Dzulkefly said a decision on the system would be made after the retreat, to ensure that the views of all stakeholders were considered before proceeding with the new mechanism.

“The main issues that will be discussed include the uneven distribution of healthcare workers, human resources, and improvements to our healthcare services.

“Give us some time to present the results of the retreat. Every criticism we’ve received (regarding the new system) will be analysed with the goal of reaching the best solution possible,” he told a press conference here today.

Dzulkefly said the ministry held an engagement session with more than 1,000 medical officers and specialists this morning, both physically and virtually.

“The findings of this session will also be raised at the retreat,” he said.

The new Waktu Bekerja Berlainan (WBB) system limits doctors and dentists in the public health service to 18 consecutive work hours, lower than the current 24 to 33 hours straight from on-call duties.

However, doctors working such hours are not entitled to on-call allowances.

The Malaysian Medical Association had warned that this could strain the already overburdened public healthcare system while affecting the income of healthcare workers.

Questions were also raised over the issuance of a Jan 10 circular concerning the system’s implementation. Dzulkefly had said he was not briefed on the system and that it was just a “recommendation” that was being fine-tuned.