LETTER | Bullying of healthcare staff: Govt must take firm action

LETTER | The bullying case in Sabah being investigated was a case the Malaysia Medical Association brought to the attention of the Health Ministry.

This was done after we received reports from the victims. We wish to thank the ministry for its strong commitment to zero tolerance towards bullying and acting on these reports.

Importantly, the action being taken by the government must send a clear and firm message to bullies that any form of bullying in healthcare will not be tolerated.

Therefore, a thorough investigation and stern action taken against any guilty party must be ensured. Action should also be taken against anyone found to be shielding bullies.

We also urge the authorities to conduct these investigations promptly, as delays can disrupt services at the affected healthcare facilities.

If staff members need to take leave to participate in investigations, appropriate temporary replacements should be arranged. The MMA stands ready to assist the authorities if it requires any further information.

Lastly, we echo the ministry’s call to all healthcare workers to utilise established channels like the Public Complaints Management System (Sispaa) or the MMA’s Help Doc platform to report bullying.

Reporting such incidents is crucial in ensuring that appropriate actions are taken and there should be no fear in stepping forward.

Writer is the president of Malaysian Medical Association.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.