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LAWS OF MALAYSIA
REPRINT

Act 436

MIDWIVES ACT 1966

Incorporating all amendments up to 1 January 2006

PUBLISHED BY
THE COMMISSIONER OF LAW REVISION, MALAYSIA
UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE REVISION OF LAWS ACT 1968
IN COLLABORATION WITH
PERCETAKAN NASIONAL MALAYSIA BHD
2006

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2 Laws of Malaysia ACT 436
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MIDWIVES ACT 1966

First enacted … … … … … … 1966 (Act No. 54 of

1966)

Revised ... … … … … … … 1990 (Act 436 w.e.f.

31 March 1990)

PREVIOUS REPRINT

First Reprint … … … … …2001

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LAWS OF MALAYSIA

Act 436

MIDWIVES ACT 1966

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

PART I

PRELIMINARY

Section

1. Short title and application

2. Interpretation

PART II

MIDWIVES BOARD

3. Establishment and composition of the Midwives Board

4. Quorum and voting

PART III

POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE BOARD

5. Powers and duties

6. Appeal against removal of names from the Register
7. Appointment of Committees
8. Directions to midwives and investigations

PART IV

REGISTRATION OF MIDWIVES

9. Registrar
10. Register
11. Qualifications for registrationAdam Haida & Co
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Section

12. Applications and refusal to register

13. Change of name and address

PART IVA

DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS

13A. Disciplinary jurisdiction of the Board

13B. Disciplinary punishments
13C. Appeal against orders of the Board
13D. Surrender of certificate, annual practising certificate and badge
13E. Restoration of name to the Register

PART V

OFFENCES

14. Practising midwifery without registration

14A. Exemption from section 14
15. General penalty

PART VI

GENERAL

16. Intention to practise midwifery

17. Registrar may require person to be examined
18. Cases of emergency
19. Powers and duties of Director General
19A. Appointment and powers of authorized officers
20. Regulations
21. Repeal
21A. Saving

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LAWS OF MALAYSIA

Act 436

MIDWIVES ACT 1966

An Act relating to the registration of midwives and the conduct

of midwifery and other matters connected therewith.

[Peninsular Malaysia—1 August 1968, P.U. 283/1968;

Sabah and Sarawak—15 January 1990, P.U. (B) 33/1990]

BE IT ENACTED by the Seri Paduka Baginda Yang di-Pertuan

Agong with the advice and consent of the Dewan Negara and
Dewan Rakyat in Parliament assembled, and by the authority of
the same as follows:

PART I

PRELIMINARY

Short title and application

1. (1) This Act may be cited as the Midwives Act 1966, and
shall apply throughout Malaysia.

(2) (Omitted).

Interpretation

2. In this Act—

“authorized officer” means an officer authorized under subsection

19A(1);

“community nurse” means a person who holds a certificate

certifying that such person has undergone a course of training for
community nurses and passed the examination conducted by the
Board;

“Director General” means the Director General of Health, Malaysia;

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“emergency” means a sudden unforeseen event occurring during
the course of pregnancy, childbirth, and puerperium needing prompt
intervention to save the life of the mother or child;

“midwife” means a person who for a fee, salary or other reward

or compensation, performs services requiring an understanding of
the principles and applications of procedures and techniques for
the care of normal child-bearing women from the beginning of
pregnancy until the end of puerperium and the care of their normal
infants during the neonatal period but shall not include students
in midwifery schools or training institutions who perform midwifery
services under the supervision of their instructors;

“nurse” means a person registered as a nurse in accordance with

any written law relating to the registration of nurses for the sick;

“Register” means the Register of Midwives maintained by the

Registrar of Midwives in accordance with this Act;

“registered medical practitioner” means a medical practitioner

registered under the Medical Act 1971 [Act 50];

“rural health nurse” means a person who holds a certificate

certifying that such person has undergone a course of training for
rural health nurses and passed the examination conducted by the
Board;

“rural nurse” means a person who holds a certificate certifying

that such person has undergone a course of training for rural
nurses and passed the examination conducted by the Board.

