Dewan Rakyat: 382 doctors fail to report for duty in Sabah, Sarawak

KUCHING: A total of 382 medical officers offered permanent placements in Sabah and Sarawak had failed to report for duty as of Oct 7, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said.

Of the 1,055 officers offered placements across the two states, 673 reported for duty – an overall take-up rate of about 63 per cent.

Sarawak recorded 190 no-shows, with 337 of 527 officers reporting for duty, while Sabah recorded 192, with 336 of 528 taking up their placements.

Dzulkefly said the latest figures showed a slight improvement compared with the 2020–2025 period, when about 42 per cent of medical officers offered placements in Sabah and Sarawak failed to report.

“I am not comfortable with the current performance, but it does show some improvement,” he told the Dewan Rakyat today.

He was responding to Suhaizan Kaiat (PH-Pulai), who asked about the number of medical officers who failed to report for duty in Sabah and Sarawak, the reasons behind the problem and measures being taken to address it.

Dzulkefly said among the main reasons cited were being separated from family, reluctance to serve in rural areas and a preference for health facilities in urban centres.

Some officers were also concerned about career development, including opportunities to pursue specialist training if posted to remote areas of Sabah and Sarawak.

Other factors included the need to care for parents or family members, health issues, logistical constraints and the high cost of relocation, he said.