KOTA KINABALU: There is nothing to fear about the Pharmacy Bill 2015, said Malaysian Pharmaceutical Society president Datuk Nancy Ho.
The Bill, which has been sealed away under the 1972 Official Secret Act in 2012, seemed to have raised anxiety among Sabah’s medical practitioners earlier this year.
“I think it is fear. That is False Evidence Appearing Real, FEAR. It does make people feel uncomfortable but you don’t have to be. I’m sure the syndication lab(laboratory) will get everything ready,” said Ho after the 28th Sabah State Pharmacy Conference 2015 cum Sabah Pharmaceutical Society 40th Anniversary here yesterday.
Earlier in 2015, Sabah Coalition Doctors Task Force demanded the government to ‘declassify’ or reveal the complete contents of the Bill before 17 coalition of professional bodies would agree to a discussion about it.
“(The Bill is) still in the planning stage and not yet ready to be finalized. I think at this point of time, it will not be very prudent to divulge too much information.
“The bill is still a secret so it will be good not to touch on it. But you will soon know when everything is ready,” explained Ho.
According to Ministry of Health Pharmaceutical Services senior director Dato Eisah A Rahman, the syndication lab organized by Performance Management Delivery Unit (PEMANDU) would be held early in December.
All the stakeholders have been invited. It is (held for) one whole week, I think in Port Dickson,¨ said Eisah.
“Very intensive so (the duration) will be a good time to look at the whole realm because it is going to be a long term bill,” chimed in Ho.
When asked by a press member at the event, Eisah and Ho simultaneously answered ‘No’ to the Bill being tabled in Parliament soon.
That one is just to get, in terms of, policies agreement. (It will) have to (first) go to the AG (Attorney General) Chambers for a review,” said Eisah.
Eisah and Ho also affirmed that no timeline has been set for the tabling of the Bill in Parliament.
“Oh no idea. So many other bills in the queue,” said Eisah.
“Other priority bills will have to be tabled so we do not know,” Ho chimed in.
The two-day conference, themed Harmonizing Diversity Amongst Pharmacists through Leadership and Partnership, were attended by participants from the public and private sectors.