RM30 FDS allowance review proposal submitted since November 2025, says Dzulkefly
The proposal was part of the ministry’s efforts to ensure the welfare of healthcare personnel serving under the FDS received due attention.
KUALA LUMPUR – The Health Ministry (MOH) has submitted a proposal to review the allowance for personnel involved in the Flying Doctor Service (FDS) in November 2025.
Its minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said the proposal was part of the ministry’s efforts to ensure the welfare of healthcare personnel serving under the FDS received due attention, amid claims on social media that they received only RM30 as an allowance.
“Among the proposals we raised was the FDS allowance, which we had already raised last year, in November.
“We know that we need to provide what is appropriate. That is why we raised the issue of the allowance earlier,” he said at a special press conference on the FDS helicopter crash incident here today.
Also present was Health Director-General Datuk Seri Dr Mahathar Abd Wahab.
Dzulkefly said MOH was confident of receiving a positive response to the proposal and would provide updates once a decision was received from the relevant authorities.
He was responding to questions about claims circulating on social media regarding the RM30 allowance allegedly received by healthcare personnel involved in FDS operations.
The minister’s disclosure came amid renewed public attention on the allowance following the FDS helicopter crash in Long Lellang, Sarawak.
The Air Health Service Incentive Payment for MOH personnel was introduced in 1978 to support healthcare access in rural areas and had been set at RM30 per return flight.
The incentive covered medical officers, assistant medical officers, nurses and community nurses involved in air health services. Where multiple flights were made in a day, the payment was also specified at RM30 for each return flight.
The rate drew criticism from netizens, who questioned whether it reflected the workload, risks and challenges faced by healthcare personnel. Some also claimed staff shortages had contributed to heavier workloads and overtime.
However, the viral document detailing the RM30 incentive only stated the payment rate and eligibility conditions. It did not specify whether personnel received other payments or claims for duties associated with FDS operations.
Earlier today, Dzulkefly said MOH prioritised the safety of health personnel, the welfare of victims’ families and the continuity of healthcare services following the helicopter crash.
He said the ministry’s Mental Health and Psychosocial Support team had been mobilised to provide psychological first aid and ongoing emotional support to the victims’ families and FDS team.
Financial contributions and ex-gratia assistance ranging from RM50,000 to RM150,000 would also be provided to the victims’ families.
Search and rescue efforts were ongoing, with Miri Hospital prepared to receive the victims, while the identities of those involved would only be announced after official identification and clearance by the authorities.
Dzulkefly also stressed that FDS remained crucial for providing healthcare to remote communities.
MOH would work with the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia, Air Accident Investigation Bureau and Sarawak State Health Department to prioritise safety while ensuring continuity of services.
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