PETALING JAYA, Aug 20 — The DAP today called for the one-stop centre for foreign students, Education Malaysia Global Services (EMGS), to be abolished to stop its monopoly of medical packages.

Serdang MP Ong Kian Ming (picture) told reporters that the company was supposed to streamline the intake of foreign students studying in Malaysia but has instead abused its position.

“Along the way, EMGS has abused its position by forcing international students to, firstly, choose only among EMGS-approved panel of clinics whereby they perform their mandatory health screening at the cost of RM250.

“Secondly, to buy mandatory medical insurance from just one EMGS-approved insurance agent, which is AXA-Affin,” he said at the Selangor DAP headquarters here.

Insurance agent Pee Che Yong told reporters that at least 200 insurance agents are affected by EMGS’s appointment of AXA-Affin as its sole insurance company.

“We, the affected insurance agents are strongly against the exclusive tie-up between AXA-Affin General Insurance Berhad and the government-linked company, Education Malaysia Global Services.

“Since the implementation of this exclusive tie-up from February 2013, all insurance agents [have lost] their businesses [with immediate effect].

“We want the Ministry of Education to ensure the market is open and free to all insurance agents with immediate effect,” Pee said.

He said he had already lodged a complaint with the Malaysian Competition Commission (MyCC) but has yet to get a response.

Last month, Deputy Education and Higher Learning Minister II P. Kamalanathan said his ministry will reassess the role played by EMGS as it is fully aware of the problems faced by foreign students and private institutions.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam, meanwhile, criticised the alleged monopoly awarded to Qualitas Medical Group Sdn Bhd to conduct health screenings for foreign students.

Today, Ong revealed that the major shareholder of Qualitas is Dr Noorul Ameen Mohd Ishak who was formerly in the civil service.

The Serdang MP said that 86 percent of the 62 approved clinics from which the foreign students have to select from to go through a compulsory health screening, belongs to Qualitas.

“My suggestion  is for the competition commission to have EMGS to be abolished with immediate effect or even if it is not abolished, they cannot insist on restricting the number of clinics where students can go to do their medical check up and they should open up once again the market for medical insurance,” he said.

The Malaysian Association of Private Colleges and Universities (Mampu) and 53 of its members have filed a judicial review against the Registrar General of Private Higher Educational Institutions and the Minister of Education as a result of the conditions imposed upon them via EMGS.

The judicial review will be heard on August 22, 2013.