By The Straits Times | Created at 2026-06-12 03:06:55 | Updated at 2026-06-12 14:16:07
11 hours ago
KUALA LUMPUR - The Malaysian Male Nurses Association (MMN) has strongly opposed the proposal to recruit Indonesian nurses, citing the welfare of patients and local nurses.
The organisation in a statement on June 12 said it opposed the proposal to recruit nurses from Indonesia to address Malaysia’s healthcare workforce shortage without a comprehensive study.
“After considering the matter from various perspectives, we believe there needs to be a detailed and thorough study before it is implemented.
“Our stand is not rooted in prejudice against the professionalism of Indonesian healthcare workers but is based on the need to safeguard the quality of patient care, clinical safety and the long-term stability of the country’s healthcare system.
“Our key concerns are the differences in nursing training standards, academic qualifications, clinical procedures and protocols, as well as the ability to communicate effectively in Bahasa Melayu and local dialects,” it said.
It said that these factors could directly affect the delivery of safe and effective healthcare services to Malaysian patients.
“There are many locally trained nursing graduates who have yet to secure permanent placements in government and private hospitals.
“Priority should be given to recruiting and placing local graduates before turning to foreign healthcare workers.
“A large-scale intake of foreign nurses without careful planning could affect employment opportunities for Malaysians and place additional strain on local adaptation and training systems,” it said.
The organisation called on the Health Ministry, Immigration Department, Public Service Commission (SPA) and other relevant agencies to carefully examine the legal, professional, socioeconomic and patient safety implications before any decision is made.
“We urge the authorities to conduct a comprehensive impact assessment, carry out transparent competency comparisons and implement strict monitoring and evaluation mechanisms prior to any recruitment.
“Should the recruitment of foreign nurses be deemed necessary, it should be temporary, limited in scale and subject to stringent temporary licensing requirements.
“We maintain that the patient welfare, the dignity of the local nursing profession and employment opportunities for Malaysians should not be compromised in an effort to address workforce shortages through short-term measures,” it said.
It was reported recently that Indonesia is prepared to supply up to 15,000 nurses to Malaysia to help address a critical shortage of healthcare workers.
Indonesian Ambassador to Malaysia Raden Mohammad Iman Hascarya Kusumo said Indonesia currently produces about 65,000 nurses annually, providing sufficient manpower to meet Malaysia’s needs.
Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan was previously reported as saying Malaysia is considering Indonesia’s proposal to expand placement of Indonesian healthcare workers, particularly nurses.
The Health Ministry is facing a shortage of nearly 15,000 nurses, with a vacancy rate of about 18 per cent driven by migration, workload pressures and an ageing population. THE STAR/ ASIA NEWS NETWORK
