KUCHING, Aug 23: Democratic Action Party’s (DAP) George Lam has called on the government to do something about the Batu Kawah health clinic’s lack of parking space for people with special needs (OKU) and the need for a drop-off zone.
According to Lam, who is the special assistant to Pending assemblywoman Violet Yong, in a statement today, he visited the health clinic with Julian Tan, a special assistant to Sarawak DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen, to do an inspection.
“We received a complaint that there is no OKU parking and no proper drop-off zone.
“During the inspection, we found out that the drop-off zone with the roof has been set up as a patient waiting area, and at the same time, the OKU parking has been blocked off to set up the patients’ waiting area.
“The original OKU parking does not comply with the latest requirements. Other than that, patients need to be dropped off in the sun and rain,” he said.
The clinic, he added, applied for permission to set up four OKU parking spaces three months ago from the State Health Department, but the project has yet to be approved.
“Given that the GPS (Gabungan Parti Sarawak) government now has a Federal Deputy Health Minister (Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang) and that Dr Sim Kui Hian, the elected representative of Batu Kawah, is now the Deputy Premier of Sarawak and Minister of Public Health, Local Government, and Housing of Sarawak, these kinds of problems should not last long.
“It is the government’s responsibility to ensure that the health facilities are comprehensive for the people to seek medical treatment and that the government clinic’s request is being fulfilled.
“OKU parking spaces are just a simple requirement to set up a space for the disabled to park and enter the clinic,” he said.
Lam said after the inspection that Chong, who is the Stampin MP, will help the clinic’s management with improving current facilities at the clinic through his constituency allocation.
“I wish to emphasise that the increasing population is causing the problems that arise at the clinic in Batu Kawah. Therefore, Batu Kawah needs another government clinic to ease its problems.
“The land opposite Batu Kawah New Township (MJC) is now being developed into a commercial centre. Other than that, condominiums and terrace houses are soon to be developed to become another residential area.
“Just imagine the number of people in Batu Kawah going to the Batu Kawah health clinic to seek medical treatment, and the current clinic will be unable to cater to the number of patients by then.”
He added that he wanted to remind Dr Sim to fight for the people of Batu Kawah, as this was listed in his manifesto for the State Election last year. — DayakDaily
