Union president Saaidah Athman said the review should take into account the “excessive” pressure faced by nurses who are separated from their families, as well as work pressure and increased costs of living.

“Nurses from Sabah and Sarawak serving in the peninsula get an additional federal allowance of RM1,000 a month. This rate has never been reviewed,” she told FMT.

“The government should not only review this federal allowance, but all allowances available to them.”

Saaidah also urged the health ministry to offer a more attractive post-basic incentive allowance to prevent more nurses from quitting their jobs.

She said the allowance of RM100 a month has not been reviewed since 2007.

The allowance is given to paramedics with post-basic qualifications and advanced diplomas in fields approved by the ministry’s training institutes.

Last Friday, Sarawak deputy premier Dr Sim Kui Hian was reported as saying that more than 800 nurses from Sarawak serving elsewhere wish to serve in their home state.

He said the placement of healthcare workers is among the issues the state government is discussing with Putrajaya under the Malaysia Agreement 1963.

On March 3, deputy health minister Lukanisman Awang Sauni was reported as saying nurse placements out of state is one of the reasons why some nurses have resigned.

He said this poses a challenge for the ministry as placements are determined according to the states’ varying needs.

He said 1,754 nurses have resigned in the last five years, with 27.98% of the resignations being for personal reasons.