Senator RA Lingeshwaran described the court’s decision as a “right move”. The suit by six graduates of Universiti Sains Malaysia against the Malaysian Medical Council was postponed pending amendments to the Medical Act.
The amendments are believed to involve recognition of specialist qualifications.
The MMC was sued earlier this year by several doctors for rejecting their applications to be listed in the national specialist register.
MMC’s lawyer, Jessica Ram Binwani, said the High Court had agreed on Thursday to her request to postpone the hearing of the case involving the graduates, pending amendments to the law.
The six graduates, who are on government scholarships, asked not to be named.
The case had been set for hearing on Aug 21. However, amendments to the Medical Act are expected to be tabled at the Dewan Rakyat at its next sitting, from Monday (June 25) to July 18.
Lingeshwaran said he was informed that the health ministry met several related groups to discuss amendments to the act pertaining to the recognition of all post-graduate qualifications.
The senator said two other pending suits over recognition of specialist qualifications should also be postponed. One suit is by four parallel pathway cardiothoracic surgeons and the other involves a Singapore-based neurosurgeon.
“Since the amendments are expected to include the recognition of all specialities for listing on the register, it’s best no decisions are made now as it may complicate matters,” he told FMT.
The MMC’s counsel, Jessica Binwani, said the judge had remarked at the hearing on Thursday that parliamentary bills would usually be ready at least two weeks before a parliamentary meeting.
She said the Bill was probably embargoed until its tabling and they would have to look at the details of the proposed amendments before the defence can decide on its next course of action.
In April, four cardiothoracic surgeons sued the MMC after it rejected their applications for listing on the specialist register. The four doctors are Nur Aziah Ismail and Chong Kee Soon from the National Heart Institute and Syed Nasir Syed Hassan and Lok Yuh Ing who are with public hospitals.
The High Court has also granted a doctor leave to commence proceedings for a judicial review of the MMCs refusal to register him as a neurosurgery specialist last year.
Dr Lu Yeow Yuen, 42, wants an order compelling MMC to accept his application for registration as a specialist in neurosurgery and for his name to be entered into the registry.