A former Malaysian minister has suggested that Singapore should compensate Malaysia when it recruits medical professionals who were trained with government subsidies.
Abdul Rahman Dahlan, who previously served as a minister in Malaysia, made the proposal in a Facebook post addressing the country’s ongoing brain drain in the healthcare sector. He argued that while Malaysian doctors and nurses should be free to decide their own futures — including relocating overseas — Malaysia ought to recover some of the funds it spent on their education and training.
Rahman pointed out that many Malaysian healthcare workers benefit from heavily subsidised university fees, and when they leave for countries such as Singapore, the investment is effectively lost. Redirecting recovered funds, he suggested, could help improve Malaysia’s own healthcare system.
A Possible Levy on Singapore Employers
To achieve this, Rahman proposed two approaches: direct compensation from Singapore or a levy imposed on Singaporean hospitals and clinics that hire Malaysian staff. He described the levy as a “win-win situation” where Singapore gains skilled medical professionals while Malaysia regains resources to strengthen its public health services.
He acknowledged, however, that such an arrangement has “never been done before” and would raise “a lot of technical and legal issues”. Still, he maintained that the idea deserves serious consideration given the scale of Malaysia’s healthcare workforce migration.
A Growing Debate Over Healthcare Talent
The issue of Malaysian doctors and nurses heading abroad is not new. Singapore’s healthcare sector has long relied on Malaysian professionals, with some reports estimating that nearly 40% of Singapore’s medical workforce are graduates of Malaysian universities.
Rahman’s remarks have reignited debate on whether countries that benefit from subsidised education should impose conditions or seek compensation when their professionals move abroad. For now, his proposal remains a discussion point rather than an official policy.