The government’s phased initiative to dismantle the contract system for medical officers by 2028 under civil service reforms is a commendable stride forward.
The health ministry's Inter-Ministerial Joint Task Force (IMJTF) targets that, by 2028, every single graduate medical officer (houseman) who completes training will be offered a permanent role immediately.
Alongside plans to absorb remaining contract doctors in waves throughout 2027, this milestone stands to dissolve years of systemic gridlock.
Various measures have also been introduced to encourage more young medical officers to serve in Sabah and Sarawak. These initiatives include improving the placement system, fully covering relocation expenses, and granting additional merit points for specialist training and study leave applications to those deployed in the two regions.
