FPMPAM Against The Boycott Of New Act

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 16 (Bernama) -- The Federation of Private Medical practitioners Association of Malaysia (FPMPAM) is against the call for the boycott of registration and street protest against the Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Act 1998 and Regulations (2006).
Its president Dr Steven Chow said such an approach would not benefit patients nor doctors affected by this Act.
"We urge all the private practitioners not to join in this call for such drastic action as it will be counter-productive to the positive development thus far.
"The FPMPAM is in an advanced stage of working out on an agreement with the Ministry of Health to approach issues arising from the implementation of this Act," he said in a statement here Wednesday.
He said all responsible bodies should have voiced their concerns publicly when the Act was announced by the ministry and made immediate representations to the Minister with regard to the Act and its implications instead of boycotting it.
"To be fair, the ministry has agreed to consider most of the recommendations made by the FPMPAM for amendments to the Act and the Regulations."
Dr Chow said the ministry was in the process of simplifying the application form and the registration process as well as considering suspending the enforcement of specific regulations that were not practical for existing clinics while waiting for the amendments.
The FPMPAM, he said, had invited the relevant bodies such as the Malaysian Dental Association and Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) to join in its efforts to amend the Act in a consultative manner.
"Except for the Association of Specialists in Private Practice, it is unfortunate that other bodies had refused to join the FPMPAM in this consultative process and have opted for such action."
He was responding to Wednesday's report that doctors and medical practitioners planned to boycott the Act and to even stage a protest.
The new legislation, which came into force on May 1, requires all clinics to register with the Health Ministry, failing which they would be classified as illegal operations.