MMA president Dr R Thirunavukarasu said the allowance has remained at RM100 for the past 17 years — a sum that, he said, barely covered transport costs.
He pointed out that nurses, having had training in intensive care, emergency and trauma, dialysis, oncology, and neonatal care, play a crucial role in the healthcare system.
“Hospitals cannot function without nurses. ICU beds become unusable, surgeries cannot proceed safely, and dialysis services cannot continue,” he said in a statement.
“This increase does not require another study. It requires resolve. Our nurses have stood by Malaysians at moments when we are most vulnerable. The question now is whether national leadership will stand by them.
“This is no longer just a matter of fairness. It is a matter of system integrity,” Thirunavukarasu added.
He noted that the country is already facing a shortage of nurses in the public healthcare system. Of the 84,000 vacancies as of September last year, 14,700, or about 18%, have yet to be filled.
Thirunavukarasu also pointed out that the majority of the country’s nurses are women, many of whom balance demanding shift work with responsibilities at home.
“They carry both professional and personal burdens, yet continue to serve with unwavering commitment,” he said.
“Further delay sends a clear signal — not just to our nurses, but to the entire healthcare system — about where priorities truly lie.”
He was responding to an Utusan Malaysia report yesterday in which the Malayan Nurses Union urged the health ministry to immediately review nurses’ post-basic allowance to reflect their increased workload and the higher cost of living.
Its president, Saaidah Athman, also called on the ministry to introduce additional allowances — including shift allowances — to attract younger people to the profession. She said nurses’ salaries must also be raised.
Saaidah said the heavy workload is not matched by a fair pay package, leading many nurses to emigrate to countries that offer more attractive packages and benefits.
The problem has become increasingly critical, she added.