By Lian Cheng
KUCHING, Oct 22: Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) calls for the return of health autonomy, along with funding and allocation, in preparation for any eventuality given the near completion of the Pan Borneo Highway.
Its president, Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian, said Sarawak should ‘demand’ the return of health and education autonomy, income tax, and one-third of parliamentarian representation for Sarawak and Sabah.
He particularly brought up health autonomy as Pan Borneo Highway is near completion, and Sarawak needs to be prepared for eventualities such as severe accidents happening along the whole stretch of the highway.
While from Johor to Penang there are many specialists along the route, he said, in Sarawak, specialists of different disciplines are only stationed in Kuching.
“The North-South highway from Johor to Penang is the same distance from Kuching to Miri. The Pan-Borneo (Highway) will be completed soon.
“The Ministry of Health does planning based on population, so when the Pan Borneo (Highway) is ready, there will be more car accidents.
“(As it is a) highway, (there will be) serious accidents. You will need a neurosurgeon to operate on your brain; an orthopaedic surgeon to operate on bones; a trauma surgeon, but all these specialists are where?
“Kuching only, anywhere else? Because in Sarawak, the population is not a lot. But in West Malaysia, the specialists are in Johor, Muar, Batu Pahat, Malacca, Negeri Sembilan, Klang, all the way to Penang,” said Dr Sim, who is also Sarawak Deputy Premier.
He said Peninsular Malaysia would not do anything to prepare for anticipating severe accidents along the Pan Borneo Highway, using the excuse of Sarawak’s low population.
“It’s okay, (just) give back our power. We will look after our own hospitals, together with money. Don’t give back (our health autonomy) to us with no money,” said Dr Sim, pointing out that the rights should be returned to Sarawak with allocation and funding because all taxes collected in Sarawak is taken by the Federal government.
“Because Sarawak will do it Sarawak’s way, following Sarawak’s order, Sarawak’s care, we must have that (the return of health autonomy). West Malaysia is not going to look after you,” said Dr Sim.
Citing the seemingly coming together of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Parti Pejuang Tanah Air (Penjuang) chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad despite their previous grievances against each other, Dr Sim said politics would continue to be chaotic in Peninsular Malaysia even after the 15th General Election (GE15) which will poll on November 19 this year.
For Sarawak, Dr Sim said the State’s ruling coalition, Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), will be on its own.
He stressed that GPS might work together with Umno or otherwise, depending if Umno can win, unlike what DAP has claimed that GPS will definitely be working together with Umno, accusing him that “a vote for Dr Sim is a vote for Umno”.
“Umno wins, then we talk. Umno does not win, we talk with other people,” said Dr Sim during the launch of the party’s NewBees and Puteri wings at its headquarters today.
Also present were SUPP deputy president Dato Sri Dr Richard Riot Jaem, deputy president Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin, secretary-general Datuk Sebastian Ting, Youth chief Michael Ting, Women chief Kho Teck Wan, Kota Sentosa branch chief Wilfred Yap, Bintulu branch chief Johnny Pang, and Dudong branch chief Wong Ching Yong. — DayakDaily
