Saturday, January 30, 2010

Disappointed Doctor

The following is a letter I've received from a Doctor who has just returned to our shores. Bureaucratic clumsiness?


I am a medical doctor who was educated overseas and worked in Australia for several years and recently decided to return to Malaysia to serve the country.

As a professional working overseas I heard about the 'Program bagi mengalakkan warganegara Malaysia yang berpakaran yang bekerja di luar negara pulang ke Malaysia' and therefore applied for it. I was very disappointed when they rejected my application on the grounds that it was sent after I returned to Malaysia. Apparently it was meant to be sent whilst I was still in Australia.

I find this a very poor excuse given the fact that Malaysia is trying to lure back its citizens to work for them. It discourages professionals such as me from having to bear the burden to return but not have any perks or encouraging incentives. Furthermore, my parents bore my exorbitant medical tuition fees and I did not receive any governmental loans whatsoever. The “least” is something anyone would expect.

Besides that, it took me a great deal of an effort to locate the abovementioned application form which was hidden in the catacombic archives of one of the governmental websites. Talk about purposeful inconvenience or perhaps voluntary neglect.

I can see why many of my colleagues are hesitant to return and serve the government given the unimpressive, unattractive attitude and to top it off the obvious suboptimal remuneration and working conditions. Now, thankfully I still have the option to return to Australia and am reconsidering my intentions to continue here thanks to the above. Job well done in luring professionals back.


Disappointed DR.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Perk and incentive should be given BUT it should be given to ALL doctors who are currently working in Malaysia as well. Otherwise this would be seen as preferential treatment against the doctors who are working here especially those public doctors.

Anonymous said...

You think the authority with the head of coconut size but peanut brain will allow you to come back to compete with those doctors under NEP? Colour prevails brain over here lah!

Anonymous said...

I can understand the sentiments of this Disappointed Doctor with the lackadaisical attitude of our civil servants. It really makes you believe that because the majority is made up of one race, they will disregard you if you're not from that race.

I have a similar tale to tell. About 3 years ago, after my only son graduated with an external law degree from the University of London and CLP financed through our own savings and bank loans, we urged him to apply to PDRM which was advertising to recruit constables and ASPs. My son was therefore qualified and duly received an acknowledgement for his application. However after that, no further news. I even emailed the DG of PSD, Datuk Ismail Adam. No reply either. Later, we read press reports that non-Malays, especially Chinese are not interested to join the PDRM. What bullshit.
Recently, our shop was broken into but we did not bother to report to the Police. For what? So that they can come around and walk about telling me this happens all the time, I should install more security measures?
People like us do not find government departments helpful or credible anymore.
It's time to change the government in order to change the attitude of the civil servants.

Anonymous said...

Tony,

Pass this message to our PM.
Have him answer to it.
M'sia is full of "cakap tak serupa bikin". I get fed up with all this crap. You get my support on next election.