KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 3 — The Malaysian Medical Council (MMC) has apologised for delays in processing and issuing the 2026 Annual Practising Certificate (APC), attributing the situation to a sharp surge in applications received towards the end of last year.
In a statement today, MMC said many of the applications were submitted close to the December 31 deadline, with some involving supporting documents that were received late, contributing to the processing backlog.
“The MMC apologises for the delay in the processing and issuance of the 2026 Annual Practising Certificate following a sharp increase in applications received towards the end of 2025,” it said.
To address concerns among practitioners, the council said it had agreed that no action would be taken against doctors who had complied with the application requirements.
“Any medical practitioner who has submitted an application, made payment and complied with the requirements on or before December 31, 2025 is allowed to practise without action being taken until the 2026 Annual Practising Certificate is issued,” the statement said.
The MMC added that this applies provided the practitioner is not subject to any restriction, suspension or prohibition from practising under any provision of the Medical Act.
It said that for complete applications submitted by the deadline, the APC would take effect from January 1, 2026, or from the date of professional indemnity coverage, and would not depend on the date of approval or when the certificate is issued.
The council said it appreciated the patience and cooperation of medical practitioners, stressing that the measures were intended to ensure continuity of healthcare services to the public.
It also said steps would be taken to improve its processes to prevent similar delays in future application cycles.