PART II

MIDWIVES BOARD

Establishment and composition of the Midwives Board

3. (1) There shall be established a Midwives Board (hereinafter

referred to as “the Board”) which shall consist of the following
members:
(i) the Director General, who shall be the Chairman;
(ii) the Principal Matron, Ministry of Health, who shall be
the Secretary;
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(iii) the Assistant Principal Matron (Health);
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(iv) the Assistant Principal Matron (Training);
(v) four midwifery tutors to be appointed by the Minister
representing the following:
(a) tutor of training of nurse student midwives;
(b) tutor of training of student midwives;
(c) tutor of training of rural nurses; and
(d) tutor of training of either community nurses or
rural health nurses;

(vi) three nurses to be appointed by the Minister representing

the following:
(a) State Matrons;
(b) Health Matrons; and
(c) maternity hospitals or units;

(vii) two midwives to be appointed by the Minister representing

the following:
(a) midwives registered under Part II of the Register;
and
(b) midwives registered under Part III of the Register;

(viii) two medical practitioners in the public service to be

appointed by the Minister representing the following:
(a) State Directors of Medical and Health Services;
and
(b) Obstetricians; and

(ix) two registered medical practitioners to be appointed by

the Minister representing the following:
(a) Malaysian Medical Council; and
(b) Malaysian Medical Association.

(2) A member of the Board shall, unless his appointment is

sooner resigned or revoked, hold office for three years, and shall
be eligible for reappointment.

(3) If the office of any member of the Board is vacated, an

appointment in respect of that officer for the unexpired period
shall be made in like manner as Adam
the appointment in respect of that
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Quorum and voting

4. (1) At any meeting of the Board seven members shall form a

quorum.

(2) If on any question to be determined by the Board there is

an equality of votes, the Chairman or any other member presiding
as Chairman shall have a casting vote.

(3) Subject to the foregoing provisions the Board shall determine

its own procedure.

PART III

POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE BOARD

Powers and duties

5. (1) The Board shall have power to—

(a) approve institutions as Training Schools to provide training
for the purpose of any examination qualifying for
registration under this Act;
(b) regulate the course of training, conduct of examinations,
issue of diplomas, certificates, badges and type of uniform;
(c) determine the qualifications of lecturers and teachers;
(d) regulate the practice of midwifery and conduct of midwives;
(e) prescribe the procedure to be followed in relation to
investigations and enquiries into complaints relating to
the conduct of midwives;
(f) prescribe any fees payable; and
(g) prescribe anything which may be prescribed under this
Act.

(2) Without prejudice to any of the foregoing provisions as to

the powers of the Board, the Board may direct the removal from
the Register of the name of any person who—
(a) is deceased; or
(b) is of unsound mind or by reason of some other infirmity
is, in the opinion of the Board, not a fit person to remain
on the Register; or Adam Haida & Co
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(c) has not supplied the Board an address at which he or she
can be found.

(3) The Board shall, after removing the name of any person
from the Register under this Part publish a notification to that
effect in the Gazette and shall cancel the registration of such
person under this Act; and such person shall, upon being required
so to do, deliver to the Registrar his or her certificate of registration.

(4) For the purpose of paragraph (2)(c), it shall be lawful for

the Board to direct the removal from the Register of the name of
any person on the Register who has failed to supply to the Board
his or her new address or to reply to the Board within three months
of the date of despatch of a registered letter from the Board addressed
to such person at his or her last known address with respect of such
enquiry.

Appeal against removal of names from the Register

6. (1) Any person aggrieved by the removal of his or her name

from the Register under subsection 5(2) may, within three months
of publication of such notice in the Gazette, appeal in writing to
the Minister against such removal.

(1 A ) The Minister may, in considering an appeal under

subsection (1), affirm, reverse or vary the decision appealed against.

(2) The decision of the Minister with regard to any appeal

under this section shall be final.

(3) Any person whose name has been removed from the Register
pursuant to subsection 5(2) shall, if his appeal is allowed, forthwith
be reinstated and issued with a fresh certificate of registration by
the Board; and the fact of such reinstatement shall be published
in the Gazette within thirty days of the reinstatement.

Appointment of Committees

7. (1) The Board shall have power to appoint Committees to

assist in carrying out the provisions of this Act.

(2) The Board shall have power to co-opt members as it deems

necessary.
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Directions to midwives and investigations

8. (1) The Board may, from time to time, issue directions, in

writing, not being inconsistent with any of the provisions of this
Act or any regulations thereunder, relating to the conduct and
practice of midwifery.

(2) The Board may appoint any person to investigate into any
allegation made against any midwife of non-compliance with any
direction issued under this section.

