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Janitors in Singapore earn more than us: Malaysia’s medical grads are up in arms


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Malaysia’s young medical professionals are not having a very happy end of the year, after the Government announced it would be cutting monetary incentives – in particular, the Critical Service Incentive Payment (BIPK) – that have been in place since 1992.

Originally planned for January 1, the cuts have now been postponed, after Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad agreed to discuss the issue at the next Parliament meeting, The Star reported.

Why the BIPK is being abolished

According to Malay Mail, medical professionals in public service are paid a fixed allowance of RM750 (US$181, S$246) on top of their monthly salary under the BIPK.

In a report, state news agency Bernama quoted Public Service Department (PSD) Deputy Director-General (Development) Datuk Suhaime Mahbar as saying that the BIPK was being abolished as there was no longer a need to attract graduates in certain industries to join public service.

“Critical here does not mean that the job is difficult but it is very difficult to get the expertise,” Suhaime reportedly said.

“For example, there were not many medical graduates back then, therefore the allowance was introduced to attract them to join the public service,” he said.

The public sector now receives over 24,000 applications for just over 15,000 medical officer posts, he said.

In total, 33 service schemes will face incentive payment cuts, although existing BIPK recipients will not be affected.

Other professions affected include architects, marine officers, engineers and pilots.

‘Janitor in Singapore earns more than us’

The move to cut incentive allowances has drawn widespread backlash from medical students and professionals, as well as ministers, including Minister of Health Datuk Seri Dzulkefly Ahmad.

Malaysia’s Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman even took to Twitter to slam the Department’s decision, saying that doctors and nurses “are already heavily overworked and underpaid”.

The Malaysian Medical Association also spoke out against the decision, and a petition started online garnered more than 90,000 signatures in just two days.

“Why does the civil service seem to be targeting the healthcare workers? We are the only professional scheme with contract juniors,” the association wrote in its petition statement.

It also said that while it supports having a “leaner civil service”, prudence “should never come at the expense of the critical areas for the development of the country, namely health and education”.

In a report on Friday (Dec 27), English-language newspaper The Star said that incoming medical professionals are under the impression that the Government no longer deems the public healthcare sector critical to the nation.

Students quoted by The Star voiced concerns that the incentive cuts could lead to lower healthcare standards, since professionals might find themselves being overworked and underpaid. Many may even seek better opportunities abroad, a 22-year-old Bachelor of Pharmacy student said.

A 24-year-old dentist awaiting his housemanship placement lamented that the cut would affect about 20 per cent of his salary, adding that “a janitor in Singapore earns more than us”. He, too, expressed worry that graduates would be attracted by higher salaries elsewhere and go into private practice.

According to The Star, the typical salary of houseman doctors hired in January 2020 will be around RM3,842 (S$1,258).

Allowances not permanent: Suhaime

This not the first time incentive allowances have been reviewed since they were implemented 27 years ago.

According to Suhaime, 27 allowances have so far been removed, merged or rebranded.

“What needs to be understood is the allowances given are not permanent and can be withdrawn according to the current situation, but many consider them as their absolute right,” he was quoted by Bernama as saying.

He added that there were 22 other allowances available to medical graduates in public service, including the Hospital Administration Allowance, Medical On-call Allowance, and Specialist Incentive Payment.

https://www.businessinsider.sg/janitors-in-singapore-earn-more-than-us-malaysias-medical-grads-are-up-in-arms-over-incentive-cuts-heres-what-we-know/

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Mad Hatter is a medical doctor. Maybe they should peg his salary (combined over and under the table) to those of his peers over there. 😁

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meanwhile, Singapore engineers like......

‘Janitor in Switzerland earns more than us’
 

Edited by Scion
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知足常乐。

Cleaner tells doctor: “Young Singaporeans are very fortunate, they have no idea how good the current govt is”

Singapore — A doctor has shared in a social media post a chat he had with a 50-year-old cleaner who had seen him at the hospital where he worked at. He wrote that during their conversation, she talked about rather deep topics, yet the only English word she used was “cleaner”.

