KUALA LUMPUR, 14 September 2026 — The Galen Centre for Health & Social Policy repeats its call for the Federal Government and Members of Parliament to urgently establish a Health Services Commission to recruit, retain, deploy, and support the welfare, remuneration, and career development of public-sector healthcare workers. Budget 2027 must include this commitment to urgent and meaningful healthcare reform.

“The goal is simple: raise human resource management in the public healthcare sector as close as possible to the standards which we would reasonably expect from a responsible private-sector employer. It is neither impossible nor unreasonable,” said Azrul Mohd Khalib, Chief Executive of the Galen Centre for Health & Social Policy. “The current arrangement of being managed under the Public Services Department and Public Services Commission is no longer fit for purpose. Public healthcare workers should have their own Service Commission.”

The tragic Flying Doctor Service helicopter crash at Long Lellang must become a turning point in how Malaysia safeguards the welfare, safety and working conditions of its public healthcare workforce.

“Doctors, nurses, assistant medical officers, pharmacists, allied health professionals and other healthcare workers should not have to accept unnecessary hardship, unsafe working environments or inadequate welfare support simply because they have chosen public service.”

“The question should no longer be simply how many healthcare workers we can recruit. It should also be: why would they want to stay? Malaysia cannot address its healthcare workforce crisis through simplistic appeals to patriotism, duty and sacrifice.”

“If we want skilled healthcare professionals to build their careers in public service, then public healthcare must become an employer which values them, protects them and provides them with reasonable working conditions and opportunities for professional growth.”

“We should aim to make Malaysia’s public healthcare service one of the most attractive healthcare employers in Southeast Asia.”

In the wake of the tragedy, increasing numbers of public healthcare workers are speaking publicly and openly sharing on social media about inadequate accommodation, difficult and unreasonable transfers and postings, financial pressures, excessive workloads, unsafe or unreasonable working environments, inadequate allowances, poor welfare support and administrative systems which appear disconnected from the realities of frontline healthcare.

“These accounts should not be dismissed as complaints from people who are unwilling to make sacrifices, are “manja” or were ignorant to what they signed up for. Many of these healthcare workers have already made enormous sacrifices. They work long hours, accept difficult postings, spend time away from their families, and take on responsibilities that directly affect patients’ lives and safety,” Azrul said.

“Our healthcare workers are expected to look after everyone else. The system must demonstrate that it is equally capable of looking after them.”

“The problem is that we have normalised hardship, exploitation and suffering. We have allowed misery, burnout, exhaustion and personal sacrifice to become part of the expected culture of working in public healthcare. That needs to end,” Azrul emphasised.

“Realistically, it will take years before conditions generally improve, but establishing the Health Services Commission sends a powerful message that the Government recognises the urgency and is serious about change. The Commission should be empowered to develop a modern healthcare workforce system which is responsive to the current and future realities of clinical practice and public healthcare delivery.”

Its mandate should include workforce planning, recruitment and permanent appointments, deployment and transfers, competitive remuneration and allowances, occupational health and safety, staff accommodation and welfare, insurance protection for hazardous duties, transparent grievance mechanisms, career progression, specialist and leadership pathways, and targeted incentives for service in rural, remote and underserved areas.

“We cannot demand that healthcare workers travel into difficult terrain, work in overstretched facilities, undertake hazardous assignments or accept remote postings, and then treat their safety and welfare as secondary administrative matters.”

“If the Government has an obligation to manage risks, protect healthcare workers, insure them appropriately and compensate them fairly. It is unacceptable that instead they are required to sign liability waivers.”

“This is one tragic and painful example of how the current system does not work and is contributing to the exodus of trained and dedicated healthcare personnel from the public service. It is pushing experienced people away.”

The current arrangement, where the healthcare workforce is largely managed within the broader rules and structures of the Public Services Department and Public Service Commission, is no longer adequate and fit for purpose for a health system employing highly specialised professionals across hospitals, clinics, laboratories, pharmacies, emergency services and remote healthcare operations.

Healthcare has unique workforce requirements. Clinical staffing cannot be managed like ordinary administrative postings. A vacant specialist, nursing or medical officer position directly affects patient load, waiting times, safety, service availability and the workload of everyone else in the facility. Tens of thousands of such vacancies remain across the country.

Malaysia is already struggling with shortages, resignations, declining morale, burnout and difficulties attracting and retaining skilled healthcare professionals in public service.