KOTA KINABALU – The transfer of former Sabah health director Datuk Dr Christina Rundi has nothing to do with the “dine-in” fiasco, which saw the state being rebuked by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
Commenting on the senior health officer’s transfer to Putrajaya, state Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun said Dr Rundi is a civil servant and is therefore subject to transfers.
“We need to accept the fact that she’s a civil servant and could be transferred at any time. All officers must heed this requirement when they are appointed into the public service,” said Masidi, adding that Dr Rundi’s transfer was to replace a senior official at the Health Ministry.
“It has nothing to do with the dine-in fiasco.”
On June 28, Ismail Sabri rebuked Sabah for loosening standard operating procedures (SOPs) to allow dine-ins, saying that states can only tighten SOPs, not relax them.
Masidi in a statement clarified that the dine-in SOPs were issued by the state Disaster Management Committee chaired by the state secretary, not by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Mohd Noor.
It was reported that Dr Rundi opted for early retirement as she was about to be transferred to the Health Ministry’s headquarters.
She was replaced by Dr Rose Nani Mudin, who officially became state health director on July 13.
Masidi said Hajiji and himself had appealed to Putrajaya to maintain Dr Rundi as the Sabah health director, but their request was refused.
“I myself contacted (Health Director-General Tan Sri) Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah to appeal to him to allow Dr Rundi to stay or only transfer her out at year-end.
“Dr Noor Hisham said the decision was made by the federal secretary’s office, and the federal government told the state officially that it is not able to consider the request to retain Dr Rundi,” he said.
Masidi said the newly appointed director should be given a chance to prove herself, saying that all talk about the transfer must end. – The Vibes, July 26, 2021
