Latest news with #HartalDoktorKontrak
The Star
12-05-2025
- Health
- The Star
Wrong prescription for private docs
ON May 6, hundreds of doctors, mostly dressed in black, gathered at the Prime Minister's Office in Putrajaya in a peaceful protest against the use of a non-medical Act to ensure compliance to the medicine price display law. The last time doctors had protested was during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic when the Hartal Doktor Kontrak strike took place on July 26, 2021.
CNA
24-04-2025
- Health
- CNA
Malaysia's health ministry under fire for ‘lavish' Hari Raya celebration amid healthcare workers' woes
PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia's Health Ministry has come under fire for organising a seemingly extravagant Hari Raya event on Tuesday (Apr 22) amid challenges faced by healthcare workers who are reportedly underpaid and overworked. Veteran Malaysian singers like Siti Nurhaliza and Jamal Abdillah performed at the Majlis Sambutan Hari Raya Aidilfitri 2025, which Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim attended. In the wake of the backlash, Siti Nurhaliza clarified on Instagram that she had performed for free, while Health Minister Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said he appreciated the concerns raised and acknowledged the 'criticism received is fair'. 'Let this be a reminder for all. We'll continue working to address systemic issues for our health workers,' he said in a post on X. Without naming the singer, Dzulkefly said one of them had performed without any payment to honour the prime minister as well as healthcare workers 'from the headquarters'. These workers, he said, included guests from other agencies, ministries, universities and the private sector that have been part of the country's healthcare system. The event has been criticised on social media by many healthcare workers including the contract doctors' group Hartal Doktor Kontrak, which called it 'tone deaf' in the face of the healthcare sector's struggles. 'Our OT (overtime) allowance is super low, claims get rejected all the time, (some) equipment cannot be purchased due to the lack of funding but at least the ministry's top management can have fun with famous artists,' Hartal Doktor Kontrak said in a Facebook post on Wednesday that garnered over 5,400 likes and 2,700 comments. 'It is disheartening to witness Malaysia's frontline health workers grappling with unpaid on-call claims, severe understaffing and perilous working conditions while the Ministry of Health chooses to host a lavish Hari Raya concert featuring celebrities,' netizen @ksampoh posted on X on Wednesday.
Rakyat Post
24-04-2025
- Health
- Rakyat Post
Health Minister Addresses KKM Raya Event Backlash
Subscribe to our FREE A recent Hari Raya event hosted by the Ministry of Health (KKM) sparked criticism on social media after health minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad posted photos of the gathering on Facebook. Social activist group Hartal Doktor Kontrak made a sarcastic remark of the gathering, which featured Malaysia's top singers, Biduanita Negara Datuk Seri Siti Nurhaliza and Datuk Jamal Abdillah. READ MORE: Referring to the much-talked about issue of allowances among KKM medical staff, Hartal Doktor Kontrak said, 'If you want to reduce our allowances further, that's fine, as long as you invite more artists next year.' With the backlash having gone viral, Dr Dzulkefly responded to one made by senior consultant paediatrician Dr Amar Singh HSS on Twitter. The health minister assured that 'the person had graciously attended as a guest and performed without payment to honour PMX (Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) and our healthcare workers from HQ and facilities, including guests from other agencies, ministries, universities, private sectors that have been part of the country's healthcare ecosystem.' While he did not mention who 'the person' was by name, Dr Dzulkefly was presumably referring to Siti Nurhaliza. 'Criticism received is fair. Let this be a reminder unto all. We'll continue working to address the systemic issues for our healthcare workers – that's my commitment,' he tweeted. Salam Msia Madani ❤️🇲🇾❤️ Appreciate the concerns voiced. For the record, the person had graciously attended as a guest & performed without payment to honour PMX & our healthcare workers from HQ & facilities, including guests from other agencies, ministries, universities, private… — Dzulkefly Ahmad (@DrDzul) Siti Nurhaliza and Jamal Abdillah respond to social media criticism Biduanita Negara Datuk Seri Siti Nurhaliza took to social media to inform the public that she was at the health ministry's Raya gathering merely as a guest and was not hired specifically to perform. She explained that she did not want more people to continue with the slander when her name was mentioned in the news about her performance at the event, reiterating that she did so willingly and did not accept any form of payment. 