In a next level scheme at Tunku Azizah Hospital (HTA) in KL, a 28-year-old N1 admin assistant (pembantu tadbir or PT) allegedly scammed at least 187 housemen in the paediatric department of the government hospital out of more than RM47,000 over the past two and a half years from Sept 2023 to March 2026. The female junior PT's alleged con was two-pronged: collecting an RM900 "refund" by falsely claiming that the government "overpaid" emoluments and a “fee” of RM40 to RM45 for a compulsory course, the neonatal resuscitation programme (NRP), that was actually free of charge. Payments by 187 known victims – all doctors during housemanship postings to HTA’s paediatric department – were either banked into the admin asssistant's personal account or physically paid to her in cash, totalling RM47,210 over the past 30 months. The 187 people paid the PT either RM45 or RM40 each, except one who paid RM120, under the NRP scam, totalling RM8,210. Forty-two of them were additionally hoodwinked by the salary scam, with 40 housemen getting cheated of RM900 each, one of RM1,200, and another of RM1,800, totalling RM39,000. Based on CodeBlue’s interviews with a dozen victims this week, most, if not all, of the deceptions and financial transactions in the admin assistant’s alleged criminal fraud occurred in their workplace at HTA. The junior doctors said they didn’t think much about making payment to the PT’s personal account at the time, citing a heavy clinical work burden and trust in “Kak S*****”, whom they relied heavily on for human resource responsibilities. “She showed me the QR code and said it was her personal account. I never hesitated and I never doubted because I never thought of being scammed by her since she’s the admin. Whatever she said, I fully trusted her. So I straight away banked it to her," a houseman told CodeBlue. RM900 Salary Scam: Forged Document The PT allegedly used a forged document to convince house officers to pay her a "refund" of RM900, supposedly because the government "overpaid" their RM300 monthly Imbuhan Tetap Khidmat Awam allowance. Her alleged modus operandi (MO) involved setting up one-on-one meetings in her office on Level 6 of HTA with her victims, during which she falsely claimed to junior doctors that the government had “overpaid” their emolument for the first three months of housemanship by RM900. She gave them a form to sign. The fake document titled “Bayaran Balik Emolumen Terlebih Bayar PPS”, which had the doctor's name and IC number, was actually a forgery of a genuine Gantian Cuti Rehat document. The PT gave housemen two options to pay the RM900 "refund": by cash in an envelope that they could submit to Unit Gaji themselves or via QR code to her personal account. Her victims all chose to directly bank in the money to her. RM45 NRP Scam: Housemen Batches on Orientation Day If the admin assistant's MO for her alleged RM900 salary scam was individual shakedowns during personal meetings in her office, her alleged RM45 NRP hustle defrauded entire groups of house officers during orientation at the MOH hospital. Being the sole PT in charge of trainee doctors in HTA’s paediatrics department, she conducted briefings alone for housemen on the first day of their posting to the department, without anyone else present in the room. Housemen were told varying accounts of the RM45 payment for the compulsory NRP course: a fee, or for books or certification, but these were actually free of charge. Based on CodeBlue’s interviews, the admin assistant wouldn’t let the trainee doctors leave the room until everyone paid her RM45 there and then, either via QR code to her personal account or cash. End of 30-Month Scam Two of the PT's victims ended her 30-month scam last March 27, after the house officers went to Unit Gaji and the human resource department and discovered that the RM900 form was a fake document. At least 13 police reports have been filed. CodeBlue understands that the admin assistant, who is reportedly a contract staff under the government's MyStep programme, has since been terminated. When contacted, the PT told CodeBlue that she was “cooperating” to resolve the “financial issues”, adding that she hoped “this issue can be resolved privately and not published in an article”. In a WhatsApp message to a houseman, the 28-year-old woman claimed that this was the "first time I did something like this" and that her family was in debt with loan sharks. HTA and MOH Putrajaya declined comment, citing the ongoing police investigation. Read more: codeblue.galencentre.org/202…

Kuala Langat MP Demands Equal Compensation For Five FDS Victims codeblue.galencentre.org/202…

