Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii
KUCHING (Dec 3): The federal government should reconsider its decision to impose sales and service tax (SST) on physiotherapy, and traditional and complementary medicine (TCM) treatments, said Dr Kelvin Yii.
The Bandar Kuching MP said this is in view of implementation of the new 8 per cent SST effective March 2024, which may result in a significant increase in prices for these treatments.
“I believe healthcare should be seen as an ‘integrated holistic ecosystem’, where there is a symbiosis or integration of modern medicine and TCM with proper control and supervision for wellness of a patient.
“This is a common and widespread evidence-based trend worldwide, and thus should be treated similarly and also be exempted from said taxes,” the national DAP Socialist Youth (Dapsy) chief said in a statement.
On top of that, Dr Yii, who is the special advisor to the Ministry of Health, said traditional Chinese medicine is one of the branches of services that have been incorporated and regulated by the Ministry of Health through the Traditional and Complementary Medicine Act 2016 as well as the National Traditional and Complementary Medicine Policy.
“In addition, based on the National Health and Morbidity Survey 2015, it shows that TCM plays an important role in the health care of Malaysians as it shows that almost 30 per cent of the Malaysian population uses such services for their overall wellness.
“That is why I welcome the move by Deputy Finance Minister Lim Hui Ying to engage with the industry, Customs Department and the Ministry of Finance’s tax division to find a solution to this as it will affect close to 7,000 local practitioners,” he said.
He believed that exemptions must be given to any facility managed by any practitioner registered under the Allied Health Professions Act 2016 [Act 774] and the Traditional and Complementary Medicine Act 2016 [Act 775] for the purpose of healthcare.