Full relocation allowances granted to doctors assigned to Sabah and Sarawak

In a statement, the Health Ministry confirmed that doctors posted to Sabah and Sarawak will now be eligible for full relocation allowances, a measure approved by the Finance Ministry and the Public Service Department. The benefit starts with the 2025 permanent appointment cohort and is set to continue for 2026 appointments and beyond, addressing earlier social-media reports of denied claims. The policy aligns with the 20 Madani Government Initiatives for health-personnel welfare and is intended to ease financial strain on staff relocating across regions.

The ministry also highlighted steps to tackle doctor shortages, including granting autonomy to manage postings and requiring newly permanent doctors to serve at least one posting in Sabah, Sarawak or Labuan via the ePlacement system. Additional actions include shortening the medical graduate training programme waiting period and planning to absorb contract doctors into permanent roles by 2028.