'I only sang because I wanted to show my appreciation towards members of KKM willingly and without being paid to do so,' she said in an Instagram post on Wednesday (23 April). Meanwhile, Jamal Abdillah agreed to perform at the event to fulfill an invitation by the ministry's chief secretary, who is also his friend, Malaysia's Raja Pop (king of pop) known for hits such as Derita Cinta, Ghazal Untuk Rabiah and Seniman Menangis said he did not set a fee, but agreed to perform for a token of appreciation, adding that he didn't care how much was being offered and just accepted any amount. 'It wasn't much, just a few thousand (ringgit) only,' he said. Allegations of systemic issues ailing KKM staff Medical workers and members of the public accused the health ministry's Hari Raya event of being in poor taste and claimed there were systemic issues within the ministry that had not been resolved. They were unhappy to see KKM hosting a lavish event as they alleged allowance cuts, delayed overtime payments, and annual salary increments that never happened. The staff who work under the ministry also say they feel sidelined, accusing the ministry of prioritising its budget on a grand event over the welfare of its employees who were overworked and underpaid. Share your thoughts with us via TRP's . Get more stories like this to your inbox by signing up for our newsletter.
Malay Mail
23-04-2025
- Health
- Malay Mail
Fahmi deflects questions on Health Ministry's open house controversy, says it was not discussed in Cabinet
KUALA LUMPUR, April 23 — Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil has urged questions regarding the Health Ministry's controversial open house event to be directed to Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa, The Star reported. Speaking during his weekly press conference in Putrajaya today, Fahmi said the matter was not discussed during the Cabinet meeting. 'I don't have information, I was not invited,' he was quoted as saying. According to The Star, the Health Ministry's Aidilfitri open house yesterday drew widespread criticism from the healthcare fraternity, internet users, and politicians. The backlash stemmed from the event's inclusion of prominent celebrities Datuk Seri Siti Nurhaliza and Datuk Jamal Abdillah, which critics said contrasted starkly with the challenging conditions faced by healthcare workers. Fahmi, who is also the government's spokesperson, said his ministry's previous open house last year featured artistes who performed without charge, but he had no details about yesterday's Health Ministry event. 'I don't have any information on that. Please refer to the Health Minister,' he reiterated. The Star also reported that the event came under fire after pressure group Hartal Doktor Kontrak accused the ministry's leadership of being out of touch with the struggles of healthcare staff. 'The Health Ministry staff are happy, even though their on-call or overtime allowance is very low, claims get rejected all the time, equipment cannot be purchased due to the lack of allocations, but at least the ministry's top management can have fun with famous artistes,' the group said in a Facebook post yesterday. Attempts to reach Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa for comments on the event and the criticism it attracted have yet to receive a response.
New Straits Times
23-04-2025
- Health
- New Straits Times
Fahmi: Cabinet didn't discuss Health Ministry's Raya bash
PUTRAJAYA: The recent Hari Raya celebration organised by the Health Ministry — which has faced criticism from several parties, including the Hartal Doktor Kontrak group — was not discussed during today's cabinet meeting. Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil said the matter was not raised at all during the meeting. "It was not discussed in the cabinet meeting, and I have no information on it. You would need to refer to the Health Minister," he told reporters at a press conference. He was responding to questions on whether the open house event, which featured performances by celebrated Malaysian artistes Datuk Seri Siti Nurhaliza and Datuk Jamal Abdillah, was addressed during the cabinet meeting in light of the backlash from healthcare workers. The event, held at the Health Ministry's headquarters in Putrajaya, was considered by some to be inappropriate, given the ongoing challenges faced by the public healthcare system. Responding to queries regarding performers at government functions, Fahmi said that in many instances, artistes either waived their fees or accepted only a token payment. "In our experience at the Communications Ministry last year, when we co-hosted a Raya celebration with the Housing and Local Government Ministry, the artistes who performed told us they would not be charging anything. That was my personal experience," he said.
