The Public Service Department has relaxed the Bahasa Melayu requirement for qualified medical graduates to be appointed as Grade UD41 contract medical officers.

Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah in a statement said those who had been accepted would have to undergo graduate training for two years and serve two years with the Health Ministry.

He said candidates applying for permanent appointment as medical officers in the ministry were required to pass the subject.

To this end, he said UD41 medical officers who wished to be absorbed into the permanent service scheme should endeavour to obtain a pass in BM.

"There are other service schemes that set a higher requirement, BM credit, for appointment," he said.

Dr Noor Hisham said private candidates who registered to sit for the SPM examination for the first time could apply for permission from the Examinations Board director to take BM as a single subject without sitting for the full examination, just to fulfill the requirement for the service.

"The Health Ministry will have further discussions with the Education Ministry and Examinations Board to facilitate the process for the private candidates," he said.

-- BERNAMA