PART IV

REGISTRATION OF MIDWIVES

Registrar

9. For the purposes of this Act there shall be a Registrar of

Midwives (hereinafter referred to as “the Registrar”), and the Principal
Matron, Ministry of Health shall be the Registrar.

Register

10. (1) The Registrar shall maintain a Register containing the

names, addresses and qualifications of persons eligible to practise
as midwives, and such other particulars as the Registrar may require.

(2) The Register shall consist of four parts, that is to say—

(a) Part I, containing the names, addresses, qualifications
and other particulars of any nurse possessing the
qualifications specified in subsection 11(1);
(b) Part II, containing the names, addresses, qualifications
and other particulars of any person possessing the
qualifications mentioned in subsection 11(2);
(c) Part III, containing the names, addresses, qualifications
and other particulars of any person specified in subsection
11(3); and
(d) Part IV, containing the names, addresses, qualifications
and other particulars of any person possessing the
qualifications specified in subsection 11(4).

(3) The Registrar shall after entering the name of any person
in the Register issue to such person a certificate of registration;
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(4) A certificate under the hand of the Registrar stating that a
person is or is not registered under this Act, and if registered, in
what part of the Register the person is so registered, shall be
conclusive evidence of the fact stated therein; and for that purpose
any certificate purported to be under the hand of the Registrar
aforesaid shall, unless the contrary is proved, be deemed to have
been signed by the Registrar.

Qualifications for registration

11. (1) The following persons shall be eligible to practise as

midwives under Part I of the Register, that is to say—
(a) any nurse who has been trained in the States of Malaya
before the commencement of this Act and who—
(i) possesses a certificate issued under any written
law relating to midwives, stating that such nurse
was under that law qualified to practise midwifery
and continued to be so qualified immediately before
the commencement of this Act; or
(ii) possesses on the date of the commencement of
this Act a diploma certifying that such nurse has
undergone a course of training and passed the
examinations prescribed by the Ministry of Health;
or
(iii) is eligible to practise midwifery by reason that
such nurse is entitled to the certificate or diploma
aforementioned;
(b) any nurse or person who has passed the examination
prescribed by the Board as the examination qualifying
any successful examinee to be registered under Part I of
the Register; and
(c) any nurse or person who possesses the qualifications
acceptable to the Board or a certificate to practise midwifery
issued by such body as the Board may recognize.

(2) The following persons shall be eligible to practise as midwives

under Part II of the Register, that is to say:
(a) any person who immediately before the commencement
of this Act was authorized to practise midwifery in any
State by reason that the name of such person was contained
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the State;
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(b) any person untrained in the practice of midwifery, who
within four years of the commencement of this Act, satisfies
the Registrar that such person has during the period of
two years immediately preceding application for registration
under Part II of the Register, attended to women during
childbirth;
(c) any person who has passed any examination prescribed
by the Board as an examination qualifying any successful
examinee to be registered under Part II of the Register;
and
(d) any person who possesses the qualifications acceptable
to the Board or a certificate to practise midwifery issued
by such body as the Board may recognize.

(3) Any rural nurse, community nurse and rural health nurse
shall be eligible to practise as midwives under Part III of the
Register.

(4) Any person who, within ten years of the commencement of

this subsection, satisfies the Registrar that he or she has, during
the period of two years immediately preceding application for
registration under Part IV of the Register, attended to women in
childbirth according to purely Malay, Chinese, Indian or other
native methods under the supervision of any person registered
under Part I, II or III of the Register, and is a fit and proper person
to practise as midwives, shall be eligible to practise as midwives
under Part IV of the Register.

Applications and refusal to register

12. (1) Any person wishing to be registered under this Act may
apply to the Board in that behalf in the manner prescribed; and the
Registrar may in any case refuse to register his or her name in the
Register.

(2) A person aggrieved by the refusal of the Registrar to register

his or her name may appeal to the Minister against such refusal;
and the decision of the Minister thereon shall be final.

Change of name and address

13. Every registered midwife shall notify the Registrar of any

change of name or address within 14 days of such change.
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PART IVA

DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS

Disciplinary jurisdiction of the Board

13A. (1) The Board shall have disciplinary jurisdiction over all
persons registered under this Act.

