Continued ……….
Education should never be politicised. Unfortunately, in Malaysia everything is politics unless stated otherwise. When I started my Standard 1 in 1979, the education system had already been converted from English to Bahasa Malaysia. If I am not mistaken, I was the 2nd batch of Standard 1 which was conducted in BM. English was thought as a second language. However, we were still a lucky batch of students as the books were still Cambridge books translated into Malay. Our teachers, almost all of them had excellent English language proficiency as they were educated in English medium. My school was a missionary school which is technically a semi-aided school. I did not see any racial or religious issues within my school. The Malays, Indians and Chinese were all playing, studying and eating together. Our canteen was run by a Chinese family till I completed my Form 6 in 1991. There was no such rule as only Muslims owners can run public canteens. They don’t sell pork or beef to respect everyone’s religious requirements. The vernacular schools on the other end were dying a slow death. Many non-Malays wanted to enrol themselves into national schools as they expected to be treated equally. My father, who was once a Tamil school Headmaster before becoming a national schoolteacher (after doing a degree), decided to send all of us to a national school albeit a missionary school (the top schools at that time). He still says that the reason he did so is to make us Malaysians. Many small Chinese and Tamil schools were on the verge of closing down by late 1980s due to lack of enrolment.
Unfortunately, after 1981 everything changed. The quota system of universities was in full force. MARA colleges and boarding schools were raised everywhere since 1970s to cater for a single race. Scholarships were limited to non-Bumiputras. Civil servants were reserved for a single race. As more and more non-Malay teachers began to retire, the pool of teachers were predominantly Malays by early 2000. Worst still, unemployed graduates were recruited as teachers under KPLI (Kursus Perguruan Lepasan Ijazah) program. When my daughter went to Convent JB in 2011, there was only 1 non-Malay teacher in the entire afternoon session!
As I said earlier, the government must lead by example. On one end, you claim vernacular schools are causing disunity but on the other end, you do the same. I remember very clearly how most of my Malay friends disappeared after Standard 5 (before UPSR, lower school exams were held when you were in Standard 5) to MARA colleges, Agama schools, boarding schools and royal military college. Another batch of my remaining Malay friends disappeared after Form 3 SRP exams (PTK equivalent), also to MARA colleges, Agama schools and boarding schools. By the time I reach Form 4, the entire science stream only had 1 Malay student. By Form 6, all my classes were filled with only non-Malays. The remaining Malays who use to come from other schools to my school for Form 6 Science classes disappeared within 2 months, as they enrolled into university run matriculation system. Mind you, my school (St Paul’s Institution) was one of the premier top schools in Negeri Sembilan. By removing the Malay students to agama schools, boarding schools, MARA colleges and Matriculation, the government was basically doing the same. Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore took 20 years to abolish the vernacular schools in Singapore. Did he do it overnight by just banning the schools? Nope. He created a merit-based system, a common language of English with mother tongue language as mandatory 2nd language, offered scholarship to Chinese school top scorers to move to national schools which is valid till they reach university, no religious elements in school curriculum etc. The vernacular schools died a natural death. You can read this in his book “My Lifelong Challenge: Singapore’s Bilingual Journey”.
By mid 1990s, many non-Malay parents were moving their children back to vernacular schools. A new national education system was introduced in 1983 known as KBSR and KBSM. Religious education was made a mandatory subject for Muslims and as part of the national curriculum. Prior to this, it was not part of the national education curriculum. We had a period, if I can remember, once or twice a week known as POL (People’s own language) classes. The Muslims will go to Pengajian Agama Islam class whereas the Indians will go to Tamil classes and Chinese to Chinese classes. I grew up in this system and KBSR and KBSM did not affect me as it only affected those who started their Standard 1 in 1983 onwards. When KBSR and KBSM was introduced, these POL classes were abolished and replaced with Pendidikan Moral for the non-Muslims. The mother tongue language classes were abolished for good under the new national education policy known as KBSR and KBSM. Some schools still continued with these as an optional out of ordinary classes. These were done after school hours. Language is an asset to a country but we decided to do the opposite.
With the formal introduction of religious education into our education system from 1983 onwards, the national schools slowly but surely were moving towards a monoethnic and mono religious centric schools. The Ustaz and Ustazah became very influential. MOE barred any other religious events or celebration in schools by 1990s. Openly telling the Muslims students that non-Muslims are kafirs who only deserve to go to hell were a norm. Islamic religious activities were held openly including saying daily prayers during assembly. The non-Muslims became very anxious, uneasy and started to move their kids out of the national schools. Religion should never be part of any official education system. It only serves to divide people. By 2000s, these phenomena had become toxic enough that many decided not to even send their children to national schools.
