Kuala Lumpur:The Health Ministry is considering the necessity of conducting a baseline study to understand the impact of long-distance postings on the families of medical officers, particularly concerning their relationships with spouses and children.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad highlighted the absence of specific data on family breakdowns or divorces related to medical officers being stationed far from their families. He emphasized the importance of assessing how prolonged separation affects these families due to the officers' professional obligations.

The minister's comments came in response to questions from V. Ganabatirau (PH-Klang) during a Special Chamber session in the Dewan Rakyat, addressing issues like bullying, postings, transfers, welfare, and the brain drain among Health Ministry medical officers.

Dzulkefly explained that posting decisions are driven by departmental needs and vacancies, considering factors such as qualifications, experience, length of service, and family dependencies. He noted that approximately 74 percent of posting-related requests had been accommodated, but others could not be due to limited vacancies.

Regarding transfers, Dzulkefly stated there is no standard waiting period, as it depends on several factors, including the application date and service requirements. Transfer exercises occur at least four times a year. The mutual transfer system (P3S) has successfully matched 118 pairs of nurses, with additional matches in other services.

Addressing workplace bullying and toxic culture, Dzulkefly mentioned the launch of Guidelines for Managing Workplace Bullying on August 21, 2025, outlining procedures for prevention and intervention. Since October 2022, 730 complaints have been recorded, with four verified and acted upon, while the rest involved various operational issues.

The minister assured the protection of whistleblowers from retaliatory actions by superiors, affirming his commitment to safeguarding their rights.