PETALING JAYA: The Annual Practising Certificates (APC) for 2026 will take effect on Jan 1, 2026 for all medical practitioners who submitted complete applications on or before Dec 31, 2025, says Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad.
The Health Minister said he had taken note of concerns raised by the medical fraternity over the APC and acknowledged the Malaysian Medical Council's (MMC) statement.
"The effective date is not dependent on the date of approval or issuance. Your indemnity and legal status remain intact," he said.
Moving forward, he said his office had engaged with the MMC to implement a systemic remedial plan covering three points.
"Audit & Accountability: Internal audit shall be conducted. MMC will submit a detailed report outlining the root causes, mitigation measures and a concrete timeline for full resolution.
"Digital Overhaul: We recognise the urgent need to upgrade the legacy MeRITS system. We are committed to transitioning towards a more robust, automated and rule-based digital workflow with upgraded capacity.
"Policy Reform: As part of a phased reform approach, the impact of the digital overhaul will be assessed before considering further policy measures, including a review of the Medical Act and the introduction of Multi-Year Practising Certificates if required," read the statement.
He also said the ministry is committed to resolving this matter constructively and to build an ecosystem that better facilitates the needs of the medical fraternity.
