Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii said the government could recruit international medical graduates trained in Malaysia to temporarily resolve the shortage of healthcare personnel in Sabah and Sarawak.

KUALA LUMPUR: The government should consider recruiting foreign doctors, particularly international medical graduates trained in Malaysia, as a short-term measure to address the shortage of healthcare workers in East Malaysia, says an MP.

Dr Kelvin Yii (PH-Bandar Kuching) said, however, that recruiting foreign doctors should not undermine or replace efforts to improve the salaries and career prospects of Malaysian doctors.

Yii said the proportion of doctors who failed to report for permanent postings in Sabah rose from 2% in 2022 to 20% in 2023, about 40% in 2025, and 66% this month.