Union advocates for 42-hour work week for all healthcare workers
SMSU President Ajulahin Japin praised the federal government for abandoning plans to enforce a 45-hour work week for more than 82,000 healthcare workers. He also suggested that this change should be applied to other healthcare industry workers.
'SMSU urges the government to extend this decision to include all other healthcare workers who also work on shift duty, such as pharmacy assistants, ambulance drivers, and other clinical support staff who are similarly affected by shift work demands and heavy workloads,' he said.
On July 11, the Public Services Department (PSD) stated that the exemption would involve a total of 82,637 healthcare personnel, comprising nurses, community nurses, medical officers in emergency departments, assistant medical officers and healthcare assistants.
This followed opposition after the announcement of the implementation of a 45-hour per week shift work schedule under the Public Service Remuneration System (SSPA), which was scheduled to take effect on March 1.
An interim moratorium on the 45-hour work week for healthcare staff was extended by three months on March 8.
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ON July 11, the government announced the exemption of 82,637 healthcare workers from the new 45-hour work week policy under the Public Service Remuneration System (SSPA). This means critical shift-based roles within the Health Ministry will proceed as usual with the 42-hour work week. The decision is a long overdue recognition of the mental, emotional and physical burden that healthcare workers shoulder every single day. Cancel anytime. Ad-free. Full access to Web and App. RM 13.90/month RM 9.73 /month Billed as RM 9.73 for the 1st month, RM 13.90 thereafter. RM 12.39/month RM 8.63 /month Billed as RM 103.60 for the 1st year, RM 148 thereafter.
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KOTA KINABALU: All healthcare workers, including those in complementary sectors and those on shift duties, should also be permitted a 42-hour work week, says the Sabah Medical Services Union (SMSU). SMSU President Ajulahin Japin praised the federal government for abandoning plans to enforce a 45-hour work week for more than 82,000 healthcare workers. He also suggested that this change should be applied to other healthcare industry workers. 'SMSU urges the government to extend this decision to include all other healthcare workers who also work on shift duty, such as pharmacy assistants, ambulance drivers, and other clinical support staff who are similarly affected by shift work demands and heavy workloads,' he said. On July 11, the Public Services Department (PSD) stated that the exemption would involve a total of 82,637 healthcare personnel, comprising nurses, community nurses, medical officers in emergency departments, assistant medical officers and healthcare assistants. This followed opposition after the announcement of the implementation of a 45-hour per week shift work schedule under the Public Service Remuneration System (SSPA), which was scheduled to take effect on March 1. An interim moratorium on the 45-hour work week for healthcare staff was extended by three months on March 8.
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Published on: Wednesday, July 16, 2025 Published on: Wed, Jul 16, 2025 Text Size: Ajulahin said the move acknowledges the critical role of healthcare staff who serve as the backbone of the country's medical services and often work beyond their limits to meet the demands of the system. Kota Kinabalu: The Sabah Medical Services Union (SMSU) has lauded the Federal Government's decision to retain the 42-hour work week for specific healthcare personnel, describing it as 'timely and compassionate'. SMSU President Ajulahin Japin, who also heads the Coalition of President and General Secretary of 26 healthcare workers' unions under the Ministry of Health, said the announcement by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on July 11 reflects the administration's understanding of the immense workload carried by frontline health workers. Advertisement The decision, made during an official meeting with healthcare unions at the Prime Minister's Office, applies to medical officers, nurses, community nurses and healthcare assistants. 'This is the result of a long and persistent campaign by unions across the country. We appreciate the Prime Minister's and the Madani Government's sensitivity and willingness to engage with us,' Ajulahin said in a statement. He said the move acknowledges the critical role of healthcare staff who serve as the backbone of the country's medical services and often work beyond their limits to meet the demands of the system. However, SMSU urged the Government not to stop there. The union is calling for the same consideration to be extended to other shift-based healthcare personnel such as pharmacy assistants, ambulance drivers and clinical support staff who, it said, face similarly demanding working conditions. 'Social justice and equitable treatment for all healthcare workers are crucial to sustaining morale and ensuring the delivery of quality services,' Ajulahin said. The union hopes the Government will continue to open dialogues with stakeholders and ensure that future decisions align with the values of inclusiveness under the Malaysia Madani framework. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