Their conversation started because Dr Malcolm Tan had asked the Chinese woman if she required a medical certificate (MC) for the day. She said that she had to apply for leave for  medical appointments because her boss did not accept MCs for planned medical visits.

A lengthy conversation ensued and Dr Tan wrote that she shared broad views of society and life.

At one point, she said: “How well the hospital treats its patients is an extension of how our government (政府) treats its people. Good and prompt treatment instills trust (信任), and old people like me realise that our government is responsible (责任感) and cares for us even when we become useless. In more ways than one, you represent (代表) the government and how it treats us.”

She said that as she was a cleaner, she often had people look down on her. “To them, we do not exist and when we do, we are usually needed to tidy up a mess.”

She told Dr Tan: “Young Singaporeans are very fortunate (命好), they have no idea how good the current government is, in comparison to other countries. They don’t know the hardship (命苦) many older Singaporeans have experienced and are still living through.”

She said sadly: “One day when I cannot work and serve no purpose to others (无用), then I will go quietly.”

In talking about paying it forward, she even asked Dr Tan: “Are you sure I don’t need to pay for today’s visit? Will it affect your pay? I feel bad.”

The doctor’s social media post was shared widely, including by Ms Ho Ching, the Prime Minister’s wife and the CEO of Temasek Holdings Pte Ltd. Dr Tan wrote: “In all of 10 minutes, an illiterate lady touched on the ideas of utility, stoicism, dignity, duty and purpose, concepts which elude many. The only English word she used was ‘cleaner’.“/TISG

 

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Sabo. Now all the Malaysia cleaner get chop on rtb. 

Horrible jealous people begrudging the poor.

Why no say MMA got many with Porkers?

Their porks cheaper than our BMWs.

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1 hour ago, Ysc3 said:

知足常乐。

Cleaner tells doctor: “Young Singaporeans are very fortunate, they have no idea how good the current govt is”

Singapore — A doctor has shared in a social media post a chat he had with a 50-year-old cleaner who had seen him at the hospital where he worked at. He wrote that during their conversation, she talked about rather deep topics, yet the only English word she used was “cleaner”.

Their conversation started because Dr Malcolm Tan had asked the Chinese woman if she required a medical certificate (MC) for the day. She said that she had to apply for leave for  medical appointments because her boss did not accept MCs for planned medical visits.

A lengthy conversation ensued and Dr Tan wrote that she shared broad views of society and life.

At one point, she said: “How well the hospital treats its patients is an extension of how our government (政府) treats its people. Good and prompt treatment instills trust (信任), and old people like me realise that our government is responsible (责任感) and cares for us even when we become useless. In more ways than one, you represent (代表) the government and how it treats us.”

She said that as she was a cleaner, she often had people look down on her. “To them, we do not exist and when we do, we are usually needed to tidy up a mess.”

She told Dr Tan: “Young Singaporeans are very fortunate (命好), they have no idea how good the current government is, in comparison to other countries. They don’t know the hardship (命苦) many older Singaporeans have experienced and are still living through.”

She said sadly: “One day when I cannot work and serve no purpose to others (无用), then I will go quietly.”

In talking about paying it forward, she even asked Dr Tan: “Are you sure I don’t need to pay for today’s visit? Will it affect your pay? I feel bad.”

The doctor’s social media post was shared widely, including by Ms Ho Ching, the Prime Minister’s wife and the CEO of Temasek Holdings Pte Ltd. Dr Tan wrote: “In all of 10 minutes, an illiterate lady touched on the ideas of utility, stoicism, dignity, duty and purpose, concepts which elude many. The only English word she used was ‘cleaner’.“/TISG

 

Right time to say :

OK, boomer.

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3 hours ago, Hamburger said:

No wonder degree or other certification from MY are not recognised.

yeah.. else we will have an endless supply of Malaysian Doctors working in Sg ... what a waste... can we do what we did for CECA to balance up the equation for Doctors?

