DAP senator warns of further brain drain as S'pore lures M'sian doctors
Published: Jul 10, 2025 2:21 PM
Updated: 5:25 PM
DAP senator Dr A Lingeshwaran has raised red flags over Singapore’s aggressive recruitment of Malaysian doctors, warning Malaysia risks a deepening brain drain unless urgent reforms are made.
Citing an open interview session to be held in Kuala Lumpur by Singapore’s Health Ministry, the former Sungai Bakap Hospital director revealed that Malaysian doctors are being enticed with annual remuneration packages of up to RM385,000, plus accommodation and a host of perks.
He urged Malaysia’s Health Ministry to urgently reform the healthcare system to restore trust and confidence among medical professionals, stressing that retaining local talent is now a race against time.
“Realistically, this offer will accelerate the migration of our doctors overseas.
“What’s more surprising is that the qualification requirements have been relaxed. Now, all Malaysian medical graduates can apply without going through any prior qualifying exams as previously required.
“The cost of living in Singapore, especially housing rental, will also be covered. So this offer is very appealing - especially to our young doctors who are still trying to find their footing in the domestic system,” Lingeshwaran (above) said in a statement.
The purported advertisements to recruit Malaysian doctors to work in Singapore
Earlier, job advertisements for interviews to recruit Malaysian doctors and nurses to work in Singapore, set for this August, were seen circulating online.
A Threads user highlighted that the neighbouring nation is offering highly competitive salaries to attract Malaysia’s healthcare professionals.
Lingeshwaran, however, noted that this is not a new development.
The outflow of local medical talent, he said, has been a long-standing issue that continues to plague the nation’s healthcare system.
However, he believes that under the Madani government led by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, the time is ripe for a comprehensive reform of the medical career ecosystem.
He pointed out that many healthcare professionals - from junior doctors to seasoned specialists - view the administration as more empathetic and open to their concerns, offering a rare window of opportunity for meaningful change.
“But that empathy must quickly be translated into action, not just promises.
“What has happened to the on-call allowance and specialist allowance increases announced in Budget 2025? We’re already in July, but they have yet to be implemented.
“This affects doctors’ confidence in the system. While our neighbours move swiftly with attractive offers, we remain bogged down by bureaucracy and implementation uncertainty,” he added.
Young doctors losing faith
Lingeshwaran also highlighted that nearly 40 percent of graduates from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and University College Dublin (Malaysia) Penang Campus chose to undergo their housemanship training in Ireland and the UK instead of Malaysian public hospitals.
He stressed that this is a clear sign that young doctors in Malaysia are losing faith in the system.
A Threads user highlighted that the neighbouring nation is offering highly competitive salaries to attract Malaysia’s healthcare professionals.
Lingeshwaran, however, noted that this is not a new development.
The outflow of local medical talent, he said, has been a long-standing issue that continues to plague the nation’s healthcare system.
However, he believes that under the Madani government led by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, the time is ripe for a comprehensive reform of the medical career ecosystem.
He pointed out that many healthcare professionals - from junior doctors to seasoned specialists - view the administration as more empathetic and open to their concerns, offering a rare window of opportunity for meaningful change.
“But that empathy must quickly be translated into action, not just promises.
“What has happened to the on-call allowance and specialist allowance increases announced in Budget 2025? We’re already in July, but they have yet to be implemented.
“This affects doctors’ confidence in the system. While our neighbours move swiftly with attractive offers, we remain bogged down by bureaucracy and implementation uncertainty,” he added.
Young doctors losing faith
Lingeshwaran also highlighted that nearly 40 percent of graduates from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and University College Dublin (Malaysia) Penang Campus chose to undergo their housemanship training in Ireland and the UK instead of Malaysian public hospitals.
He stressed that this is a clear sign that young doctors in Malaysia are losing faith in the system.
“Statistics show that over 6,400 medical officers resigned between 2019 and 2023. This is no longer a small leak – it’s a wave threatening the resilience of our public healthcare system.
“I repeat, this is not just about salaries. This is about trust in the system. Young doctors want certainty, support, and a stable future. Without immediate and comprehensive structural reform, we will lose even more high-quality professionals.
“Now is the time to act. We must value our doctors not just with words, but with real action. Reform must be implemented - not delayed,” Lingeshwaran added.
Plan to increase remuneration
Johor’s health and environment committee chairperson Ling Tian Soon said the state government will meet with the Health Ministry tomorrow to discuss long-term solutions to the issue of medical talents migrating overseas.
Such potential measures include upping the intake of medical trainees and improving career incentives within the public sector.
He added that while the state appreciates the dedication of its healthcare professionals and believes many are willing to serve locally, financial realities cannot be dismissed.
“With better incentives and salary structures, we can ensure our medical frontliners remain committed to the public system without being forced to leave,” New Straits Times quoted him as saying at a press conference today.
Ling also said the issue of public healthcare professionals being lured to Singapore with lucrative pay packages is “not a new problem”, expressing concern that the persistence of the matter could deplete manpower at government hospitals across Johor.
He warned that the situation could strain state healthcare services, particularly ahead of the Pasir Gudang Hospital opening next month, due to the need to redeploy staff from other public hospitals.
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kt remarks:
Not just doctors now. For aeons Sing has been sapu-ing our top student graduates (HSC and uni) - almost all stayed back in the red-dot.
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