Sarawak considers permanent residency for doctors to boost local healthcare workforce

SGH's specialists reviewing brain scans. Photo credit: FB Rasmi Hospital Umum Sarawak

By DayakDaily Team

KUCHING, March 21: Sarawak is considering offering permanent residency (PR) to doctors who serve in the State for a specified number of years, as part of efforts to attract and retain medical talent amid ongoing healthcare challenges.

In a post shared on his social media, Deputy Premier Dr Sim Kui Hian said the proposed incentive would allow doctors’ children to benefit from Sarawak government education initiatives, making long-term service in the State more appealing.

The move forms part of a broader, multi-pronged strategy to address Sarawak’s shortage of medical professionals, currently estimated at around 2,000 doctors.

Among these is the proposed establishment of a Fudan Medical School campus in Miri to strengthen local training capacity.

He cited concerns over graduate migration, noting that about 50 per cent of graduates from Monash University Malaysia move to Australia, while 90 per cent of graduates from Newcastle University Medicine Malaysia head to the United Kingdom upon graduation.

Sarawak is also exploring cutting-edge solutions, including trials of AI-powered medical doctors at the Medical and AI-Enabled Medical Experience Centre under the Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University in Miri.

“Hopefully, this will be made available to the public soon.

“The State has also doubled its full sponsorship for medical students at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) from 40 to 80 annually, while continuing discussions with the federal government on broader health autonomy, potentially modelled after Australia’s federal-state system, including initiatives to expand postgraduate training opportunities,” he added.

He added that lifestyle factors and long-term opportunities in Sarawak would also play a role in attracting doctors to remain in the State. — DayakDaily