05/08/2025

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Call for action to address woes of healthcare workers

hub represents a strategic government investment to stimulate the local economy and ensure national food security. Among the proposed incentives are competitive Temporary Occupation Licences, access to basic infrastructure such as electricity, water and alternative energy sources, as well as relevant advisory services on market demand and crop suitability. He added that tax incentives, soft loans and grants, in cash or kind, could further encourage private sector participation. Prime Minister and Finance Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, in tabling 13MP last Thursday, announced that the East Coast states of Kelantan, Pahang and Terengganu would be developed through the creation of integrated, competitive national food production hubs, aimed at generating new economic opportunities, particularly for rural communities. ‘Kelantan Orang Asli still proud of cultural identity’ GUA MUSANG: Eighty per cent of the Orang Asli community in Kelantan continue to hold firmly to their traditional customs and beliefs, despite rapid modernisation and technological advancement. Kelantan National Department of Culture and Arts director Rohaniza Abdullah said a study conducted by the department found that the community was proud of its cultural identity and had begun leveraging social media platforms to showcase its uniqueness to the outside world. Rohaniza said the community had continued to preserve their customs across generations up to the present day. “The strength of the community lies in its ability to preserve its culture and identity in today’s modern world. Interestingly, young Orang Asli have used social media as a platform to introduce their heritage. “The research has opened the eyes of many to the strong social and cultural values still upheld by the Orang Asli community,” she said after the Penyemarakan Komuniti Budaya @ Komuniti Orang Asli programme at Pos Brooke, Lojing, here on Sunday. Rohaniza said there were still many unique aspects of the Orang Asli community that had yet to be explored or were not widely known, which the department aimed to share with the public. She said the two-day programme focused on showcasing the uniqueness of Orang Asli culture through artistic performances, traditional games and heritage food. – Bernama Machang to get first Form Six college KOTA BHARU: The first Form Six College in Machang is expected to be completed and begin operations next year. Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek, who visited the construction site during her three-day working trip to Kelantan, said the project is on track for completion by 2026. “The college will be ready next year, allowing students to study in a more comfortable setting,” she said after presenting Early Schooling Aid to Semester 1 Form Six students for the 2025 academic session on Sunday. Fadhlina noted that Kelantan’s Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia results have remained excellent and consistent. “Infrastructure alone isn’t enough. The quality of teachers and students must also remain a key focus,” she added. The minister said she also held engagement sessions with Form Six teachers and students. – Bernama

o Increase budget for primary care service, resolve manpower issue among steps govt could take to ease burden: Specialist

Ű BY KIRTINEE RAMESH newsdesk@thesundaily.com

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia’s public healthcare system is buckling under the weight of mounting workloads, chronic understaffing and years of underinvestment, said Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia public health medicine specialist Prof Dr Sharifa Ezat Wan Puteh. Weighing in on the heated debate over healthcare workers’ hours, Sharifa said the issue is not whether doctors clock in 42 or 45 hours a week. “The real problem is the overwhelming workload and lack of systemic support – especially in crowded urban centres,” she said. “Most healthcare workers face both physical and mental exhaustion. They shoulder heavy responsibilities and often receive little appreciation from supervisors or patients,” she said. “Wages remain low, manpower intake is minimal and new recruits are unevenly distributed across hospitals and clinics. “Some facilities receive only one or two new staff members who still require training,” she added. Sharifa said a growing exodus of public healthcare workers to the private sector or overseas, lured by better pay and working conditions – worsen the already critical shortage in the public system. She also dismissed claims that the country has enough doctors, pointing out that many shift to private practice, while those remaining in public service are often undertrained and under equipped for rural postings. “For instance, specialists are often not deployed to rural areas under the assumption that these regions have lighter workloads, but that’s not always true,” she said. Sharifa called for immediate and sustained government action – starting with a significant increase in the national health budget, especially to bolster primary care services.

Sharifa said the growing exodus of public healthcare workers to the private sector or overseas worsens the critical shortages in the public system. – ADIB RAWI YAHYA/THESUN

among while safeguarding subsidised care for the B40 community. “At the same time, the public must also do their part – adopt healthier lifestyles, invest in health insurance if possible and stay compliant with treatment when needed.” On the ground, frontliners said the shift to a 42-hour workweek has done little to relieve burnout. A government medical officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the hour count barely reflects reality. “Whether it’s 42 or 45 hours, most of us end up working beyond that anyway, especially when there’s staff shortage,” he said. He added that junior doctors are particularly vulnerable with high patient loads and minimal rest resulting in emotional exhaustion. A nurse at a public hospital echoed the sentiment, saying that reduced working hours mean little when understaffing remains unresolved. “One nurse often ends up doing the job of three. We’re so short-staffed that applying for leave feels impossible. The exhaustion hasn’t changed,” she said, adding that nurses frequently skip breaks and stay late to manage patient care. higher-income groups,

“Currently, Malaysia allocates only about 5% of its GDP to healthcare, which is low compared with countries in the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development),” she said. Among the urgent steps she proposed are: increasing budget allocations for primary care; upgrading rural and district health facilities with modern equipment; improving staff housing and offering competitive remuneration to retain talent. She also urged closer collaboration between public healthcare providers, private players and NGOs to close service gaps. General practitioners should be empowered to lead local health initiatives using a capitation-based model for more efficient and tailored care, she said. “Primary care is cost-effective, community based and focuses on prevention and early disease detection,” she said. Sharifa stressed the need to reduce the burden of non-communicable diseases through public awareness, self-care and healthier lifestyles. She also advocated for a multi-ministry approach to healthcare reform, especially with Malaysia’s population ageing rapidly. As a longer-term strategy, she proposed encouraging private health insurance uptake

Pahang tipped to become agri-food hub under 13MP KUANTAN: Pahang is poised to become a significant national agri-food hub under the proposed East Coast Food Production Hub announced in the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP), leveraging its strategic location and potential to drive growth in the sector. become Malaysia’s leading agri-food hub,” he told Bernama recently. Baidzawi said the hub would feature Collection, Processing and Packaging Centres (CPPC), which would provide direct benefits to local farmers, in line with the aspirations of the National Agro-Food Policy 2.0. Malaysian Space Agency to map flood-prone areas and identify flood-free agricultural zones using data-driven and satellite technology, supporting safer and more resilient food production zones.

Meanwhile, Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technology Faculty Prof Dr Mohd Faizal Jamlos recommended the use of geospatial technology such as drones to produce Digital Elevation Models or Digital Terrain Models for precision mapping of agricultural land. “These models provide valuable information to differentiate between high and low-lying areas easily. “The university has the technology and capability to carry out the data acquisition and processing required,” he said. Mohd Faizal noted that the food production

East Coast Economic Region Development Council (ECERDC) CEO Datuk Baidzawi Che Mat said Pahang, which covers more than half of the East Coast, is ideally positioned to spearhead national food production initiatives. He said the development of the hub would attract domestic and foreign investments, create job opportunities and strengthen the agri-food value chain from farm to market. “As an example, the Netherlands, a country roughly the size of Pahang, has become the world’s second-largest agricultural exporter. With strategic planning and sustainable approaches, Pahang has the potential to

He added that the CPPC’s proximity to the East Coast Rail Link would speed up delivery of agricultural produce to domestic and international markets, boosting competitiveness and farmers’ income. “With increased local food production and a focus on high-value crops such as durian, the hub will also help reduce the country’s dependence on food imports,” he said. Baidzawi noted that flood mitigation projects under 13MP would enable agri-food projects to be developed on previously flood-prone land. The ECERDC is collaborating with the