KUALA LUMPUR: A group of government doctors are planning a three-day strike from April 3 to 5 and warned the public of longer waiting times at government hospitals and clinics on those dates.
On the Mogok Doktor Malaysia Instagram page, the group claimed more than 8,000 contract doctors would be striking to protest "unfair systems" and "low wages".
"Dear Malaysians, do not visit any general hospitals or klinik kesihatan from April 3 to 5, 2023, as more than 8,000 contract doctors will go on strike by taking medical or emergency leave as a protest against the unfair system and low wages.
"Your waiting time is expected to be much longer than usual. Thank you. #MogokDoktorKontrak," an Intagram post on the account said.
The post was also shared on the DoctorsMYInfo page (@doctorsmalaysia), which has more than 13,700 followers.
The same Instagram page had warned of a strike two days ago, but said they did not encourage demonstrations or flash mobs.
They said doctors who want to resign could do so en masse on April 1.
In a separate post, they said they were a group of contract doctors working for the Health Ministry and most of them participated in the Hartal Doktor Kontrak movement two years ago.
"We are going on another strike mainly because of the unresolved unfair contract system and low wage problems in the Health Ministry."
The group wants the ministry to grant all contract medical officers permanent posts and an increase in the on-call rate.
They want the ministry to resolve the severe doctor shortage at all public hospitals and health clinics, an auto-reduction in compulsory service to three years and a reduction in the long working hours.
Yesterday, Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said an unplanned strike was not the best way to resolve issues relating to medical officers or any other profession.
He said strikes could halt some services, even if they were meant to send a message to a particular person or group.
"This needs to be carefully considered. This involves the healthcare service, which is a critical service as it involves the lives and wellbeing of the people."