What options does these parents had? The cheapest option is to send to vernacular schools. Vernacular schools were becoming very popular and some schools did not even have enough classes to accommodate everyone. Schools that were on the verge of shutting down by early 1990s got a new lifeline. Many non-Chinese, including the Malays began to send their children to Chinese medium schools. If I am not mistaken, the current statistics shows that close to 20% of students in Chinese schools are non-Chinese.
By 2004 under the leadership of our new PM Abdullah Badawi, another new “education policy” started to take place. International schools which were once only available for expats or to students who had at least 1 parent being a foreigner, were allowed to take Malaysian citizens. It started with 30% quota but by 2008, almost 100% of the students can be Malaysians. These created another mess in our education system. Mushrooming of private and international schools started. It’s all about making money, I guess. Now, we not only have racially and religiously divided nation by education but also a class divide. The “Bangsa Malaysia” of Wawasan 2020 were just going down the drain. So, whoever who claim that the vernacular schools are the cause of disunity, think again. Digest what had happened and look at yourself. Assimilation will NEVER occur if everyone is not treated equally. That’s the reality.
To be continued……………….
Pagalavan's Avatar 
Dear Dr Pagal,
We non muslims are forced to do STPM even when we get good SPM results. Once we complete STPM, there is no guarantee we can get a course we opt for at local University. Example, we indicate as Economics but we get allocated Mass Communication.
We know our muslim classmates results in class. Some of them never performed well even during normal class test or exams. Eventually they get to do good courses at local university and quite surprised to see some working as lecturers, doctors, etc. Some of our non muslim classmates who did well but did not get accepted to local university and their parents could not afford to send them to private colleges are now working as operators in factories in Singapore.
This quota/racial issues seems deeply rooted and perhaps will never change in Malaysia
Yes, it will not change. They claim that there is no quota system since 2003 but that is only on paper. As you know, Malays still have a different pathway to enter universities aka matriculation. As long as there is no single entry pathway, there will not be justice.
Double discrimination .
“I can discriminate you for a particular reason but you can’t do the same to me for the same reason because it’s a discrimination.”
Same goes to education field , it’s believed nowadays education is treated as a job , rather than passion. Passionate, responsible and professional teachers are numbered.
Hence it’s a dilemma for me , for where to send my kids in future.
By the way Dr Paga , for the contract and permanent MO post , I was once told by some of my juniors , all permanent posts are provided to Sarawak , as Sarawak is relatively financial stable if compared to federal government . It’s there such thing as to employ MO under state government ?
No, all employment is under MOH. Yes, if you read my post last year, they did create about 100 post in Sarawak with take it or leave it letter to some.
Hey dr, what’s your view on the recent extension of contracts? Any recent intake of permanent batches? How long is the extension of contract?
This extension of contract are for different group of doctors, not the first contract Ho group of 2016. I did hear there are a few who was recently given permanent post.
There is is a case of 2 medical graduates suing a foreign branch campus of non gazettement of medical degree. Any comments from your experience in this matter?
It is an issue of change of degree name from MBBS to MD when the students entered year 3. However, mqa and mmc have to approve and accreditate this change of degree separately. Unfortunately MMC is yet to do so.
Hi dr.
1.I have a question regarding to accreditation of medical school malaysia in other countries. As you mentioned before that none of our medical school recognized in other countries except UM and UKM, but I actually checked Australian Medical Council website which reveals that almost all medical school in malaysia are accredited in Australia, why is it happening ?
2.I actually going to pursue medicine, but don’t know which school to go. In your opinion, do you prefer IMU-PMS or RUMC (Penang)?
I think you should read the AMC website in full. All medical schools listed in World Directory of Medical Schools is recognised in Australia to be ABLE to sit for the AMC exam. The word “recognised” here has different meaning. Only Monash Malaysia is recognised in Australia without the need to sit for the AMC exams.
Both medical schools are OK.
Yeah i think you need to review that document. Unless you come from Monash or have done your medical training in UK Canada or NZ, you have to go through the gauntlet of the AMC exams.
For UK, Ireland and Canada, you need to complete your internship in that country and receive full registration before being exempted from sitting AMC exams.
