SIBU: SUPP education bureau chief Datuk Ding Kuong Hiing will continue to look for evidence which can confirm that the Health Ministry (MOH) has fully recognised the seven dental schools in Taiwan in 1996.
Ding, along with his fellow education bureau member Wong Ching Yong, Federation of Alumni Associations of Taiwan Universities Malaysia (Faatum) deputy president Ang Boon Chin, past presidents Javet Tay and Ngeow Yiing Yi, MMC senior council member Dr Milton Lum and senior counsel Datuk Wong Rhen Yan recently met former Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai in Kuala Lumpur on Monday.
Liow confirmed that the seven dental schools in Taiwan were fully recognised in 1996 and that he had personally helped to solve technical problems related to the recognition in 2012 when he was still the Health Minister.
He added that the dental schools were fully recognised in 1996 when Datuk Chua Jui Ming was the Health Minister.
“In 2016, the Malaysian Dental Council (MDC) and the MOH had requested dental graduates from the seven Taiwan universities to attend a one year course in USM and pass a qualifying examination if they wished to register with the council.
“It is unfair because the request came without prior notice.”
The meeting also resolved to appoint Datuk Wong Rhen Yen as legal advisor.
Since July 17, 2019, the education bureau and Faatum have successfully found three important witnesses who were instrumental about the full recognition in 1996.
They are Javet Tay, Datuk Chua Jui Ming and the then Health Director-General Tan Sri Abu Bakar Suleiman.
All three confirmed that in 1996, the seven dental schools in Taiwan were fully recognised after completing accreditation exercises and visitations.
The education bureau and Faatum are now planning to meet Dr Subramaniam, the Health Minister in 2016, to ascertain what had transpired then.
