Ensure Malaysian nursing graduates get jobs before considering foreign labor

Malaysia should thoroughly and cautiously assess Indonesia's proposal to expand the recruitment of nursing staff from its neighboring country. While bilateral cooperation in labor is not new, the primary focus must remain on prioritizing local employment and the long-term stability of Malaysia's healthcare system.

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The country's neighbor is facing various fiscal challenges and global economic pressures, causing their government to strive to find more job opportunities abroad for its people.

Dr. Azizi Azizan, a certified medical practitioner and Vice Chairman of Pertubuhan Ilham Perlis (PIP), stated that Malaysia currently has a surplus of local nursing graduates seeking better job prospects and career paths. He emphasized that before opening doors wider to foreign workers, the government must first ensure that the nation's healthcare needs are met through the development of domestic talent.

Furthermore, Dr. Azizan pointed to Indonesia's current economic situation, noting that the country faces fiscal challenges and global economic pressures. This situation prompts the Indonesian government to seek more overseas employment opportunities for its citizens. Indonesia has recently experienced reduced job opportunities in certain sectors, rising living costs, and a need to increase remittances from its overseas workers. Therefore, the proposal to send more workers to Malaysia could be seen as part of Indonesia's strategy to alleviate its domestic labor market pressures.

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Therefore, the proposal to expand the sending of workers to Malaysia can be seen as part of Indonesia's strategy to reduce their domestic labor market pressure.

The crucial question, Dr. Azizan argued, is whether this move genuinely serves Malaysia's strategic needs or merely helps resolve another country's employment issues. Malaysia itself is grappling with economic challenges, including rising hospital operating costs, the need to increase wages for local healthcare professionals, and efforts to retain health workers from migrating to countries offering higher remuneration, such as Singapore, Australia, and the United Kingdom.

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However, the main question is whether this step truly meets Malaysia's strategic needs or simply helps solve the employment problems of other countries.

Dr. Azizan stressed that the main focus should be on improving the welfare and compensation of local nurses to keep the profession attractive to Malaysians. A large influx of foreign workers could also depress the existing wage structure, as employers might favor hiring foreign staff willing to accept lower pay over increasing local compensation. In the long run, this could undermine efforts to elevate the nursing profession's status in Malaysia. He also warned of potential risks associated with over-reliance on foreign labor, citing possible disruptions due to policy changes in origin countries, regional economic crises, or geopolitical disturbances affecting cross-border labor flows. Malaysia values its relationship with Indonesia but must ensure such agreements align with its own national interests and healthcare system's sustainability.

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The main focus should be on improving the welfare and compensation of local nurses so that the profession continues to attract Malaysians.