Kuala Langat MP Ahmad Yunus calls for equal compensation for the families of all five victims of the Long Lellang tragedy, saying it was disappointing that this wasn’t announced in Budget 2027. MOH announced RM130,000 payouts to families of its four staff. codeblue.galencentre.org/202…

MCTC Claims Possible Government Attempt To Delist Liquid Nicotine Again codeblue.galencentre.org/202…

MCTC says the government is possibly renewing its attempt to exempt liquid nicotine from the Poisons List by returning to the Poisons Board, after the High Court nullified the 2023 exemption. MCTC urges the Board to again reject any proposed exemption. codeblue.galencentre.org/202…

Overcrowding In Emergency Departments, Ward Bed Shortages In Government Hospitals codeblue.galencentre.org/202…

Malaysia doesn’t need to directly “import” foreign experts to manage the local system. Instead, adapting proven international modules while providing sufficient space, authority, and funding for local public health experts to execute reforms is sufficient. codeblue.galencentre.org/202…

When Perak’s Trauma Centre Has No C-Arm codeblue.galencentre.org/202…

C-arm is essential imaging equipment that allows surgeons to see bones and implants in real time during many fracture fixation procedures. When this equipment became unavailable at HRPB, cases had to be diverted to other hospitals in the state. codeblue.galencentre.org/202…

Sarawak Presents RM500,000 Aid To Five FDS Victims’ Families codeblue.galencentre.org/202…

At a Kuching ceremony, Sarawak Premier Abang Jo presents RM100,000 cheques to each family of 5 victims killed in the Long Lellang tragedy, besides education sponsorships for their kids. One of the widows, Stephanie, says Sarawak helped a lot from Day One. codeblue.galencentre.org/202…

CodeBlue editor-in-chief Boo Su-Lyn says if the Madani government really intends to abolish the contract doctor system, then it should revert to pre-2016 and automatically appoint all medical graduates entering housemanship in 2027 as permanent civil servants on Day One of their training. This way, 2026 will mark the last of Malaysia’s contract doctor cohorts. But if permanent positions will only be offered after two-year housemanship, then the contract cycle continues in 2027 and every subsequent year with each new cohort. Total elimination of the contract system will simplify HR processes for both administrators and doctors, such as covering transfer costs or issuing permanent appointment letters. Contract-to-permanent transitions – whether after completing housemanship or compulsory service – unnecessarily complicates things and gives doctors more reasons to reject permanent positions. "Madani has an opportunity to abolish the contract doctor system by ensuring that 2026 marks the recruitment of the last contract houseman and that 2027 will mark the beginning of the first permanent house officer in a decade." Read more: codeblue.galencentre.org/202…

Revert To Pre-2016 For True ‘Abolition’ Of Contract Doctor System codeblue.galencentre.org/202…

To truly “abolish” the contract doctor system, all medical graduates entering housemanship in 2027 should be automatically made permanent staff on Day One of training — reverting back to pre-2016 — so that 2026 will mark the last contract doctor cohorts. codeblue.galencentre.org/202…

Duopharma Biotech Expands Vaccine Portfolio With Enimmune codeblue.galencentre.org/202…

The partnership establishes a pathway to introduce niche vaccines in Malaysia and provides a foundation for collaboration on future vaccine pipeline opportunities. codeblue.galencentre.org/202…

Mandate Mediation For Medical Negligence Complaints Before Lawsuits, Says APHM codeblue.galencentre.org/202…

APHM’s Dr Kuljit Singh wants medical negligence disputes to undergo mandatory mediation before suing. He says litigation fears are also driving defensive medicine and higher health care utilisation. Doctors can’t use cost-saving for patients as a defence. codeblue.galencentre.org/202…

Putrajaya Paying RM130,000 Each To Four FDS Crash Victims’ Families codeblue.galencentre.org/202…

MOH announces federal lump-sum payments of at least RM130,000 to each family of its four staff killed in the Long Lellang tragedy. But MOH didn’t mention any payment from Putrajaya for the family of the fifth victim, the pilot, who was a private worker. codeblue.galencentre.org/202…