KUALA LUMPUR (July 17): The Dewan Rakyat on Wednesday passed the Medical (Amendment) Bill 2024, which aims to improve provisions related to the registration of specialists and the recognition of qualifications and specialised training.

The Bill was passed via a voice vote after 19 members of Parliament from both sides of the aisle participated in a debate, which primarily focused on decoupling the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) from the Medical Act and centralising the authority to recognise specialist qualifications, training institutions and training programmes within the Malaysian Medical Council (MMC).

In his winding-up debate speech, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dzulkefly Ahmad rebuffed several claims that the MMC is taking away power from the MQA and that the quality of specialists will be compromised.

He reiterated that the authority to recognise specialists lies with the MMC and not the MQA, and this was agreed upon following the outcome of a meeting between the Health Ministry and MQA in 2018.

He said the panel of assessors for medical specialty training programmes would remain the same, and that MMC has standards for specialist training and specialty-specific requirements.

Dzulkefly also gave assurances that amendments to the Act will be enforced as soon as possible after they are gazetted.

The amendments, which contain 13 clauses, also aim to empower the MMC to appoint any registered medical practitioner to represent the council in any committee, panel or institution.

Additionally, the Bill aims to establish conditions for medical practitioners to be registered as specialists, including allocating specialist training as a requirement for registration.

With the Bill now approved by the Dewan Rakyat, it will later be tabled at the Senate for debate and approval, before being sent to the King, Yang Di-Pertuan Agong, for royal assent.