# Traditional and Complementary Medicine: Regulation of TCM, Malay Medicine and Ayurveda

> Since 1 March 2025, all traditional and complementary medicine practitioners in the seven recognised practice areas are required to register with the T&CM Council under Act 775, or face fines and imprisonment.

- Category: healthcare
- Language: en
- Status: published
- Updated: 2026-08-01
- Canonical: https://negaraku.md/en/healthcare/traditional-and-complementary-medicine

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Since 1 March 2025, traditional masseurs, Chinese medicine practitioners, homeopaths and chiropractors in Malaysia can no longer open their clinic doors without a single piece of paper — a registration certificate. The era of "practising in the name of experience" is over.

## What law governs traditional medicine?

All traditional and complementary medicine (T&CM) in Malaysia is regulated under the **Traditional and Complementary Medicine Act 2016 (Act 775)**. The Act establishes the **Traditional and Complementary Medicine Council (T&CM Council)** — a statutory body that registers practitioners, sets professional standards and handles consumer complaints.

The purpose is simple: to ensure T&CM services are safe and of good quality, and to make sure consumers are treated by people who are genuinely qualified, not by frauds.

## Which practice areas are recognised?

Not every traditional practice is included. Act 775 recognises **seven practice areas**:

| Recognised practice area |
|---|
| Malay Traditional Medicine |
| Chinese Traditional Medicine (TCM) |
| Indian Traditional Medicine (including Ayurveda) |
| Homeopathy |
| Chiropractic |
| Osteopathy |
| Islamic Medical Practice |

Only practitioners in these seven areas can — and must — register. Practising in an area that is not recognised is also an offence.

## Who needs to register, and when?

Registration with the T&CM Council is **mandatory**, not optional. The T&CM Regulations came into force on 1 March 2021, with a four-year transition period that ended on **28 February 2025**.

Starting **1 March 2025**, any individual found practising in a recognised area without registration can be subject to legal action. Clinics still awaiting approval are permitted to operate if they can show proof of payment of the registration fee to enforcement officers.

## What is the penalty for practising without registration?

The penalties under Act 775 are real:

- **First offence:** a fine not exceeding **RM30,000** or imprisonment not exceeding **2 years**, or both.
- **Subsequent offence:** a fine not exceeding **RM50,000** or imprisonment not exceeding **3 years**, or both.
- **Practising without a valid practising certificate:** a fine of up to **RM10,000** or imprisonment of up to **3 months**, or both.

Providing false information when applying for registration also carries equally severe penalties.

## How many have already registered?

As of January 2025, the Ministry of Health had received 18,802 applications, with 14,312 local practitioners registered. The breakdown:

- Chinese Traditional Medicine: 7,097
- Malay Traditional Medicine: 4,541
- Islamic Medical Practice: 1,445
- Homeopathy: 469
- Chiropractic: 446
- Indian Traditional Medicine: 310
- Osteopathy: 4

## What's next

If you are a practitioner, check whether your field falls within the seven recognised practice areas, then apply for registration through the T&CM Council, Traditional and Complementary Medicine Division, Ministry of Health Malaysia. If you are a consumer, ask to see the practitioner's registration certificate before receiving treatment — it is now the mark of a legally legitimate practitioner.

## Sources

- Healing hands need legal papers — https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2025/03/01/healing-hands-need-legal-papers (The Star)
- Unregistered traditional medicine practitioners to face fines, jail from tomorrow, says MOH — https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2025/02/28/unregistered-traditional-medicine-practitioners-to-face-fines-jail-from-tomorrow-says-moh/168277 (Malay Mail)
- Registration of Traditional and Complementary Medicine Practitioners — https://www.thoopartners.com/registration-of-traditional-and-complementary-medicine-practitioners/ (Thoo & Partners)

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