JAKARTA - Malaysia will consider Indonesia’s proposal to allow its citizens to work in the country’s healthcare sector, particularly as nurses, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said.
The proposal was raised during a bilateral meeting between Mohamad and his Indonesian counterpart Sugiono on the sidelines of the 17th Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation meeting in Jakarta.
“Indonesia proposed that we expand the recruitment of their workers beyond the existing sectors, especially into nursing. We will discuss this,” Mohamad said.
He noted that the recruitment of foreign healthcare workers falls under the jurisdiction of Malaysia’s Health Ministry rather than the Foreign Ministry.
Despite this, Mohamad described the proposal as a positive development that could benefit both countries.
“I believe it is a good proposal that will also benefit the Malaysian healthcare industry as a whole,” he said.
Mohamad, popularly known as Tok Mat, said Indonesian healthcare workers could help strengthen Malaysia’s healthcare workforce and improve service delivery.
The proposal comes as healthcare systems across the region continue to face staffing challenges driven by ageing populations, rising healthcare demand and workforce shortages.
Indonesia has long been one of the largest sources of foreign workers in Malaysia, supplying labour across sectors including manufacturing, construction, plantations and domestic services.
However, labour mobility in professional sectors such as healthcare remains relatively limited.
Last year, Indonesia’s Consulate General in Johor Bahru proposed allowing Indonesian nurses to work in Malaysia to help ease manpower shortages in the healthcare sector.
If approved, the initiative could open new employment opportunities for qualified Indonesian healthcare professionals while helping Malaysia address staffing gaps in hospitals and healthcare facilities.
