RM30 Since 1978? Doctor Questions Flying Medical Staff Allowance After Sarawak Helicopter Tragedy
A Malaysian doctor has questioned the RM30 round-trip incentive reportedly paid to healthcare workers serving under the Flying Doctor Service following the helicopter crash near Long Lellang, Sarawak, which killed five people. The rate was established in 1978. MOH said it raised the allowance issue with the government in November 2025 and is seeking a decision this year.
Why Is The RM30 Flying Doctor Allowance Being Questioned?
Following the fatal helicopter crash, a Facebook post by Dr Justine Sim drew attention to the incentive received by medical personnel who take part in Flying Doctor Service missions. According to Dr Sim, healthcare workers receive RM30 for one round trip, with the rate established under JPA guidelines in 1978 and reportedly unchanged since then. He questioned whether the amount and existing arrangements adequately reflect the risks faced by medical teams travelling by air to serve remote communities. Dr Sim also raised concerns about indemnity forms that medical officers are required to sign before boarding, while calling for a wider review covering risk allowances, insurance protection and safety protocols.
What Happened In The Long Lellang Helicopter Crash?
The BO-105 helicopter departed Miri Airport at 10.21am on 8 September for a Flying Doctor Service mission, making stops at Balai and Long Siud before the crash. Sarawak Police Commissioner Datuk Mohamad Zainal Abdullah said eyewitnesses reported seeing smoke and flames coming from the helicopter before it crashed near the Long Lellang STOL airfield at around 3.40pm. All five people on board died in the wreckage after the aircraft caught fire. They were Captain Zainol Afiq Bee Sham, Dr Ainul Baraah Kamaruddin, Debra Moset, Jessie Paya Jok and Alexson Adit Henry. The exact technical cause of the crash has not been established, and that determination will be made by the Air Accident Investigation Bureau.
Has The Government Already Reviewed The RM30 Allowance?
The issue was already under discussion before the Long Lellang tragedy. Health Minister Datuk Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said MOH submitted a proposal concerning the Flying Doctor Service allowance in late November 2025. Following the crash, he confirmed that the ministry would continue pushing for the welfare of healthcare workers and hoped a decision could be reached this year. The discussion over the RM30 payment is therefore separate from the investigation into what caused the helicopter to crash. While Dr Sim’s post has renewed public attention on working conditions and protection for medical personnel serving remote communities, there is currently no official finding linking the allowance, indemnity arrangements or other employment conditions to the cause of the accident.
Key Facts
What happened: Five people died after a BO-105 helicopter operating a Flying Doctor Service mission crashed near the Long Lellang STOL airfield in Sarawak. The tragedy later sparked discussion over the RM30 incentive paid to healthcare workers undertaking such missions.
Who is involved: The victims were pilot Captain Zainol Afiq Bee Sham, 30; Dr Ainul Baraah Kamaruddin, 33; Debra Moset, 40; Jessie Paya Jok, 44; and Alexson Adit Henry, 31. Dr Justine Sim later raised concerns about the allowance and wider protections for healthcare workers.
Where: The helicopter crashed near the edge of the Long Lellang runway in Miri, Sarawak.
When: The crash happened at around 3.40pm on 8 September 2026.
Current status: All five people on board died. The Air Accident Investigation Bureau is responsible for determining the technical cause of the crash. Separately, MOH said it had already submitted a proposal concerning the RM30 allowance in late November 2025 and hopes for a decision in 2026
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Sources
Primary official sources: Sarawak Police Commissioner Datuk Mohamad Zainal Abdullah; Ministry of Health; Health Minister Datuk Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad; JPA guidelines.
Primary social source: Facebook post by Dr Justine Sim.
Secondary source: WORLD OF BUZZ.
Additional reporting cited: Kosmo.
WORLD OF BUZZ publication date: 10 September 2026.
Incident: BO-105 helicopter crash during a Flying Doctor Service mission.
Location: Near Long Lellang STOL airfield, Miri, Sarawak.
Fatalities: Five people.
Allowance status: RM30 per round trip, reportedly based on a rate established in 1978. MOH said a proposal concerning the allowance was submitted in November 2025.
Crash investigation status: The technical cause of the crash has not been determined. The investigation falls under the Air Accident Investigation Bureau.
Original report: WORLD OF BUZZ — “RM30 round trip since 1978”
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Five people died while carrying out a Flying Doctor Service mission in Sarawak — and now, one doctor is asking why medical staff taking these flights reportedly receive just RM30 per round trip.
By – Tarziman — 04:49PM
An independent writer who enjoys finding interesting angles in everyday stories. He believes even the simplest moments can be worth sharing when they’re told in a clear, relaxed and easy-to-understand way.
