[Exclusive] Doctors Renting Out Licences For Up To RM40,000, Leaving Clinics In Others’ Hands

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Dr Nimi Sutina Nordin spent thousands and almost a decade of dedication studying and training to earn the credentials that finally allowed her to finally become an aesthetician

But some decided to take a shortcut.

Instead of putting in the same effort, they chose to 'rent' these credentials, the Letter of Credentialing and Privileging (LCP), from doctors willing to 'lease' their licences.

And why wouldn't they?

Some doctors were offered a lucrative RM40,000 a month with no other requirements — they didn't need to see any patients or visit the clinics, just collect a fixed monthly income.

The supposedly unqualified personnel would then set up their own clinics using these credentials and offer high-risk procedures, such as injecting fillers, Botox, and other substances.

Unfortunately, Dr Nimi Sutina wasn't the only one who was offered this.

Malaysia Registered Aesthetic Medical Practitioners Society president, Dr Ungku Mohd Shahrin Mohd Zaman, said the leasing of LCPs is nothing new. 

In fact, it has become so rampant that those in the industry are openly talking about it.

The practice apparently started around 2013, when fewer doctors had LCPs. 

The government allowed the first batch of doctors with LCP to open up to three clinics to address the shortage, but there was a condition: doctors had to be present in the clinics. 

Meaning, if a doctor was in one clinic, the others had to be closed.

Over time, this leeway was exploited by doctors looking for easy money.

"They allow them to use their licence, and they are not there at the clinic. 

"We had some incidents where the doctors didn't even know where the clinic was. 

"There was a case where the doctor was actually residing abroad, but renting their LCP to someone here in Malaysia," he said.

Interestingly, Dr Ungku himself was also offered RM35,000 to lease his LCP.

He said the rate for renting an LCP has now dropped to around RM15,000, as more doctors have obtained their credentials.

"But what worries me is that doctors just attend the LCP exam, yet their intention is not to open a clinic; they just want to rent their licences," he said.

Asked why these doctors did not take the exam themselves, Dr Ungku explained there are two groups: those who failed the examination, and those who wanted to take the exam but couldn't due to limited seats.

At the moment, only about 100 LCP-certified practitioners can be produced per year due to examination logistics.

He said Malaysia needs at least 5,000 aestheticians, but currently has only about 800, a number he described as still very low.

"We have been discussing this even at our committee level, but in MOH, as far as I know, nobody has been charged or even had their licence revoked for renting it. I think this is something they need to look into," he said.

As for Dr Nimi Sutina, no amount of money is worth endangering lives.

"We hear about it all the time, people being offered and all that. 

"There are a lot of centres set up by businessmen. 

"So, it's a matter of whether I want easy money and look the other way.

"It's not the way I want to make money. It's not halal," she said.

The Health Ministry is not keeping silent. In fact, they have issued a stern warning: doctors caught leasing out their licences will face uncompromising prosecution.

The ministry's Pharmaceutical Services Programme, in a statement to SAYS, said it takes all forms of unethical and unlawful conduct within the medical profession seriously, particularly those that compromise patient safety and the integrity of healthcare services. 

Read more of the ministry's response to SAYS' exclusive reports here.