The Health Minister of Malaysia has officially announced that there will no longer be a compulsory three-year stint in government hospitals for doctors from the country who have been working at overseas locations for over 10 years.

The ruling was made by the cabinet last week, after a proposal which came in from the Health Ministry. It will be put into complete practice once it receives the endorsement by the Malaysian Medical Council.

Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai has stressed that with the new ruling, all doctors, regardless of whether they are practicing physicians or specialists, who have been serving at a foreign hospital for 10 years or more, could come back to Malaysia and continue practicing in government or private medical establishments.

Minister Liow, however, did make it clear that all the doctors who possess fewer than 10 years of experience and are working overseas must continue to abide by the three-year service in a government hospital rule once they come back to the country.

"It's important that these doctors gain experience. We are advancing. Malaysia is seen as a strong and practical alternative for more affordable medical treatment", the Health Minister said.