Government’s Unhealthy Dependence on Prime Minister Undermines Ministerial Freedom
PETALING JAYA: Former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin has attributed the failure of the "Waktu Bekerja Berlainan" (WBB) system for healthcare workers to the disconnection between Putrajaya’s bureaucrats and the realities of medical practice.
Decision-Making Process Criticized
In the Keluar Sekejap podcast, Khairy blasted the decision-making process, saying it was made by civil servants who lacked a practical understanding of hospital operations.
"This decision was made by those in Putrajaya … administrative and diplomatic (PTD) officers who’ve never worked in hospitals," Khairy said. "They’re not doctors, or they’re doctors who’ve been in administration for so long they’ve forgotten what it’s like to do real medical work. They only look at the hours on Excel spreadsheets and don’t understand the realities faced by medical staff," he added.
Unhealthy Dependency on Prime Minister
Khairy and his co-host Shahril Hamdan also took aim at what they called the government’s unhealthy dependency on Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to address and resolve hot-button issues, especially in the recent approval of the Himpunan Rakyat Benci Rasuah after its initial rejection.
"There are certain individuals in the government who don’t seem democratic or independent in making decisions. It looks like they wait for the prime minister’s final word," Shahril said.
Khairy said this dependency undermines the freedom of ministers to make their own judgment calls. "If everything rests on the prime minister’s shoulders, he looks like the saviour, but the other ministers look weak or irrelevant," he said.
Reversal of Decision to Stop Free Tolls
Khairy and Shahril also highlighted the reversal of the decision to stop free tolls for festive seasons, which they said was unfortunate as the initial decision was a fiscally responsible one. Works minister Alexander Nanta Linggi had announced earlier that the government would no longer offer highway toll exemptions for festive occasions from this year. However, the decision was reversed after a public backlash, leading to a 50% toll discount during this year’s Chinese New Year holiday period.
Conclusion
Khairy emphasized the importance of ministers having the autonomy to make decisions without relying solely on the prime minister. "If a minister feels they can carry out a decision, they need Cabinet support. Otherwise, the decision won’t hold," he said.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the Waktu Bekerja Berlainan (WBB) system?
A: The WBB system aimed to limit on-call hours for doctors from 33 to 18 hours, but was widely criticized by healthcare workers for cutting their allowances by including extended shifts into the standard 45-hour work week.
Q: Why did the government reverse the decision to stop free tolls for festive seasons?
A: The government reversed the decision after a public backlash, leading to a 50% toll discount during this year’s Chinese New Year holiday period.
Q: What is the significance of the government’s unhealthy dependency on Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim?
A: The dependency undermines the freedom of ministers to make their own judgment calls, making them appear weak or irrelevant.