KUCHING: The Public Service Department recently relaxed the Bahasa Melayu requirement for qualified medical graduates to be appointed as Grade UD41 contract medical officers.
Minister of Health, Datuk Seri Dr. S. Subramaniam and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Joseph Entulu Belaun, who is in charge of the Public Service Department (JPA), will both explain the move at the federal cabinet meeting tomorrow, according to Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi here yesterday.
He spoke during a visit to the house of Deputy Chief Minister, Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas at Taman BDC here for the closing of the Gawai Dayak celebration.
He acknowledged the move had attracted mixed response from the public.
“This matter should be resolved with an open mind. We must listen to explanations from both sides so that it won’t be controversial,” said Zahid, adding that the government would decide on the requirement waiver only after hearing the explanations
“It is a government Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for any officer who wants to work with the government to have a pass in BM.
“However, in this matter, they are not working as permanent officers but under contract,” he pointed out.
Meanwhile, on the Sarawak government’s plan to send a team of lawyers to London to search for and study any references related to the state’s rights under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), Zahid commented that the state had the right to do so.
“We, at the federal government level, are open minded in receiving all the feedback from the Sarawak government. There is no issue that cannot be resolved,” he added.
