Don't make job with Chinese proficiency requirement an issue — Melaka CM

MELAKA: A job vacancy advertisement giving preference to applicants with Chinese language proficiency for the post of staff nurse at Putra Specialist Hospital here, should not be made an issue, said Melaka Chief Minister, Adly Zahari.

He said Chinese language proficiency would be an added value for the post as the holder would be required to communicate with patients or tourists from China seeking treatment at this state government-owned medical centre.

He said the job vacancy ad was no threat to the status of Malay as the official language in dealing with the state government companies, departments and agencies.

"The policy of the Pakatan Harapan state government is clear that Malay is the base or national language but if there is an agency that sets the condition for proficiency in another language, that is added value.

"So I think it's not appropriate to make this an issue as there was a need for Putra Specialist Hospital to put up the ad as it has been receiving an increasing number of patients from China, while the number of its staff able to speak Mandarin is small.”

Adly said this to reporters at the Meet-the-People Day Series 2/2018 where 88 complaints were received from the public on issues such as those involving land, the local authorities and welfare.

On Thursday, the job vacancy ad giving preference to those with Chinese language proficiency for the post of staff nurse at Putra Specialist Hospital went viral on social media such as Facebook and WhatsApp.

However, the ad does not state the race of applicants for the post, while priority is not given to Chinese language proficiency for three other posts, namely staff nurse (haemodialysis), kitchen assistant and chef assistant.

Adly said the hospital's effort was also in line with Melaka being a health tourism state which received about 30 per cent foreign tourists including from China each year.

"However, Malay is the prime language used at Putra Specialist Hospital as the majority of patients are locals,” he added.