In a written reply to Senator Dr RA Lingeshwaran, the health ministry said it was discovered the 96 staff did not meet the minimum eligibility criteria for the course.

Among them were staff who had not served at least three years in a permanent position or had not achieved an average of 85% in their annual assessments for the relevant period.

Lingeshwaran had asked how such a situation could have arisen and whether there would be compensation for those affected, including staff from Sabah and Sarawak.

The ministry said the remaining 2,061 officers, or 94% of the total, were allowed to continue their courses at the health ministry’s training institutions from Sept 2 as they had met all the minimum requirements.

“The 96 officers were officially informed that their offers had been cancelled and were instructed to report back to their respective offices on Sept 30,” the ministry said. The courses involved had durations ranging from six months to a year.

Separately, the ministry’s training division has instructed all department heads to consider the period the affected officers spent at the courses as an “in-house course.”

In a circular dated Dec 10, the division said: “These officers will also be compensated by the government for all expenditures incurred, including daily allowances, hotel or lodging, meals, and transport.”