(2) The Board may exercise disciplinary jurisdiction over any

registered person who—
(a) has been convicted of an offence in Malaysia or elsewhere;
(b) is, in the opinion of the Board, guilty of improper conduct
or gross negligence;
(c) has obtained registration by fraud or misrepresentation;
(d) was not at the time of registration entitled to be registered;
or
(e) is or has been certified to be a drug dependant by a
government medical officer or a registered medical
practitioner under the Drug Dependants (Treatment and
Rehabilitation) Act 1983 [Act 283].

Disciplinary punishments

13B. The Board may, in the exercise of its disciplinary jurisdiction,

impose any of the following punishments:
(a) order the name of such registered person to be removed
from the Register;
(b) order the name of such registered person to be suspended
from the Register for such period as it may think fit;
(c) order the registered person to be reprimanded; or
(d) make any of the above orders but suspend its application,
subject to such conditions as the Board may think fit, for
a period, or periods in the aggregate, not exceeding two
years.

Appeal against orders of the Board

13C. (1) Any person aggrieved by any order made against him by
the Board in the exercise of its disciplinary jurisdiction may,
within one month from the date Adam Haida &ofCo
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(2) The Minister may, in considering an appeal under
subsection (1), affirm, reverse or vary the order appealed against.

(3) The decision of the Minister under this section shall be

final.

Surrender of certificate, annual practising certificate and badge

13D. Any person whose name has been removed or suspended

from the Register under section 13 B shall, within fourteen days
after notification to such person by registered post of the removal
or suspension, surrender to the Board the certificate of registration,
annual practising certificate and badge issued to such person under
this Act or any regulations made thereunder.

Restoration of name to the Register

13E. (1) No person whose name has been removed from the Register
under paragraph 13B(a) shall thereafter be entitled to be registered
as a midwife under this Act, but the Board may, if it thinks fit in
any case to do so, on the application of the person concerned,
order that the name of such person be restored to the Register; and
where the name of a person has been suspended from the Register
under paragraph (b) of that section such person shall be entitled
at the expiration of such period, but not earlier, to apply for the
certificate of registration and the annual practising certificate (if
the period for which it is issued is still unexpired) to be returned
to him.

(2) An application under subsection (1) shall be made in such

manner or form and accompanied by such documents, photographs,
particulars and fees as may be prescribed.

PART V

OFFENCES

Practising midwifery without registration

14. (1) Any person who, not being a midwife registered under
this Act, practises midwifery, shall be guilty of an offence and
shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding two thousand
ringgit or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding one year or
to both. Adam Haida & Co
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(2) (Deleted by Act A724).

Exemption from section 14

14A. Subsection 14(1) shall not, until the expiry of ten years
from the date of coming into force of this section, apply in the case
of a person who, with the view of obtaining the required experience
in order to be entitled to be registered under Part IV of the Register,
attends to women in childbirth under the supervision of a midwife
registered under Part I, Part II or Part III of the Register.

General penalty

15. If any person without lawful authority or excuse (proof whereof

shall be on him) contravenes any of the provisions of this Act or
of any regulations made thereunder for which no other penalty is
provided, or does or omits to do anything which under such provisions
he ought not to do or omit to do, he shall be liable to a fine not
exceeding two thousand ringgit or to imprisonment for a period
not exceeding one year or to both.

PART VI

GENERAL

Intention to practise midwifery

16. Every person registered under this Act, except those in the
government service, intending to practise midwifery shall before
so practising and thereafter on 1 January every year, in the prescribed
form, inform the Registrar of such intention.

Registrar may require person to be examined

17. The Registrar may require any person applying for registration
under this Act to prove his or her competency in midwifery by
taking any examination prescribed and conducted by the Board.

Cases of emergency

18. In the case of an emergency a midwife shall call to his or

her assistance a registered medical practitioner or advise that the
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Provided that any fees so incurred shall be payable in the same
manner as if the emergency services had been engaged by the
patient herself.

Powers and duties of Director General

19. (1) The Director General shall exercise general supervision

over all midwives in accordance with the regulations made under
this Act.

(2) The Director General may in writing delegate his power

under this section to any person or persons as he may deem fit.

(3) The Director General may temporarily suspend any midwife

from practising midwifery if he is of the opinion that such suspension
is necessary to prevent the spread of infection.

Appointment and powers of authorized officers

19A. (1) The Director General may authorize in writing any public
officer to exercise the powers of an authorized officer under this
Act.

