This comes after up to 60 members of the National Union of Workers in Hospitals Support and Allied Services waited for more than five hours outside the ministry’s office from 10am to hand over the memorandum to the minister.

A ministry official handed the union’s president, Roziah Hashim, a letter of appointment to meet Zaliha at 12.30pm on Oct 27.

The union’s executive secretary, M Sarasvathi, said the memorandum would be their seventh, and that it was disheartening to see the same issues unresolved despite their repeated efforts.

“We submitted our concerns in a letter to the minister on Oct 10 but, unfortunately, we did not receive a response. Addressing these concerns is vital to us, and the lack of response leaves us feeling unheard,” Sarasvathi told reporters.

Ministry representatives tried to persuade the group to hand over the memorandum to them, since Zaliha was unavailable. However, the union was insistent that it must be submitted directly to the minister.

“Only the minister’s intervention can bring about a resolution. Lower-level authorities are not equipped to effectively address the issue.

“Our presence here is to meet with the minister, and we are fully prepared to stay, even overnight,” said Sarasvathi.