Doctors cry 'betrayal' as enforcers descend on clinics over price display
A private doctors’ group has cried “betrayal” amid reports that authorities have begun enforcing the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering (Price Marking for Drug) Order 2025, despite a supposed grace period.
The Federation of Private Medical Practitioners’ Associations of Malaysia (FPMPAM) said enforcement officers from the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry have begun visiting clinics today as the mechanism comes into effect.
It claimed the officers are...
Summary
Private doctors have accused authorities of betraying their trust by enforcing a new drug price display order despite assurances of a grace period.
The Federation of Private Medical Practitioners’ Associations claims clinics are receiving ultimatums, with threats of legal action if prices aren't displayed.
A private doctors’ group has cried “betrayal” amid reports that authorities have begun enforcing the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering (Price Marking for Drug) Order 2025, despite a supposed grace period.
The Federation of Private Medical Practitioners’ Associations of Malaysia (FPMPAM) said enforcement officers from the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry have begun visiting clinics today as the mechanism comes into effect.
It claimed the officers are issuing three-day ultimatums for clinics to display medicine prices or face legal summons.
This is despite repeated assurances from Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad and Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Armizan Ali that the first three months of the mechanism’s implementation will be a grace period, where inspections will be conducted with an emphasis on advocacy to encourage compliance.
“This confirms our worst fears,” said FPMPAM president Dr Shanmuganathan TV Ganeson in a statement today.
“There is no real grace period, no formal moratorium, and no legal protection for clinics acting in good faith.
“This is not policy reform - it is regulatory betrayal.
“Verbal promises are worthless when officers on the ground act independently and without legal consistency. This is a failure of leadership - and a failure of control,” he added.
He demanded accountability, and for Dzulkefly and Armizan to answer whether they had knowingly misled doctors and the public, or had lost control of their enforcement machinery.
He also demanded an immediate halt to all “punitive inspections” until clear guidelines are given, as well as a written and legally enforceable directive confirming any grace period.
‘It’s about professional survival’
In the meantime, Shanmuganathan said the FPMPAM will begin documentation of the enforcement action and advise clinics on how to protect themselves.
He also reiterated that FPMPAM supports price transparency, but not at the cost of “legal uncertainty, administrative bullying, and public confusion”.
“This is no longer just about pricing. This is about professional survival under arbitrary power,” he said.
Earlier today, the medical news portal CodeBlue quoted a post in a closed Facebook group for Malaysian primary care doctors, from a person who claimed Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry officers had visited his clinic on Labour Day.
“Not bad working on a public holiday. Asking for the medication price and why I did not display it! Gave me a warning. They will be back in three days’ time!
“Saman kalau tak display (they will compound if we don’t display). Don’t play play. Rajin buat kerja gomen kita ya, public holiday pun turun padang (our government is very hardworking, going down to the ground even on a public holiday),” the post reportedly stated.
The report noted that the order was only gazetted yesterday, while an FAQ on displaying drug prices was only uploaded on the Health Ministry’s Pharmacy Services Programme website yesterday at 4.39pm.
This is despite the order coming into effect today.
The Malaysian Medical Association is organising a demonstration against the policy in Putrajaya on May 6.
