PSD to continue sponsoring medical, dental, and pharmacy students

The Prime Minister of Malaysia, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, has announced that the Public Service Department (PSD) will continue to sponsor students studying medicine, dentistry, and pharmacy. This decision was made following special meetings with the PSD and is based on the ongoing demand within these sectors.

Anwar Ibrahim stated, “I was informed that this was an existing policy, so I asked for this to be reviewed, because based on projections, there are still demands within the medicine, dentistry, and pharmacy sector.” He made this announcement during a ‘Temu Anwar’ session at Universiti Sains Malaysia, in response to a question from a student.

Previously, it was reported that the PSD had decided to discontinue sponsoring students pursuing studies in these fields after a study by the Health Ministry projected an over-supply of medical officers from 2026 to 2030. However, this decision has now been reversed, ensuring that the PSD scholarship programme for medicine, dentistry, and pharmacy will continue.

Earlier in the day, Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa confirmed that her ministry and the PSD were discussing the issue. She also mentioned that the ministry was prepared to review the study conducted in 2019, which had initially led to the decision to stop sponsoring students in these fields. With the Prime Minister’s announcement, it is clear that the government recognises the importance of continued support for students pursuing careers in medicine, dentistry, and pharmacy.