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Malaysia ex-Minister Demands Compensation From Singapore For Poaching Malaysian Doctors, Nurses
https://codeblue.galencentre.org/20...gapore-for-poaching-malaysian-doctors-nurses/
Abdul Rahman Dahlan, a former minister in Prime Minister Najib Razak’s administration, has demanded that Singapore compensate Malaysia for recruiting Malaysian doctors and nurses. “Now, it’s open, aggressive and ‘in-your-face’ marketing campaigns, just like what Singaporean developers are doing in search of Malaysian buyers for their spanking new condominium projects in Singapore”, Abdul Rahman wrote on Facebook.
The former minister from Sabah further accused Singapore – the wealthiest member state of Asean that is able to attract Malaysian health care workers with higher remuneration – of undermining Malaysia’s mission to provide adequate and affordable health care for Malaysians, especially in underserved areas in the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, and Sarawak.
The former minister suggested that in lieu of a one-off compensation from Singapore to Malaysia, the Malaysian government could impose an additional monthly or annual levy on Malaysian doctors and nurses working in the island republic, based on their contracts and income drawn in Singapore that could be verified by the Malaysian High Commission.
This compensation should be borne by Singaporean employers, not the Malaysian employees.
“This shouldn’t be seen as a punishment on those who seek employment outside the country (in these focus sectors), but rather as a compensatory mechanism after having been trained locally at the expense of the taxpayer,” said Abdul Rahman.
“After all, Singapore, as I said earlier, loves to weaponise their deep pockets. I believe Singapore would not have any problem paying back the subsidies.”
“Malaysia is increasingly being recognised as a destination for quality but cheaper education, which explains the demand for our doctors and nurses in Singapore.”
According to a parliamentary reply in Singapore in 2022, the proportion of non-resident doctors in Singapore who were foreign trained stood at 6 per cent out of 15,423 doctors with active practicing certificates as of December 31, 2021. The main source countries were India, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, and the United Kingdom.
As for nurses, Singapore’s The Straits Times reported that in 2022, about 25 per cent of registered nurses in Singapore were foreign. Some 13 per cent of registered nurses in Singapore are from the Philippines, followed by Malaysia (5.7 per cent), Myanmar (2.4 per cent), India (1.3 per cent), China (1.27 per cent), and elsewhere.
The number of Malaysian registered nurses working in Singapore dropped from 2,321 in 2021 to 2,117 in 2022.
Prof Dr Adeeba Kamarulzaman, former dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Universiti Malaya, previously said in 2022 that the country’s top university loses at least 30 of its “best and brightest” medical students to Singapore every year.
https://codeblue.galencentre.org/20...gapore-for-poaching-malaysian-doctors-nurses/
Abdul Rahman Dahlan, a former minister in Prime Minister Najib Razak’s administration, has demanded that Singapore compensate Malaysia for recruiting Malaysian doctors and nurses. “Now, it’s open, aggressive and ‘in-your-face’ marketing campaigns, just like what Singaporean developers are doing in search of Malaysian buyers for their spanking new condominium projects in Singapore”, Abdul Rahman wrote on Facebook.
The former minister from Sabah further accused Singapore – the wealthiest member state of Asean that is able to attract Malaysian health care workers with higher remuneration – of undermining Malaysia’s mission to provide adequate and affordable health care for Malaysians, especially in underserved areas in the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, and Sarawak.
The former minister suggested that in lieu of a one-off compensation from Singapore to Malaysia, the Malaysian government could impose an additional monthly or annual levy on Malaysian doctors and nurses working in the island republic, based on their contracts and income drawn in Singapore that could be verified by the Malaysian High Commission.
This compensation should be borne by Singaporean employers, not the Malaysian employees.
“This shouldn’t be seen as a punishment on those who seek employment outside the country (in these focus sectors), but rather as a compensatory mechanism after having been trained locally at the expense of the taxpayer,” said Abdul Rahman.
“After all, Singapore, as I said earlier, loves to weaponise their deep pockets. I believe Singapore would not have any problem paying back the subsidies.”
“Malaysia is increasingly being recognised as a destination for quality but cheaper education, which explains the demand for our doctors and nurses in Singapore.”
According to a parliamentary reply in Singapore in 2022, the proportion of non-resident doctors in Singapore who were foreign trained stood at 6 per cent out of 15,423 doctors with active practicing certificates as of December 31, 2021. The main source countries were India, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, and the United Kingdom.
As for nurses, Singapore’s The Straits Times reported that in 2022, about 25 per cent of registered nurses in Singapore were foreign. Some 13 per cent of registered nurses in Singapore are from the Philippines, followed by Malaysia (5.7 per cent), Myanmar (2.4 per cent), India (1.3 per cent), China (1.27 per cent), and elsewhere.
The number of Malaysian registered nurses working in Singapore dropped from 2,321 in 2021 to 2,117 in 2022.
Prof Dr Adeeba Kamarulzaman, former dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Universiti Malaya, previously said in 2022 that the country’s top university loses at least 30 of its “best and brightest” medical students to Singapore every year.
