THE Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) has urged the government to suspend progress on the Poisons (Amendment) Bill 2025, citing serious concerns over its broad language, sweeping enforcement powers, and the absence of consultation with key healthcare stakeholders.
In a statement issued on Friday evening (25 July), MMA president Datuk Dr Kalwinder Singh Khaira said the association was “deeply concerned” that the Bill was tabled in Parliament without prior engagement with the medical profession, including the MMA and other relevant bodies.
“We acknowledge the government’s intention to strengthen enforcement, possibly in response to serious cross-border threats such as drug smuggling or maritime trafficking.
“However, if this is indeed the rationale, it must be clearly stated and the scope of the amendments appropriately defined in the legislation,” he said.
Dr Kalwinder warned that the Bill, in its current form, risked undermining legitimate medical practice and creating confusion around regulatory jurisdiction.
He singled out Clause 2 of the Bill, which designates all police officers as authorised officers under the Act, and the proposed Section 31A, which grants the Health Minister powers to appoint “any person” as an authorised officer without stipulating relevant qualifications.
“These provisions raise serious concerns about unchecked enforcement authority and the potential disruption to legitimate private healthcare services, such as GP clinics, mobile services and charity-based health initiatives,” he said.
He also raised alarm over the Bill’s expanded definition of “premises”, which could see licensed healthcare facilities grouped with unrelated or illicit operations under the same enforcement regime.
“This risks not only operational disruption, but also potential violations of patient confidentiality and public trust,” Dr Kalwinder cautioned.
Describing the absence of stakeholder consultation as a “major procedural lapse”, he stressed that the proposed changes were far from minor and would have far-reaching consequences for the healthcare sector.
“These are not peripheral changes,” he said, urging the Health Ministry and Members of Parliament to postpone further readings of the Bill until a thorough and transparent consultation with the medical community is held.
He also underscored the need to draw a clear line between criminal enforcement and clinical regulation.
“Private healthcare providers are already regulated under the Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Act 1998 (Act 586), with oversight by the Health Ministry,” he noted. “This arrangement should remain as it is.”
Dr Kalwinder concluded by reiterating the MMA’s readiness to engage in constructive dialogue with the government to safeguard public safety while preserving the autonomy and integrity of the medical profession.
“We fully support effective regulation, but it must not come at the expense of professional trust, patient care, or the operational viability of healthcare providers,” he said. - July 26, 2025
