KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 28 — Starting tomorrow, traditional medicine practitioners not registered with the Health Ministry (MOH) may be subject to legal action including fines and imprisonment under the Traditional and Complementary Medicine Act 2016.
MOH Traditional and Complementary Medicine Division principal assistant director Dr Tajul Iqmal Tajul Arus said this follows the second phase of enforcement against traditional medicine practitioners who have yet to register with the MOH.
He said under the act, those who practise traditional and complementary medicine without a valid certificate, or do not display a valid certificate, may be subject to a fine not exceeding RM10,000, imprisonment not exceeding three months, or both.
“Earlier during the transition period from March 1, 2021, to February 28, 2025, we placed more emphasis on the educational approach to the enforcement of this act.
“From March 1, 2025, we will begin legal action against traditional and complementary medicine practitioners in recognised fields of practice who are found to have violated and committed offences under this act,” he said in a media briefing session on the enforcement of the act here today.
Dr Tajul Iqmal said under the act, a person who is not a registered practitioner cannot practice traditional medicine and can be fined not more than RM30,000, imprisoned not more than two years, or both, for the first offence if they violate the law.
For subsequent offences, they can be fined a maximum of RM50,000 or imprisoned not more than three years, with the same punishment also being imposed on those who make false or misleading statements regarding traditional and complementary medicine services.
He said as of Tuesday, his department had received 18,802 registration applications from traditional and complementary medicine practitioners nationwide, covering seven recognised areas of practice.
The seven areas of practice currently recognised by the MOH include traditional Malay medicine, traditional Chinese medicine, traditional Indian medicine, homeopathy, chiropractic, osteopathy and Islamic medicine practices.
As of January 17, he said 14,312 local traditional and complementary medicine practitioners had been registered with the MOH, while 158 involved foreign practitioners and the highest registration involving Malay traditional medicine practitioners, at 4,541.
— Bernama
