KUALA KUBU BARU: The Health Ministry is remaining steadfast in its decision to amend the Medical Act 1971 regarding the parallel pathway programme (PPP).
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said this stance was also agreed upon by the Higher Education Ministry through previous engagement sessions.
He said this step is crucial to enable trainees who complete the programme to register as specialists under the Act.
He was responding to a statement by the Group of Professors of Health and Medicine head, Professor Dr Noor Hassim Ismail, who said there was no need to amend the Act to bridge the gap between the PPP and the local medical degree programme.
Noor Hassim had said that they were unclear about the merits of amending the Medical Act to accommodate the registration of doctors under the PPP.
Dr Dzulkefly said while anyone is free to offer their views, the ministry will make the decision.
"Anyone can give their views, but ultimately when we finalise the memorandum, we will present it.
"What is important is that both ministries have the same stance. We need to implement (the amendment) and carry out what has been mutually agreed upon by referring to the Attorney General," he said at a press conference after a working visit to Kuala Kubu Baharu Hospital here today.
He said the collaborative effort between the Health and Higher Education Ministries aims to ensure compliance with legal standards while addressing irregularities found within medical training programmes.
"Our consensus includes addressing irregularities found in both programmes, not just the parallel pathway expertise training but also medical degree subjects.
"Therefore, the memorandum will undergo fine-tuning. It will be based on legal recommendations, as the Attorney General's Chamber will ultimately determine compliance.
"While various opinions are welcome, including those expressed on social media, the final memorandum will pave the way for legislative proposals.
"This will initiate debates under the Medical Act. What matters is that both ministries and their respective top managements are aligned," he said.
Previously, Dzulkefly had said that the proposed amendments seek to address the gap between the PPP and the local Master's medicine programme.
This is to ensure that medical specialists who have completed their training under the programme would be registered and recognised.
