KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) has called for members of parliament to support the proposed amendments to the Medical Act 1971 (Act 50), slated for tabling today in the Dewan Rakyat.
MMA president Dr Azizan Abdul Aziz said the amendments were crucial to resolving the ongoing parallel pathway issue and addressing the critical shortage of medical specialists.
"The amendment aims to enable both parallel pathways and master's programmes to run concurrently, addressing the gap between these two routes to specialisation.
"This will provide more opportunities for medical officers to pursue specialised training," she said in a statement.
Azizan added that the amendment would streamline the process of recognizing and registering medical specialists who have obtained their qualifications through various pathways.
This, she said, includes international qualifications like the Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (FRCS Ed).
"It is crucial that all specialist qualification recognition and registration remain under the ambit of the profession via the Malaysian Medical Council (MMC).
"This ensures that high standards of medical education and practice are maintained."
Meanwhile, she said the amendment could potentially benefit the healthcare system from the added specialists' availability, such as improved services, reduced wait times, and timely treatment for patients. The amendment would provide more diverse training pathways for medical officers, potentially reducing the brain drain of medical professionals from Malaysia, she said.
Therefore, Azizan urged the MPs to support the amendment to the Medical Act 1971.
"This legislative change is essential for ensuring that every Malaysian has access to high-quality, specialised medical care.
"The MMA believes that these amendments, coupled with proper implementation and oversight, will strengthen our healthcare system and benefit the nation as a whole," she said.