If you get a permanent post, just take it. No need do masters ok. Just coast on. Eventually youd get ud54 that entitles you to more than rm10k a month with paid leave and epf/pension. No need specialise also can. Just do admin work or sit in kk become chronic mo. Would not get JUSA la but cushy life. At least people wont accuse you take 55 day leave makan angin in NZ. Life is tough as it is, why make it harder and plan to migrate? Just suck as much as you can from the teat of this government. The system would fail by 30 to 40 years time but by then you already retired and the country is someone elses problem already. Just look out for yourself
The system still can last for another 30 years ? Amazing.
Wont be surprised. With a populist nationalistic government. They will get the money. China will be happy to do business with us.
Actually the government has managed to reduce the waiting period for the latest batch of e-housemanship to 8 months. As for those floating MOs being transferred to East Malaysia late last year after finishing their 2 years’ housemanship in Peninsular were all transferred back to Peninsular after just spending a few months either in Sabah or Sarawak. The Peninsular here need a lot of MOs now as frontliner and also for the vaccination programme especially in Selangor, shortage of MOs in most hospital.
It has always been between 8-12 months, depending on where you are planning to choose to do your housemanship. Floating MOs can be transferred anywhere based on needs. They are still under contract.
I have been hearing that there are substantial number of houseman who are quitting the training for some reason or other. Does MOH release the statistics for transparency sake? Any unofficial figures available? What is the fate of those who left?
This has been happening for many years. KKM do not release the actual figures. Based on current scenario of contract doctors, once you quit, you will not be re-employed
How much is the quota for the local medical Masters conducted by Government Universities? Since competition is tough, would the government consider allowing private Universities to conduct the professional 4 year based medical courses ?
Allowing private to run a Master’s program by itself is a disaster in waiting. However KPJ do have a Master’s program in collaboration with UKM and recently KKM has some collaboration with Sunway University as well.
Dear Dr,
I am finishing up my 2nd year at a semi-private university. My programme is in partnership with the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland. I would like to ask if this means I can do my housemanship abroad? I’m not sponsored by JPA.
RCSI is recognised in Ireland. So you are eligible to work in Ireland if you do get a job. However, the rate of getting a job in Ireland is relatively low.
If i were you, i would try for a job in ireland, then after you get full registration, move to australia. Nearer to Malaysia, better weather.
Are the offshore Irish programmes conducted in Malaysia acceptable by the Medical Councils in Australia or New Zealand?
No, unless you complete housemanship in Ireland and have Irish medical council full registration.
What about being offered provisional registration in Australia or NZ, just after graduation and doing houseman in these countries?
What do you mean?
Do houseman in Australia or NZ
As far as I know, if you graduate from an offshore UK or Irish university, you can only get provisional registration in Australia if you had completed at least 12 months of internship training in UK or Ireland.
Got it. Thanks
It seems the waiting period for houseman has been reduced to 5 months or so due to demand for medical personnel in this Covid era. It could be good news but does it translate to new job creation for MO in the future. There are some who are happy about this outcome but it is a temporary respite.
Government bureaucracy usually means it takes at least 2 years to create a post. Besides that our national debt as stated in our local newspapers is is increasing and where is the government going to find the money to pay all the these doctors. From a deeper analysis, batches of new contract houseman are being recruited but no job guarantee after the 4 -5 years.
My suggestion is to find another source of income while being employed as a houseman. Covid demand for medical doctors may be temporary.
There will never be a job guarantee. That is a fact that we must all be prepared and accept. The current covid era is a temporary event.
Difficult to say for the case in Malaysia, as they have already extended those contract MOs after they have completed their 2 years’ contract. Instead they have also further employed retired medical personnel to boost up the health workforce. A temporary covid scenario for our country could turn out to be a long term years’ of event. Nobody could predict accurately what will happen as the government begin to show sign of turning into a unity rojak government.
It is all temporary contracts.
Today’s news is that another extension of contract is given as stated in this link
https://codeblue.galencentre.org/2021/05/04/3622-government-doctors-dentists-pharmacists-get-another-one-year-contract/
Are general elections coming soon within 1 year ?
of course!
as you can see , it is only 1 year! these must be the 1st contract batch which would be finishing end of this year. Just buying time till covid ends.
I am asking a layman question. Is it possible for ordinary doctor to survive on a salary given by a clinic? This assuming the doctor has 5 years experience (inclusive of houseman) in the government and he could not continue on in the government. He then finds work in clinic.
Another scenario is whether a doctor can survive just doing locum work at several clinics. Survival also includes taking a loan to buy a car to travel to places of work.
What is the average salary anyway?
Of course you can survive but don’t expect a luxury life.
I am following your blog regularly and some posts appear on other links. There is a particular post one the last page of For Future Doctors: Housemanship, Medical Officer and Postgraduate Training (Part 3). I am also interested in your advice/comments given for that post dated 18 May..
