Kuala Lumpur: Former Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin’s allegation that administrative and diplomatic officers (PTDs) are only ‘looking at Excel spreadsheets’ and lacking a practical understanding of hospital operations is baseless and does not reflect the actual government policy-making process. In refuting the allegation, Administrative and Diplomatic Officers Alumni Association (PPTD) president Datuk Awang Alik stated that PTDs always play a professional role, based on data, and take into account operational reality when formulating and implementing national policies.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Awang emphasized that PTDs have long been a cornerstone in developing key national policies, including in the health sector. He highlighted the success of Malaysia’s public health system, which is internationally recognised, as a result of close collaboration between health professionals and PTDs in ensuring that policies introduced are balanced and sustainable. Awang asserted that the allegation that PTDs fail to understand the challenges in the health sector is not only unfair but also inaccurate regarding the actual workings of government administration.
Khairy, in the ‘Keluar Sekejap’ podcast, attributed the failure of the Waktu Bekerja Berlainan (WBB) system for healthcare workers to a gap in understanding among bureaucrats at the Ministry of Health (MOH) regarding the reality of medical practice. He reportedly criticized the decision-making process, claiming it was made by civil servants lacking a practical understanding of hospital operations.
Awang elaborated that the proposed implementation of the WBB system was not done arbitrarily but through comprehensive engagement sessions with various stakeholders, including medical officers, hospital administrators, and healthcare workers’ unions. He stressed that it was guided by in-depth studies and international best practices, taking into account the well-being of medical officers without compromising the efficiency of healthcare service delivery.
Awang further stated that, as trained civil servants in policy development, PTDs are responsible for ensuring that decisions are made based on evidence and thorough research. Every new policy implementation will face challenges and have room for improvement, but he argued that it is unfair to solely blame PTDs without considering the entire process and the factors influencing policy implementation.
According to Awang, the MOH had previously clarified that the WBB shift system was developed by doctors for doctors and was not unilaterally decided by the PTDs in Putrajaya. He insisted that the allegation that PTDs did not understand the healthcare sector’s reality is inaccurate, as PTDs’ role is to ensure effective policy implementation within the broader national administration framework.
In conclusion, the PPTD urges all parties to better understand the policy-formulation process before making statements that could mislead the public. Awang emphasized that the cooperation of all stakeholders, including medical officers and PTDs, is key to ensuring that any policy introduced truly benefits all parties without compromising the quality of the country’s public services. The Cabinet had decided on January 24 to shelve the implementation of the WBB pilot project to allow for a more in-depth and comprehensive study.