KUALA LUMPUR: The Hartal Doktor Kontrak movement has issued a three-week ultimatum to the government to offer permanent positions to all contract doctors and publish a clear selection criteria.
Otherwise, the movement which comprises junior doctors nationwide will strike by going on leave, starting July 26 until their demands are fulfilled.
The movement's spokesperson Dr Mustapha Kamal said the group has submitted a memorandum to Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba, the Public Services Commission (SPA) and the Chief Secretary of the Health Ministry to notify their demands.
"The first cohort of contract doctors began their service in December 2016 and only 789 doctors (3.4 per cent) have so far secured permanent positions.
"So far, there has been no blueprint on the career progression for contract doctors. We do not even know what the selection criteria for a permanent placement is.
"Our contracts will end this December. Despite five years of waiting, our fate still remains unknown without any assurance to be absorbed into the public healthcare system.
"We are ready to discuss and negotiate with the government. We will go on strike only as a last resort," he told reporters during a press conference via Zoom today.
In the event of a strike, Dr Mustapha said, the contract doctors will make necessary arrangements with senior doctors to ensure the welfare of patients in hospitals.
The doctors, he said, are also prepared with a legal team to face any disciplinary actions in their fight for job security.
The Hartal Doktor Kontrak meanwhile, also lamented that the current contract employment scheme does not assure any career progression for contract doctors.
"Our employment is on a biannual/annual basis and to become permanent, there is no clear clarity on the selection criteria.
"There are too many discrepancies between the benefits of a contract medical officer and a permanent officer.
"Among them are, time-based career progression which unfortunately does not apply to us.
"Moreover, no matter how many years we have served the country, our pay grade will remain the same.
"We are also not entitled to other benefits, such as hazard leave, maternity leave, housing loan schemes and many more," they said in a press statement today.
The group also questioned the government on the drastic drop in employment rate for house officers before and after 2016.
"Up until Dec 2016, the government was able to create jobs for all house officers. Why the sudden drop from 100 per cent to 3.47 per cent?
"And there is no clarity between how the selection of these fortunate 3.47 per cent medical officers was done.
"Medical officers are employed in cohorts or batches and each year there will be roughly five to six cohorts.
"If we assume each cohort has 1,000 officers employed, about 789 medical officers is only roughly 13 per cent for the year 2019. The number is drastically low," they said.
Unless their demands are met, the group affirmed that a protest is imminent on July 26 and will prolong until the government comes forward to discuss terms.