SIBU: The removal of all Taiwanese dental schools by the Malaysian Dental Council (MDC) from Schedule 2 of the Dental Act 2018 has not only left those who have just graduated but also existing students in a lurch.
SUPP Education Bureau chairman Ding Kuong Hiing said at a press conference here yesterday that it was unfair to graduates from Taiwan as “due to this non-recognition, they can neither intern at government hospitals nor commence private practice thereafter”.
The seven institutions affected are Taiwan University School of Medicine, National Defense School of Medicine, Yangming University School of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, China Medical University, Zhongshan Medical University and Kaohsiung Medical University.
“We are very angry with the MDC for taking this drastic action. The seven schools were originally recognised in 1996 as per Schedule 2 of the Dental Act 1971,” Ding said.
Dudong SUPP chief Wong Ching Yong said the matter came to light last week when dentists who graduated from Taiwan and their parents complained to the party’s education bureau.
“The SUPP Education Bureau immediately conducted an investigation after receiving complaints, and discovered that in the second schedule of the Dental Act 2018, all seven dental schools recognised by the MDC since 1996 were removed without prior warning from schedule.”
He added that the bureau was shocked with this development considering that since 1996, the medical and dental degrees had been recognised by the Malaysian Medical Council and the MDC, and many Taiwan graduates had returned to Malaysia to work without a hitch.
“The Education Bureau is of the view that the secret removal by the MDC of the seven dental schools from the schedule is completely unreasonable and unjust.
“The procedure to remove these dental schools was opaque and against human rights as no prior warning or notice was given to the students or graduates from Taiwan,” said Wong.
He said such an act had put the graduates and students in a limbo and caused much frustration and stress.
“Their parents are also anxious, and it is a serious violation of the policy of TalentCorp Malaysia, which aims to bring back Malaysians working abroad under the returning expert programme.”
Wong said this was not the first time that the MDC had tried to remove the seven schools quietly from the schedule.
“In 2012, when the proposed Malaysian Dental Act 2013 was presented to Parliament for debate, the MDC attempted to remove the seven schools from the second schedule of the proposed Act.
“Fortunately, the United Malaysian-Taiwanese Alumnus Association referred the attempt to the then Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai.
“After the dialogue on Oct 4, 2012, the MDC immediately promised to put back the seven schools to the schedule of the proposed Act,” Wong explained.
A dentistry course in Taiwan costs RM20,000 a year but with scholarship from the Taiwanese government, students only need to pay RM10,000 a year.
