In a letter to the court, law firm Steven Thiru and Sudhar Partnership, representing the doctors, said the Medical (Amendment) Act 2024 passed by Parliament recently is expected to remove all impediments to their clients’ enrolment on the National Specialists Register (NSR) when it comes into force.

The amendment bill was debated and passed by the Dewan Rakyat on July 17, and by the Dewan Negara on July 29. The amended Act is awaiting gazettement.

“The changes have in principle removed all obstacles that prevented the plaintiffs (doctors) from applying to be registered as cardiothoracic surgeons,” the law firm said.

“This is because Section 14B has been replaced with a new clause containing the list of all training institutions recognised by the MMC.

“The amended list now expressly recognises the Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (FRCS Ed) qualification.”

In their response, MMC’s lawyers Messrs Kanesh Sundrum & Co confirmed their client’s agreement for the suit to be put on hold.

“Once the amendments are gazetted, this action will become a mere academic exercise,” the firm said in a separate letter.

The court directed that a case management be fixed on Oct 21, and agreed that the parties need not comply with directions previously given for the filing of affidavits.

In April, the High Court granted the four surgeons leave to challenge MMC’s decision rejecting their applications for listing on the NSR.

The suit was brought by Drs Nur Aziah Ismail, Syed Nasir Syed Hassan, Chong Kee Soon and Lok Yuh Ing.

They seek declaration that they are entitled to be enrolled as cardiothoracic surgery specialists on the NCR pursuant to Section 14C of the act, having successfully attained the FRCS Ed via the parallel pathway programme.