SHAH ALAM - Datuk Seri Siti Nurhaliza has come forward to address public concerns following her appearance at the Health Ministry’s Raya open house on Wednesday.
The award-winning singer clarified via Instagram that her performance at the event was entirely voluntary and done without any payment.
"I came as a guest, not a performing artiste. I did not ask for any payment. I feel it is important for me to explain this as I don't want untruths being spread about this.
"I don’t see this (slander) as a small matter because the news came out, portals picked it up, it’s all over social media and then people started posting statuses, writing comments—it’s spreading, and this needs to stop,” the post wrote.
Siti also took the opportunity to address the wave of misinformation and assumptions circulating online, urging media outlets and the public not to misuse her name for sensationalism.
"If you want to point fingers or express your opinions or feelings regarding any organisation, department or whatsoever, please do not drag me into it or bring up matters that eventually turn into slander, where I end up being talked about and become the indirect target of baseless accusations.”
"To all who have spread this false narrative, be it the media, individuals, or netizens, I hope you realise the consequences of slander on a person,” she said.
She has since clarified her stance against spreading unverified claims, stating that it could damage reputations.
"Make sure something is verified before writing about it, because these false claims, comments, name drops, photos, and inaccurate takes carry serious negative implications, especially when I performed sincerely and without any payment at the event in question.”
Siti’s appearance – alongside other well-known artists like Datuk Jamal Abdillah – sparked public criticism, particularly from healthcare professionals and social media users.
Many questioned the appropriateness of hosting such an event amid ongoing frustrations over working conditions in the medical field.
Healthcare advocacy group Hartal Doktor Kontrak voiced their concerns in a Facebook post, highlighting the challenges faced by many frontline workers, including low on-call allowances, delayed claims and inadequate resources.
"MOH staff are happy, even though their on-call or OT allowance is very low, claims get rejected all the time, equipment cannot be purchased due to the lack of allocations, but at least MOH’s top management can have fun with famous artistes,” the pressure group said in a Facebook post.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad had also confirmed that Siti Nurhaliza and Jamal Abdillah were present at the MOH’s Hari Raya gathering purely as guests.
"Both artists attended the event as guests and performed without compensation,” he wrote in a post on X.
He acknowledged the criticism received from the public and the healthcare community:
"The criticism received is fair. Hopefully, this serves as a reminder to all. We will continue to work on addressing systemic issues faced by our healthcare workers – that is my commitment.”