(2) An authorized officer shall have the power to do at any

reasonable time any of the following things, that is to say—
(a) to investigate the commission of any offence under this
Act or any regulations made thereunder;
(b) to investigate charges of malpractices, negligence or
misconduct on the part of any midwives practising in any
area and to submit a written report of such investigations
to the Board;
(c) to enter, search and examine any premises in which such
officer has reasonable ground to believe that an offence
under this Act or any regulations made thereunder has
been or is being committed and to inspect, remove and
detain any substance, book, document, equipment,
instrument, material or any other article found therein
which in the opinion of such officer may furnish evidence
of the commission of an offence under this Act or any
regulations made thereunder.
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(3) In exercising any of the powers under this section, the
authorized officer shall on demand produce to the person against
whom he is acting the authorization given to him by the Director
General.

(4) An authorized officer making an investigation under

subsection (2) may examine orally any person supposed to be
acquainted with the facts and circumstances of the case.

(5) Such person shall be bound to answer all questions relating

to the case put to him by such officer—

Provided that such person may refuse to answer any question

if such officer fails or refuses on demand to produce to him the
authorization given by the Director General to the officer under
subsection (1) and that such person may refuse to answer any
question the answer to which would have a tendency to expose him
to a criminal charge or penalty.

(6) A person making a statement under this section shall be

legally bound to state the truth whether or not such statement is
made wholly or partly in answer to questions.

(7) An authorized officer examining a person under

subsection (4) shall first inform that person of subsections (5)
and (6).

(8) A statement made by any person under this section shall,

whenever possible, be reduced into writing and, after it has been
read to the person in the language in which he made it and he has
been given an opportunity to make any corrections he may wish,
shall be signed by him or affixed with his thumbprint.

(9) Any owner, occupier or person in charge of any premises

entered by an authorized officer pursuant to paragraph (2)(c), or
any person found therein, who does not give to the authorized
officer all reasonable assistance in his power or furnish him with
all information as he may reasonably require, shall be guilty of an
offence and shall be liable, on conviction, to a fine not exceeding
two thousand ringgit or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding
one year or to both.

(10) Any person who obstructs or impedes any authorized officer

in the exercise of his power under this section shall be guilty of
an offence and shall be liable, on conviction, to a fine not exceeding
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(11) Any authorized officer may appear in court and conduct
any prosecution in respect of any offence against this Act.

Regulations

20. The Minister may make regulations for the purpose of carrying
out the provisions of this Act.

Repeal

21. (1) The Midwives Ordinance 1954 [Ord. 22 of 1954], is hereby

repealed.

(2) The Midwives Ordinance of Sabah [Sabah Cap. 78] and the
Midwives Ordinance of Sarawak [Sarawak Cap. 113] are repealed.

Saving

21 A . Upon the repeal of the Ordinances specified in

subsection 21(2) the names of midwives or other persons kept
under the repealed Ordinances shall be transferred to and entered
(and until that has been done, shall be deemed to have been transferred
to and entered) in such Part of the Register as the Board considers
to be appropriate.

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LAWS OF MALAYSIA

Act 436

MIDWIVES ACT 1966

LIST OF AMENDMENTS

Amending law Short title In force from

P.U. (A) 65/1971 Emergency (Essential Powers) 18-02-1971

Ordinance No. 80/1971

Act A109 Midwives (Amendment) Act 1972 04-04-1972

Act A724 Midwives (Amendment and 15-01-1990

Extension) Act 1989

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LAWS OF MALAYSIA

Act 436

MIDWIVES ACT 1966

LIST OF SECTIONS AMENDED

Section Amending authority In force from

1 Act A724 15-01-1990

2 Act A724 15-01-1990

3 Act A109 04-04-1972

Act A724 15-01-1990

5 Act A724 15-01-1990

6 Act A724 15-01-1990

9 Act A109 04-04-1972

Act A724 15-01-1990

10 Act A724 15-01-1990

11 Act A109 04-04-1972

Act A724 15-01-1990

14 Act A109 04-04-1972

Part IVA Act A724 15-01-1990

14A Act A724 15-01-1990

16 Act A724 15-01-1990

19 Act A724 15-01-1990

19A Act A724 15-01-1990

21 Act A724 15-01-1990

21A Act A724 15-01-1990

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PERCETAKAN NASIONAL MALAYSIA BERHAD,
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