PSD's relaxed regulation will hurt BM in long run: Don

PETALING JAYA: The Public Service Department (PSD) decision to relax the Bahasa Malaysia (BM) requirement for UD41 contract medical officers could bring repercussion to the position of the national language in the long run reported Utusan Malaysia today.
National Council of Professors (MPN) member Prof Datuk Dr Teo Kok Seong said easing the requirement would provide an opening for other ministries to plead for similar exemptions in appointing their own officers to civil service positions.
Teo, who is the MPN’s head of the history, heritage, and socio-culture cluster, added PSD must give its explanation for allowing this relaxation of the rules.
“The PSD must explain why it allowed the change when the requirement to obtain a pass in BM that has been in use prior to this had been agreed by all parties,” he said.
“The present requirement is very minimum and the relaxing should not have have been allowed even if it is meant for contract positions,” he told the Malay-language daily.
Meanwhile, language activist Dr Lim Swee Tin said the action by PSD, if implemented, would further undermine the national language.
He added there would also be a chance for other professions to follow the steps taken by the Health Ministry to remove the requirement of a pass in BM.
“The issue of BM is very sensitive. We understand the problem faced by the ministry but we also fear that this would cause communication problems.
“BM in SPM (Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia) level is the benchmark of a person’s mastery especially in communication and writing aspects,” he said.
Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah in a statement on Sunday announced the relaxation of the requirement for qualified medical graduates to be appointed as Grade UD41 contract medical officers.
He added those who had been accepted would have to undergo graduate training for two years and serve two years with the Health Ministry.
However, he said, those seeking a permanent posting in the service will have to obtain a pass for Bahasa Malaysia.
Last week it was announced that medical graduates will have to obtain a credit for Bahasa Malaysia if they wanted to do their housemen programme at government hospitals.
However, following an outcry the Health Ministry relaxed the rules.