PUTRAJAYA, Feb 17 — The Health Ministry (MOH) has never set a new policy or amended the guidelines in the Medical Act 1971 (Act 50) regarding the verification period of specialist doctors, as reported by an online portal on February 10, through an article titled 'Protest New Policy to Confirm Expert Doctors'.
Health Director-General Datuk Dr Muhammad Radzi Abu Hassan said the claim that the MOH requires a verification period of up to 18 months and that medical officers receive less than half of their salary is also completely untrue.
"At the same time, the Medical (Amendment) Act 2024 (Act A1729), which is an amendment in 2024 to Act 50, has not yet been enforced," he said in a statement today.
Dr Radzi said the study on the adjustment of the Expert Incentive Payment allowance is currently in the final stages to be aligned with the law.
“Any decision on the matter will be officially announced after it is finalised with the central agencies," he said.
Any change in the adjustment of allowances would only apply to medical practitioners who completed their specialist training after Act A1729 came into effect.
Through the article published, the portal claimed that the extension of the period was contained in the guidelines amended through Act 50 and General Orders Chapter F (Medical) of the Public Service Department 1974.
— Bernama
