Indonesia’s ambassador to Malaysia Iman Hascarya Kusumo said current talks on bringing nurses to Malaysia were informal, Berita Harian reported.

“We intend to initiate discussions with the health ministry because we need to ensure that our nurses comply with the regulations set by the Malaysian government,” he was quoted as saying.

In August, the Johor government welcomed a proposal from the Indonesian consulate for the employment of Indonesian nurses to address severe staff shortages, especially in Johor Bahru where nurses manage up to 14 patients per shift, exceeding the ideal ratio of 1:6.

That same month, health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad welcomed a proposal for a detailed study on recruiting nurses from Indonesia to help ease the country’s nursing shortage, particularly in Johor.

Dzulkefly said he had instructed his ministry to work with the public service department to conduct the study.

Iman said Indonesia’s nursing board had also been asked to engage with its Malaysian counterpart to ensure that professional standards are met.

He said demand for Indonesian nurses was also driven by the strong growth in medical tourism.

“Many patients from Indonesia come to Malaysia,” he said.