No talks yet on hiring Indonesian nurses, says health minister
PETALING JAYA : Malaysia has yet to enter into discussions or received official requests regarding a proposal to deploy Indonesian nurses to serve in public hospitals, says health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad.
However, Dzulkefly said his ministry had taken note of the remarks made by Indonesia's consul-general in Johor Bahru, Sigit S Widiyanto.
Dzulkefly Ahmad.
He said the ministry was also aware of concerns raised by Cuepacs, the umbrella body for civil service unions, Berita Harian reported.
'We are aware that various parties, including Cuepacs, NGOs, and the Malayan Nurses Union, have raised numerous issues about this matter.
'But the fact remains – there have been no official discussions and the health ministry has not received any formal request,' he told reporters after attending an event in Kangar today.
On Aug 5, Bernama reported that Sigit had proposed allowing Indonesian nurses to work in Malaysia to alleviate the manpower shortage in the healthcare sector.
Sigit said the move would benefit both countries as Malaysia is facing a shortage of healthcare workers, including nurses, while Indonesia has a surplus.
He also said Indonesia had already begun state-level collaboration with a hospital in Johor, including starting the process of recruiting candidates.
Sigit said this required approval from the health ministry, the Malaysia Nursing Board and other relevant parties.
In a separate development, Dzulkefly said the ministry was looking into the status of community nurses, who graduated under the promotion by appointment (PSL) programme but were still waiting for permanent placements to fill vacancies.
'Yes, we are mapping the postings to ensure they remain in their current localities. We will assign them accordingly.
'We estimate there are over 1,800 PSL-trained community nurses in the country.
'We are working to place them as soon as possible. The matter is already being addressed.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Straits Times
13 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Dzulkefly welcomes study on hiring Indonesian nurses
PUTRAJAYA: Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad has welcomed the Public Service Commission's (PSC) proposal to conduct a detailed study on the suggestion by the Indonesian Consul-General in Johor, Sigit S Widiyanto, to establish a strategic collaboration with Malaysian hospitals to allow Indonesian nurses to serve in the country. Dzulkefly said he had taken note of the proposal and instructed his ministry to work with the Public Service Department (PSD) on the matter. "Whatever the outcome of the study, I have emphasised that it must take into account the interests of the public, the welfare of Health Ministry (MoH) staff, and the effectiveness of the national healthcare delivery system," he said in a post on X today. He added that, for now, the MoH would continue addressing the shortage of nurses through various measures as previously outlined. However, he said there was no quick solution to the critical situation, which could be partly attributed to internal factors such as the moratorium on private nursing colleges, which was lifted in 2024, and the absence of new intakes at MoH Training Institutes (ILKKM) for two years during the pandemic. On Saturday, Berita Harian reported that PSC chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Jailani Muhamed Yunus had said a comprehensive study was necessary before any proposal or policy to recruit Indonesian nurses for government hospitals could be implemented. He was quoted as saying the move was important to prevent the issue from becoming a polemic that would ultimately benefit no party. Ahmad Jailani stressed that the matter involved national policy and required in-depth discussions to reach the best possible decision. Yesterday in Perlis, Dzulkefly confirmed that no discussions or official applications had been made regarding the proposal to recruit Indonesian nurses for government hospitals.
The Star
14 hours ago
- The Star
Health Ministry will study proposal to recruit Indonesian nurses, says Dr Dzul
KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad says the Health Ministry will consider the suggestion by the Consul General of the Republic of Indonesia in Johor Baru Sigit S Widiyanto to recruit nurses from the republic to address Malaysia's staffing shortage. 'I acknowledge the suggestion made by the Consul General and we will study it carefully,' said the minister on X on Monday (Aug 11). 'The shortage of nurses is a real challenge, and we are looking at all possible measures to ensure that our hospitals are adequately staffed.' Dr Dzulkefly stressed that the government would take a balanced approach in addressing the issue. 'Any decision will be made with the welfare of patients in mind, while also ensuring that local talent is given fair opportunities. "We will consider the long-term sustainability of our nursing workforce, the needs of our healthcare system, and the readiness of both local and foreign-trained nurses to serve.' However, the Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Services (Cuepacs) has strongly opposed the idea, particularly for placement in government hospitals. Its president Datuk Dr Adnan Mat called the proposal inappropriate, pointing out that many local nursing graduates, including those promoted under the Promotion by Appointment (PSL) scheme, are still waiting for permanent or contract positions, with some having waited as long as eight months. He stressed that priority should be given to local nurses who are already trained and awaiting employment before considering the recruitment of foreign workers.
Malay Mail
18 hours ago
- Malay Mail
Ipsos survey: Six in ten Malaysians welcome old age, outpacing global trend
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 11 — Malaysians are more optimistic than the global average about entering their later years, with almost six in ten saying they look forward to old age, according to a new Ipsos survey. In its Malaysian Attitudes Towards Ageing 2025 survey, the global market research firm found that 58 per cent of Malaysians expressed a positive outlook towards ageing. That was well above the global average of 38 per cent and in line with other Southeast Asian nations. 'In developed countries, a longer life expectancy and a higher threshold for what is considered 'old age' do not translate into positive sentiment,' the firm noted. It added that enthusiasm rises with income, education, and perceived distance from old age. Ipsos suggested Malaysia's upbeat view of ageing is likely tied to cultural respect for elders and strong family and community support networks. Ipsos' Malaysian Attitudes Towards Ageing 2025 survey found 58pc of Malaysians view ageing positively, above the 38pc global average and similar to other Southeast Asian nations. — Screengrab courtesy of Ipsos Optimism is even higher in neighbouring Indonesia at 89 per cent and the Philippines at 74 per cent, while Thailand stands at 58 per cent and Singapore at 46 per cent. In contrast, only 30 per cent of Japanese respondents and 10 per cent of French respondents said they look forward to old age. Old age now begins at 60 That optimism is reflected in shifting perceptions of when old age starts. Malaysians now place the threshold at 60, compared to 56 in 2018 — a four-year increase unique in Southeast Asia. Indonesians put the mark at 59, Filipinos at 60, Singaporeans at 62, and Thais at 65. The global average is 66, with France topping the list at 72. Living longer than expected Malaysians believe they will live to an average of 74 years, slightly under the actual life expectancy of 75.2 years. This gap is narrower than in countries like Japan, where people expect to live to 80 years despite a life expectancy of 83.5 years. In Southeast Asia, Indonesia's life expectancy is 72.5 years and the Philippines' is 71.8 years. Ipsos noted that countries with higher life expectancy tend to be less optimistic about ageing, while those with lower life expectancy, such as Indonesia and the Philippines, are more positive. Investment needed for aged nation The firm warned that with Malaysia projected to become an 'aged nation' by 2043 — when 14 per cent of the population will be aged 65 and above — and the average Malaysian expected to spend 15 years in old age, greater investment in healthcare and social protection will be crucial to ensuring later years are lived with health, dignity and fulfilment. To note, the findings of the survey are based on interviews with a representative sample of adults aged under 75 across 32 countries, totalling around 23,745 respondents.