Your comments are particularly needed in these times of crisis.
I just read that there can be no breaks during Houseman. Does the government allow breaks during the contract MO? Literally meaning no 60/90 days maternity leave for contract officers in government service. It is a possibility !
Maternity leaves are allowed but it does not extend your contract.
Covid 19 is causing burnout among Medical staff according to a letter to the Star yesterday. Any comments on this?
I think I did mention this last year as well. Burnout will happen whether we like it or not
To understand what happened in the past, please read up this book (The New Economic Policy in Malaysia: Affirmative Action, Ethnic Inequalities and Social Justice) published by Edmund Terence and Johan Saravanamuttu.
BTW, China gpd per capita has only 1000 usd behind us. Few more years in future, our salary on average will be lowered than China.
Is that true that boarding school teaches in English and uses IGSCE syllabus while SMK still in Bahasa and SPM?
Yes, some boarding schools and MARA colleges do teach in English and do igsce
An interesting article is available at this link https://www.thevibes.com/articles/news/27500/govt-contract-doctors-fear-losing-their-jobs-after-pandemic-ends.
It offers an insight to those who have worked hard but failed to get permanent jobs.
Some should have stayed in the UK if they graduated from UK medical schools. In the past, they always (mistakenly) thought that government guaranteed a job for every medical graduate as long as their medical schools were recognized. Actually there is no law to guarantee a job for every medical graduate. This is a free market.
It seems that the government need a lot more health workers now. The latest update is that, those who have just graduated or sent in their application through ehousemen in February this year already got their posting letter this month. They have to report for PTM by end of this month June 2021 and those floating MOs or who have completed their 6th houseman posting were transferred out to vaccination centers. SPA said they intended to reduce further the waiting time period for housemanship posting from the current waiting period of 4 months after graduation.
We must not forget the increasing number of resignation from civil service the past 1 year. This could also be the reason on why more post are available.
Are these contract posts with many facing disappointment a few years later when no permanent posts for all of them? Sacrificing time and effort can be made, but the govt is sometimes notorious for not rewarding the right medical workers.
I have come across news from a Facebook posting that extended contract, and modified permanent posts (with KWSP only, no pension ) may be offered to benefit those who want to specialise. Is that a possibility?
Nothing is confirmed till you see a circular.
dear dr Paga, hope you are well!
Just wondering, what are the current job prospects for doctors in Malaysia? With the pandemic and everything. Is it still hard to get a job?
just thought i would share this very interesting thread with you
Yes, I saw that.
Please read my blog post. Everyone will get atleast a 5 year contract to complete your compulsory service. Unlikely to receive any permanent post if you don’t get one by then.
with many doctors leaving KKM because of the contract situation, many are considering going overseas to get a job, but as you have mentioned multiple times in your blog, it is not possible to enter specialist training overseas if you studied in a university in Malaysia that is not recognised abroad, right? even entrance exams abroad are hard to pass and with the rising number of doctors in those countries it would be even harder for foreign doctors to get a spot. seems like there really is no escape. many think they can enter specialist training abroad without realising the concept of recognition, sad that they are stuck.
yes, first you need to be registered as a doctor in the country where you intend to practise. Only then you need to start from scratch and go on to do specialisation. It is not as smooth sailing as many would like to think.
Most still have this mindset ” Medical doctors are guaranteed a golden rice bowl forever everywhere in the world”.
Is there a statistical number on those leaving housemanship and MO and where do they venture afterward?
Many will be embarrassed to say, I guess.
KKM should have the statistics on the numbers leaving service. Where they venture afterwards , only the person will know.
I think the Malay medium started fully in Malaysia as part of NEP, in 970.
Not actually, the curriculum started much later towards the end of 70s. My brother who entered schooling in 1974 was still in English.
I started in 1972 (Methodist School) and it’s already fully in Malay.. Maybe it was not enforced fully yet..
I started in 1970 in a Methodist School and it’s already fully Malay medium. Maybe the new system was not fully enforced nationwide..
Yup, probably it was done in stages.
I started in 1972 in a Methodist School and it was fully Malay medium already.. Maybe the enforcement was not fully implemented yet..
I am curious to know how many Medical Officers can an average private hospital keep on their payroll? This is assuming contract MO’s from govt service start applying for the private hospital vacancies once their contract is over. I do understand that specialists are the mainstay of a private hospital.
Private hospitals only need medical officers for their emergency department. Each hospital only needs about 5-10 medical officers depending on their patient numbers.
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