This national antimicrobial guideline is a consensus guideline that is evidence-based and jointly developed by Ministry of Health (MOH) Infectious Disease physicians, microbiologists and pharmacists, supplemented with input and data from MOH Heads of Services of specialties.

The primary target of this guideline is to inform specialists, medical officers, nurses, pharmacists and all healthcare providers in Malaysia involved in the treatment of a suspected or confirmed infection but does not have culture results to guide him/her yet. This guideline thus advises on EMPIRICAL antibiotics. Once culture results are available, the treating doctor is expected to modify the treatment accordingly. It is meant as a guide and not to overrule clinical judgement. 

This guideline will also assist in making hospital-wide policies on antimicrobial stewardship practices and infection control. It will be useful for creating regulations and standards for antimicrobial prescriptions. 

For researchers and academics, this guideline serves to provide a summary of our current understanding and knowledge and can inform on clinical areas where further research can be targeted.