His plea, made in a Facebook posting this evening, came as police were reported to be preparing to take action against any healthcare worker taking part in the Hartal Doktor Kontrak.
Noor Hisham, addressing contract doctors as fellow colleagues, urged them to remember their oath to “first do no harm or injustice to our patients”.
“Our patients’ safety is our priority. Remember the oath we took sincerely and be there for your patients at this time when they and the country need you the most. We are the last bastion of defence to make a difference to our patients and every life matters,” he said.
Noor Hisham said the government had already announced an interim solution of a two-year contract extension, during which changes to the law could be made, allowing for permanent appointments with contributions to the Employees Provident Fund.
The Hartal Doktor Kontrak group had said the strike will proceed, and denounced Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s offer as a half-baked solution.
Separately, a media report said doctors at Serdang hospital had been warned against being part of the strike.
The Malaysian Insight reported that the Special Branch and federal reserve units would be deployed at the hospital to monitor the situation tomorrow and would be on standby to arrest health workers who defied this order.
The portal quoted an unidentified junior doctor as saying that Selangor health director Dr Sha’ari Ngadiman had issued the threat against the doctors today.
Amanah prepares hotline
The legal bureau of the Amanah party said tonight it had prepared a hotline for contract doctors in case they face any action from authorities for taking part in the strike.
The bureau’s vice-chairman Fadhli Umar Aminolhuda said he had been informed about some junior doctors being issued warnings and show-cause letters for being part of the protest.
“Any doctor or health worker who becomes subject to any action aimed at intimidating them for joining this movement may contact our hotline at 010-4587548,” he said in a statement today.