KUALA LUMPUR: The amendment to the Medical Act 1971 will recognise the Health Ministry as one of the institutions capable of providing specialised training, similar to local higher learning institutions.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, during the second tabling of the bill in the evening session of Dewan Rakyat today, said the recognition will ensure proper implementation of specialised training in the medical field.
"The specialised training in the amendment shall be referred to as training approved by the Malaysian Medical Council (MMC) provided by the ministry, local higher education institutions or any other institution in Malaysia.
"MMC will also be empowered to determine, approve or recognise any new specialised training conducted within the country without the need to refer to any other act, including the Malaysian Qualifications Agency Act 2007," he said during the second tabling of the bill today.
At the same time, Dr Dzulkefly said medical practitioners undergoing the existing parallel pathway programme (PPP) in various fields can be certified as having completed their training by the ministry once they meet all training requirements.
"Any specialised training provided by the ministry, local higher education institutions or any other institution in Malaysia for specialist registration before the effective date of this Act, shall be deemed as specialised training under this Act.
"This means that all Master's programmes in medicine conducted by local higher education institutions and all PPP are considered recognised specialised training."
Meanwhile, the bill, which seeks to improve the provisions related to the registration of medical practitioners as specialists will be continued to be debated tomorrow and tabled for the third reading before being passed.
A total of 12 members of parliament are set to take part in the debate of the bill.