KUCHING: The traditional medicinal practice and customs of the Dayaks are at risk of getting into trouble if the Traditional and Complementary Medicine (TCM) Act 2013 is to be fully implemented this year.
Prof Dr Razali Bolhi, who claimed to be an indigenous medicine practitioner, said the new legislation seemed to have excluded the traditional medicinal heritage of the Dayaks, the natives of Sabah, and the Orang Asli in the peninsula.
As such, he was worried the practitioners, including the ‘manang’ (shaman), could be committing an offence under TCM Act 2013 because their practice is not registered and certified under this new act.
“So far, there are six main fields of practice identified by the Ministry of Health, namely Malay traditional medicine, Indian traditional medicine, Chinese traditional medicine, Islamic medicine, homeopathy and complementary therapy that are registered with the Malaysian Traditional and Complementary Medicine Council.
“But what about the traditional medicinal practitioners from the Dayaks and other Orang Asal (natives) such as Kadazan Dusun and Orang Asli? If they are not included, it seems their practice is an offence under this new act.”
He was commenting on the announcement made by Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S Subramaniam that TCM Act 2013 was expected to be fully enforced this year.
Razali explained that the fine of RM30,000 and/ or 2 years jail for the first offence and RM50,000 fine and/ or 3 years jail for second offence under this act was too heavy for Dayak traditional medicinal practitioners if they were deemed to have committed an offence.
As such, he called on the Health Ministry to clarify the matter and give serious attention to the plight of native traditional medicinal practitioners.
“In New Zealand, the traditional medicinal practise of the Maoris was empowered by the country’s health sector until they come up with Standards for Traditional Healing since 1999. But the case is different in Malaysia as there have been no efforts to empower the traditional medicinal practise of the Orang Asal.
“In Sarawak’s context, this could mean a bleak future for the practice of the 50 Dayak sub ethnic groups.”
Subramaniam recently said the new act was to be enforced in the best interests of patients and also to ensure quality service. Describing the new act as a move to create a recognised and systematic service, Subramaniam also said it was critical as right now the Health Ministry had no authority over alternative medicine practitioners.
“With this Act, we can ensure that only qualified, recognised and accredited practitioners are allowed to offer such practices,” he was quoted as saying in a news report.
Gazetted in February 2013, the TCM Act would also make it mandatory for all traditional and complementary medicine practitioners to register themselves with the Malaysian Traditional and Complementary Medicine Council.