Materia Medica Malaysiana

Russian medical degrees still recognised

PUTRAJAYA: Reducing the number of Public Service Department scholars in Russia will not affect recognition of the country’s medical degrees.
PSD public relations officer Hasniah Rashid said the Cabinet decision would only affect the figures and not the status of privately-funded students.
“They don’t have to worry as their degrees are already in the list of those recognised by both the department and the Malaysian Medical Council,” she said here.
In a statement last week, Hasniah had said that this year the department increased the number of students to the Middle East, especially to Egypt, and reduced the number of students to Russia, in accordance with a Cabinet decision last November to review the sponsorship of scholars to that country.
When contacted, Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Fu Ah Kiow said the Government was also concerned over the high number of Malaysian students enrolled in the five Russian universities and another in Ukraine.
“Currently, there are more than 1,000 Malaysian students there. This number is still reasonable.
“But we are concerned that if there is a drastic increase, this may affect the student-lecturer ratio as well as the lack in the availability of facilities and laboratories to students, all of which may contribute to a decline in quality,” he said, adding that the ministry would monitor the situation.
Higher Education Minister Datuk Dr Shafie Salleh said the decision was made upon the request of parents.
“We have received many complaints from parents who are dissatisfied with the conditions and facilities of some universities in Russia and Ukraine.
“We are looking at other destinations such as Egypt and Australia that are also closer to home,” he said.