have known about the recent unfair termination of medical officers in Sibu Hospital if SUPP had not highlighted it in the media.
He said Chong failed to do his job as a federal minister and that all he did was blame Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian over the issue.
“Chong needs to explain to Sarawakians why he, being a federal deputy minister, was not aware of the termination of the services of the medical officers until SUPP exposed this injustice in the papers (the media),” he said in a statement on Thursday.
Michael further said the termination shows exactly why health autonomy should be given back to Sarawak.
“Since the change of government in 2018, MOH no longer reports to Sarawak government and Dr Sim, who is the state minister overseeing public health matters.
“I therefore challenge Chong to honour his election promise to give back medical autonomy to Sarawak without further delay,” he added.
On Jan 18, SUPP Dudong branch chairman Wong Ching Yong in a press conference revealed that the contracts of four medical officers including two doctors in Sibu General Hospital were terminated by the federal government last November, with no reason given.
Last Thursday, Chong said the contracts of the two doctors at Sibu Hospital have been extended by the Health Ministry after he brought the matter up with Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng.
