Why warm welcomes can’t stop Malaysia’s doctor exodus from Borneo
Por Vincent Tan — South China Morning Post – News feed
Advertisement Malaysia This Week in Asia People Why warm welcomes can’t stop Malaysia’s doctor exodus from Borneo
Over a third of doctors offered permanent posts in Sabah and Sarawak are no-shows, driven away by isolation, costs and career doubts
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Vincent Tan Published: 10:00am, 11 Oct 2026 Updated: 10:33am, 11 Oct 2026 On Facebook, public hospitals in Malaysia ’s Bornean states have been rolling out “ Selamat Datang” [welcome] banner posts to embrace medical staff reporting for duty.
Tawau Hospital on Sabah’s east coast recently published a group photograph welcoming newly arrived medical officers. Kinabatangan Hospital posted similar banners hailing arrivals across various departments, while in neighbouring Sarawak, Kapit Hospital accompanied its greeting with a portrait of a newly arrived doctor.
But behind the warm online welcomes lies a dilemma for Malaysia’s healthcare system: more than a third of doctors offered permanent posts in Sabah and Sarawak have failed to report for duty.
The no-shows highlight the difficulty of persuading medical professionals to relocate to the country’s Bornean states. Doctors cite family separation, uncertain career prospects and difficult working conditions as major hurdles – with many questioning whether to stay even after heeding the call.
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