KUALA LUMPUR: All medical specialisation training offered in the country by institutions of higher learning, including partnership or twinning programmes with internationally certified bodies, are required to register with the Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE) and undergo the accreditation process.

Malaysian Medical Council (MMC) president Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the matter had been recommended and agreed to at a meeting between the MMC, the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA), the Health Ministry (MOH) and the MoHE on June 15.

The meeting also agreed that foreign qualifications acknowledged by the MMC or Parallel Pathways managed by the MOH do not need to undergo the MQA accreditation process as they were not training programmes offered in the country and the MOH only prepared the facilities for candidates as preparations for their examinations.

"The 407th MMC meeting on June 22 also took note of the matter and agreed with the recommendation of the joint meeting between MMC, MQA, MOH and MoHE.

"As such, the MMC and MQA will ensure the quality of education programmes in the country relating to medical specialisations meet the set standard," he said in a statement today.

He added that through the effort, more higher quality medical specialists can be created to fulfil the need for medical services in the country.

The MMC acknowledged the qualifications of medical specialisations in the country offered by local public and private institutions of higher learning and foreign medical specialisations offered fully in other countries or in partnership with local institutions, for the purpose of specialists' registration in the National Specialist Register (NSR).

-- BERNAMA