Malaysia approves relocation allowances for doctors moving to Sabah and Sarawak

The Malaysian Ministry of Health (KKM) has approved full relocation allowances for medical officers to support their welfare and facilitate placements in Sabah and Sarawak. This decision follows social media reports claiming doctors faced financial constraints when reporting to these regions. The approval, granted by the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service Department (JPA), will apply to permanent appointments starting with the 2025 cohort and will continue for 2026 onwards.

To address doctor shortages and uneven distribution, the JPA has granted KKM autonomy to manage and distribute its own posts. Additionally, the government plans to offer permanent positions to 4,500 contract medical officers this year. Permanent appointees are required to select at least one placement in Sabah, Sarawak, or Labuan.

Regarding reporting deadlines, the Director-General of Public Service, Tan Sri Dr Wan Ahmad Dahlan Abdul Aziz, stated that doctors assigned to Sabah and Sarawak have until October 7 to report for duty. While failure to comply with placement orders can lead to disciplinary action under public service regulations, authorities are allowing time for doctors to manage the logistics of moving, particularly those relocating from distant states or to rural areas.