Child Act 2001 · Updated to 1 Jul 2023 · Chapter · Temporary Custody and Medical Examination and Treatment
27. Duty of medical officer or medical practitioner
Feedback & supportIf a medical officer or a registered medical practitioner believes on reasonable grounds that a child he is examining or treating is physically or emotionally injured as a result of being ill-treated, neglected, abandoned or exposed, or is sexually abused, he shall immediately inform a Social Welfare Officer.
medical officer
“medical officer” means a registered medical practitioner in the service of the Government and includes a registered medical practitioner in any teaching hospital of a public institution of higher learning, but does not include a registered medical practitioner in any part of the Government hospital or teaching hospital of a public institution of higher learning, which are privatized or corporatized;
Any medical officer or registered medical practitioner who fails to comply with subsection (1) commits an offence and shall on conviction be liable to a fine not exceeding five thousand ringgit or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or to both.
registered medical practitioner
“registered medical practitioner” means a medical practitioner registered under the Medical Act 1971;
If the registered medical practitioner referred to in subsection (1)
is a medical officer, he may take the child referred to in that subsection into temporary custody until such time as the temporary custody of the child is assumed by a Protector or police officer.
Protector
“Protector” means— (a) the Director General; (b) the Deputy Director General; (c) a Divisional Director of Social Welfare, Department of Social Welfare; (d); (e) any Social Welfare Officer appointed under section 8;