PETALING JAYA: The government has established the National Transplant Council (MTK) to strengthen governance and drive the country's organ donation and transplant agenda.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad chaired the council's inaugural meeting on Monday (Nov 2), which was attended by representatives from various ministries and agencies.
In a statement, the Health Ministry said the establishment of MTK reflects a national agenda and a collective government commitment to building a sustainable, safe, high-integrity and equitable organ donation and transplant ecosystem.
“As the highest governing body at the national level, MTK is responsible for establishing policies, strategic directions, and decisions for the nation's transplant services,” said the ministry.
The ministry said one of its key priorities is to ensure fairer access for patients through "a centralised, transparent organ management and allocation system based on clinical priority".
Another priority is safeguarding the safety and integrity of the donation process by ensuring compliance with existing laws, including the Human Tissue Act 1974, as well as medical ethics and professionalism standards.
“Third, it should accelerate life-saving efforts through more effective logistic coordination and cross-ministry and cross-agency collaboration.
"The Health Ministry wishes to emphasise that organ donation is not merely a healthcare agenda, but a national agenda requiring a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach," it said.
The action plan also calls for broader collaboration across ministries and stakeholders.
“The Transport Ministry could explore integrating organ donor pledge status into driving licences, while the Communications Ministry would play a role in expanding public advocacy and awareness efforts.
“The Higher Education Ministry can contribute through human capital development, expertise and research, while the Finance Ministry and Economy Ministry can support sustainable financing planning.
“Collaboration with the Association of Private Hospitals of Malaysia (APHM) would help strengthen national service capacity through the sharing of expertise and resources between public and private healthcare providers," the ministry said.
It added that the Islamic Development Department of Malaysia (Jakim) and other religious bodies can help build public understanding and confidence in organ donation by providing clarifications on religious rulings and ethical considerations.
The ministry said the initiative would be guided by the spirit of "Warisku, Hormati Ikrarku" (My Next of Kin, Respect My Pledge), aimed at ensuring donors' wishes are respected while preserving the welfare and dignity of donors and their families.
"Respecting the donor's pledge, honouring the donor's family, and granting a second chance at life to patients in need is our shared responsibility," said the ministry.
