DAP lauds Khidmat private hospital plan

DAP lauds Khidmat private hospital plan Published on: Tuesday, May 19, 2009  Email to a friend      Printer Friendly Kota Kinabalu: Sabah Democratic Action Party (DAP) welcomed the proposal to set up a State-owned private hospital at the Khidmat Complex in Karamunsing here. In a statement Monday, its Chairman Dr Hiew King Cheu said even though it came late, with all the problems related to medical health services in Kota Kinabalu, it is better than nothing. The proposal was to convert the vacant building into a RM100 million private hospital under the State Government-linked Sabah Credit Corporation (SCC). Dr Hiew, nevertheless, said the 18 per cent shareholding of the State Government in the Sabah Medical Centre (SMC), after the sale of the SMC complex to the Health Ministry of the Federal Government, should be disposed off. This, he said, would increase the value of the share to about RM70 million. The amount, he said, should then be used to finance the initial cost of the new State hospital here. He also suggested that the State Government revive the portfolio of Ministry of Health in the State Cabinet, with jurisdiction on all health matters and developments as well as administration in Sabah. "The Federal Government shall provide our share of the money under the Malaysia Agreement for the purpose," he said. In the past, he said Sabah had its own Health Ministry until after it was handed over to the Federal Government. Dr Hiew said many people supported the idea of Sabah Health Ministry because of its significance. The "hospital saga", he said, has caused discomfort, agony, anger and also loss of lives. He suggested that Sabahans manage the hospitals in Sabah because they can handle better the problems.