Azizan said while the Medical Act 1971 is amended to recognise parallel pathway programmes, health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad should take the opportunity to carry out a more comprehensive review of the Act and bring in meaningful reforms, starting with the MMC.

“The MMC president’s position should be decided by election, not through appointment. Likewise, the composition of the council should consist of at least 80% elected representatives,” she said in a statement today.

Azizan said MMC’s voting system, which still uses postal ballots, is outdated and should be simplified through digitalisation, in line with the ministry’s digital health transformation agenda.

“Currently, the inconvenience of casting a ballot is discouraging the fraternity from voting.

“Only 10% of close to 70,000 registered medical practitioners vote each time elections are held,” she said.

MMC is entrusted with powers to ensure medical professionals give their best to their patients and the nation.

It also introduced the code of professional conduct, providing the yardstick for the proper conduct and behaviour of doctors in their clinical practices.