KOTA KINABALU: 11 July 2026 – The Sabah state government has welcomed the Ministry of Health Malaysia’s (MOH) decision to offer 560 permanent medical officer positions in Sabah beginning this October, describing it as a crucial step in addressing the long-standing shortage of healthcare personnel, particularly in rural and interior areas.
Sabah’s Minister for Women, Health, and Community Wellbeing, Datuk Julita Majungki, said in a statement today that the additional posts reflect the urgent need to strengthen healthcare services in the region.
“The state government appreciates the Federal Government’s commitment to increasing the number of Medical Officers in Sabah. At the same time, attention must also be given to ensuring that appointed officers report for duty and continue to serve in Sabah in the long term,” she said.
She emphasised that efforts to strengthen the state’s healthcare system do not rely solely on new staff recruitment but must be supported by effective measures to retain healthcare personnel.
“Among the proposals that have been raised are restoring and strengthening the Regional Incentive Payment (BIW), increasing support for healthcare workers serving in rural and interior districts, and creating a more conducive working environment,” she added.
Julita said the state government is committed to continuing its close cooperation with the MOH in strengthening Sabah’s healthcare service system, including addressing workforce shortages and improving public access to quality healthcare facilities.
Earlier, Deputy Health Minister Datuk Hanifah Hajar Taib informed the Dewan Rakyat (the lower house of Parliament) that a total of 4,172 medical officers would be offered permanent appointments and would report for duty in October 2026, with 560 of them to be placed in Sabah.
She said that based on an estimated reporting rate of 50 percent, approximately 280 officers are expected to receive postings in Sabah, thereby helping to close the gap of the 256 medical officers still needed.
Hanifah Hajar also informed that Sabah currently has 2,803 medical officer posts, with 1,863 posts (66.5 percent) filled, 366 officers (13.1 percent) on study leave, and 570 posts (20.3 percent) still vacant. To fill these vacancies, 680 contract doctors have been deployed.
She also said that the MOH now requires contract medical officers appointed permanently to choose at least one posting in Sabah, Sarawak, or Labuan through improvements to the e-Placement system starting in 2025.
