KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 14 — The Health Ministry said it was acting against beauty centres for providing invasive medical treatments listed under the 2020 Aesthetic Medical Practice guideline.
The ministry said the action included prosecuting these for offering unlicensed and unregistered healthcare facilities.
“Action is taken under Section 5 of the Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Act 1998.
“As of now, at least 17 cases of such kind have been charged in court,” it said in a statement yesterday.
Under the provision, individuals face a fine of not more than RM300,000 or to imprisonment not exceeding six years or both upon conviction. For bodies corporate, a fine not exceeding RM500,000 may be imposed.
On November 4 last year, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dzulkefly Ahmad said that 306 complaints were received in 2023 from the public after undergoing aesthetic procedures from unregistered premises and 46 complaints were received in 2024 up until September that year.
In November, Malay Mail reported a senior official at the Health Ministry as suggesting that beauticians can be charged under Section 33 of the Medical Act 1971 which prohibits unqualified persons from practising medicine with a fine of not exceeding RM2,000 for first offences.
The ministry, however, has not utilised Section 33 of the Medical Act to act against errant aesthetic centres.
The health minister previously said no beauty centre in the country has been authorised to provide surgical or invasive aesthetic procedures, which may only be done by certified doctors.
