Budget 2025: Malaysian Medical Association welcomes significant allocation for health sector

KUCHING (Oct 19): The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) has expressed its support for the Health Ministry’s allocation in Budget 2025, which once again received the second-highest share of the national budget.

At the same time, MMA president Dato Dr Kalwinder Singh Khaira has noted the absence of a plan or timeline to increase the healthcare budget to five per cent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).

He highlights specific initiatives such as the government’s ‘War on Sugar’ along with its planned increase in excise duty by as much as 40 sen, to be implemented in stages from Jan 1, 2025 for all sugary beverages.

“More importantly, we hope that alongside this effort, increased attention will be given to public health education and awareness programmes on non-communicable diseases (NCDs),” said Dr Kalwinder in a statement.

Additionally, MMA welcomed the government’s effort to promote a healthy lifestyle through sporting activities under the Agenda Nasional Malaysia Sihat initiative, as outlined in Budget 2025.

Dr Kalwinder also expressed his surprise at the government’s plan for targeted healthcare subsidies at public hospitals.

“We hope more details will be given on its planned implementation as we believe only a small percentage of the top 15 per cent income group (T15) patients would seek services at public healthcare facilities.

“The majority of the T15 are known to seek healthcare services in private healthcare facilities,” he said.

He also called for clarity on the Ikhtiar Rakan KKM programme, particularly regarding staffing, remuneration and affordability compared to private healthcare.

“MMA is keen on learning more about the public-private collaboration with 91 private hospitals and hopes it extends to primary care providers, in line with the Health Ministry’s emphasis on preventive medicine.

“We applaud efforts to improve specialist services in East Malaysia with the setting up of a cancer centre in Sarawak and a heart specialist hospital in Sabah,” said Dr Kalwinder.

He praised the tax exemption for health screening, adding that it would empower the public to take control of their health and encourage early detection of illnesses.

“While MMA welcomes the doubling of funds for upgrading clinics nationwide from RM150 million to RM300 million, it highlights a need for greater focus on healthcare workforce development.

“Though there are many good plans for service expansion as well as infrastructure improvement and development, we feel that not enough attention has been given to human resources development of healthcare personnel, despite the fact that MMA has given a lot of feedback and suggestions on this issue,” said Dr Kalwinder.

He also called upon the government to provide clarity on the proposed changes to the working system and the on-call allowance increase announced in the budget.

“It is unclear from the Budget speech as to who will be entitled to the increase and in which type of healthcare facilities.

“The quantum of increase given is also not what the MMA had been asking for in keeping with the services provided by doctors 24/7,” he added.

Furthermore, Dr Kalwinder called for more focus on promotions, permanent positions, training, career progression, and mental well-being to retain doctors in the Health Ministry and sustain the government’s ambitious healthcare expansion plans.