Why warm welcomes can’t stop Malaysia’s doctor exodus from Borneo

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.