KUALA LUMPUR, August 4 — Authorities have reportedly visited general practitioner (GP) clinics in connection with drug price display, despite the High Court staying its enforcement, a doctors’ group complained today.
The Private Medical Practitioners’ Association of Selangor and Kuala Lumpur (PMPASKL) stressed that the High Court’s stay order on enforcement of the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering (Price Marking for Drug) Order 2025, which was granted last May, remained in force pending disposal of ongoing judicial review proceedings.
“Practitioners are encouraged to rely only on official court directions, communications from the relevant authorities and verified updates issued by recognised professional bodies,” said PMPASKL president Dr Carollyn Kek Chee Yen in a statement.
She added that GPs should request for authority cards (“kad kuasa”) from people claiming to be enforcement officers during visits to their facilities, besides requesting written particulars regarding the purpose of the visit, and logging visits in real time and retaining copies of all inspected documents.
Dr Kek also advised PMPASKL members to come forward to the association if they were issued a summons by genuine officers over price display.
When asked if PMPASKL, which is a party in the judicial review, would file for contempt of court in such instances, Dr Kek told CodeBlue that the association reserved the right to exercise its legal options.
The drug price display order was gazetted by the domestic trade and cost of living minister under the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011 (Act 723).
Pharmacy officers under the Ministry of Health (MOH) were delegated authority as assistant price controllers to enforce the price display order that has now been stayed by the court.
A stay order means that price display cannot legally be enforced at all, be it inspections or summonses.
