A local doctor made the difficult decision to leave the country again, just months after returning from the UK as he was offered what he described as an “insultingly low” salary to rejoin the public healthcare sector.
Having spent two years in clinical research at the prestigious University of Cambridge, the doctor had hoped to merge overseas expertise with prior local clinical experience.
Basic salary of RM3,840
While jobs in the private sector were readily available, they did not align with long-term goals of contributing to public healthcare.
“I once attended an interview at a local university hospital. I waited for months, kept following up, and was ghosted.
“In August, the offer finally came—UD10, the lowest doctor grade, with a gross salary of around RM5,800. That’s about the same as what a non-professional Thai restaurant chef earns in Malaysia,” he wrote in a now-viral Facebook post.
The offer letter provides the following reakdown:
- Basic salary: RM3,840
- Entertainment allowance: RM400
- Housing allowance: RM400
- Critical service allowance: RM750
- Cost of living allowance: RM300 (Gombak/KL campus) or RM250 (other campuses)
By comparison, the doctor is currently employed in Ireland as a Medical Registrar, equivalent to Malaysia’s UD48–UD52 grade, with a salary that reflects years of training and expertise.
This isn’t about boasting. It’s about the difference in how my skills are valued. After years of sacrificing time, energy, and finances abroad, this is how my own country values me.”
He added that several Malaysian university hospital consultants had previously provided glowing references that helped secure the overseas position.
‘A problem for the whole Malaysian healthcare system’
The doctor stressed the criticism was aimed not at specific institutions but at the Malaysian healthcare system as a whole, which he said fails to retain skilled medical professionals.
“I’m not alone. Many colleagues in KKM are still stuck at UD10-11 even after more than five years of service. If Malaysia can’t respect and retain its own doctors, don’t be surprised when we serve elsewhere,” he said.
The doctor also questioned whether it was fair to label returning talent as “unpatriotic” for choosing better-paying roles abroad, concluding with a pointed remark:
“How do you survive on RM5,000 before tax? It makes no sense. We save lives and improve public health, yet are paid so little, especially in rural areas.”
