Discuss Poisons Bill with stakeholders first, urges MMA

The Star

27-07-2025

PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) has voiced strong concern over the Poisons (Amendment) Bill 2025, urging the government to halt its progress in Parliament until proper engagement is held with key players.
Its president Datuk Dr Kalwinder Singh Khaira ( pic ) said the association, along with other medical professional bodies, was deeply concerned that the Bill had been tabled without prior consultation with key stakeholders, including the MMA.
'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 in a statement on Friday.
Dr Kalwinder said the language of the Bill was overly broad and raised red flags regarding enforcement powers and possible implications on private healthcare services.
He pointed specifically to Clause 2, which designates all police officers as authorised officers under the Act, and the proposed Section 31A, which grants the Health Minister power to appoint 'any person' without specifying 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,' Dr Kalwinder said.
He added that MMA also took issue with the expanded definition of 'premises' in the Bill, saying it could group licensed medical facilities together with non-healthcare-related or even criminal operations under the same enforcement scope.
'These risks are not only operational disruptions but also potential violations of patient confidentiality and public trust,' Dr Kalwinder said.
He added that the absence of engagement with the medical fraternity represented a major procedural lapse, especially since the proposed changes would significantly impact the daily operations of thousands of healthcare practitioners nationwide.
'These are not peripheral changes,' he said, adding that the Health Ministry and MPs must delay any further readings of the Bill until a comprehensive consultation is held with the medical profession.
Dr Kalwinder said the Act must make a clear distinction between enforcement aimed at criminal activity and regulation of clinical practice.
He noted that private healthcare providers are already regulated under the Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Act 1998 (Act 586), with oversight from the Health Ministry.
'This arrangement should remain as it is,' he said as he warned against any overlap or overreach that could disrupt healthcare delivery, while reiterating MMA's readiness to engage in constructive dialogue on the matter.