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6 hours ago, Ysc3 said:

知足常乐。

Cleaner tells doctor: “Young Singaporeans are very fortunate, they have no idea how good the current govt is”

Singapore — A doctor has shared in a social media post a chat he had with a 50-year-old cleaner who had seen him at the hospital where he worked at. He wrote that during their conversation, she talked about rather deep topics, yet the only English word she used was “cleaner”.

Their conversation started because Dr Malcolm Tan had asked the Chinese woman if she required a medical certificate (MC) for the day. She said that she had to apply for leave for  medical appointments because her boss did not accept MCs for planned medical visits.

A lengthy conversation ensued and Dr Tan wrote that she shared broad views of society and life.

At one point, she said: “How well the hospital treats its patients is an extension of how our government (政府) treats its people. Good and prompt treatment instills trust (信任), and old people like me realise that our government is responsible (责任感) and cares for us even when we become useless. In more ways than one, you represent (代表) the government and how it treats us.”

She said that as she was a cleaner, she often had people look down on her. “To them, we do not exist and when we do, we are usually needed to tidy up a mess.”

She told Dr Tan: “Young Singaporeans are very fortunate (命好), they have no idea how good the current government is, in comparison to other countries. They don’t know the hardship (命苦) many older Singaporeans have experienced and are still living through.”

She said sadly: “One day when I cannot work and serve no purpose to others (无用), then I will go quietly.”

In talking about paying it forward, she even asked Dr Tan: “Are you sure I don’t need to pay for today’s visit? Will it affect your pay? I feel bad.”

The doctor’s social media post was shared widely, including by Ms Ho Ching, the Prime Minister’s wife and the CEO of Temasek Holdings Pte Ltd. Dr Tan wrote: “In all of 10 minutes, an illiterate lady touched on the ideas of utility, stoicism, dignity, duty and purpose, concepts which elude many. The only English word she used was ‘cleaner’.“/TISG

 

glad that old auntie is happy with her life.

 

But still, its a tunnel vision from that of her perspective.

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38 minutes ago, Sdf4786k said:

yeah.. else we will have an endless supply of Malaysian Doctors working in Sg ... what a waste... can we do what we did for CECA to balance up the equation for Doctors?

Alternatively, brudder doktor can always come n work as cleaners in Sg if their story is true and hv such a shortsighted view of their medical career....

 

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44 minutes ago, Soya said:

Alternatively, brudder doktor can always come n work as cleaners in Sg if their story is true and hv such a shortsighted view of their medical career....

 

I believe there was an article about a security guard who works in SG n trasverse back n forth from JB earns better than a uni prof in malaysia and stays in tbe same negbourhood as the prof.

But i suppose tge vaule when we were a teenager vs now is different. Being a doctor is an honorable profession. Whats not to like about saving lifes.

When stack with a profession with little iq nor eq can earn better,  people start to question the validity of hardwork and invested education to get where they are.

Closer to home, when pmet starts to loose their job and the replacement may well be somone less competent, you will also start to question the reality of the changing landscape.

Edited by Sdf4786k
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18 hours ago, Turboflat4 said:

Mad Hatter is a medical doctor. Maybe they should peg his salary (combined over and under the table) to those of his peers over there. 😁

Hmmmm ...... @Angcheek....... All things undertable specialist 🤣🤣

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1 hour ago, Hamburger said:

glad that old auntie is happy with her life.

 

But still, its a tunnel vision from that of her perspective.

She is just in denial. If she can be happy that way, then by all means. I remember taking a philosophy subject in uni last time, for fun and something different, and this is called Stoicism? From ancient greek times, the Stoics?

Auntie should be asking what kind of system allows her employer to exploit helpless people like her with impunity. Not recognizing MC is some kind of irregularity, just like how some employers impose artibrary fines on their FW employees.

Edited by Sosaria
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