Anwar told the Dewan Rakyat today that nearly 4,300 contract doctors will be offered permanent appointments this year alone at a cost of about RM1.7 billion.

“Although they are being absorbed into permanent posts, the health ministry will continue appointing contract doctors for the purpose of housemanship, which also has implications for the ministry’s emoluments every year,” he said.

Anwar said he understood that the issues contract doctors face have been ongoing for years, adding that the government is looking at solving them in stages.

He also said on-call allowances will be extended to medical officers who are on duty at six public health clinics which have extended operating hours as part of a project to reduce overcrowding.

More than 8,000 contract doctors were expected to go on strike from yesterday to tomorrow by taking medical or emergency leave and not reporting for work in a protest against what they described as an unfair system and low wages.

The group organising the strike, Mogok Doktor Malaysia (Malaysian Doctors on Strike), warned of longer waiting times at government health facilities during the three days. It also said some 3,000 contract doctors could resign en masse during this period.

However, checks by FMT at HKL and Serdang Hospital yesterday found that their operations were barely affected.