By Nur Ashikin Louis
KUCHING, Dec 5: Sarawak has enough local talents to run its healthcare system and needs health autonomy moving forward, says Deputy Premier of Sarawak Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian.
In a Facebook post today, he recalled the times he had served the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA), including when he was the organising chairman of an MMA conference in Sarawak.
Dr Sim, Minister of Public Health, Housing and Local Government Sarawak, also shared the time he donated his one-month Civil Service Premier Post (JUSA) A-level salary to a fundraising initiative to buy a RM1 million property for the establishment of the MMA Sarawak building.
Nevertheless, he explained that personal satisfaction comes after all the sacrifices when the younger medical officers share the same values and continue the legacy left behind by their predecessors.
“It has been a privilege, and (I am) honoured to serve with a group of fine professional medical colleagues from Sarawak. Together, we have impacted healthcare in Sarawak and the health of the Sarawakians in the last 50 years.
“Next is (claiming) health autonomy (from the federal government) as the national (policy) known (to be) based on population by Ministry of Health (MOH) in Kuala Lumpur, is not suitable and appropriate for Sarawak which has large land area but small population.
“Good news is we have enough local talents to run our Sarawak health services nowadays,” he said.
Dr Sim attended the MMA Sarawak 50th Anniversary Dinner at Imperial Hotel last night (Dec 4). Present to officiate the event was the Premier of Sarawak, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.
Amongst those present at the dinner were the Premier’s wife, Datuk Amar Juma’ani Tuanku Bujang; Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, who is the chairman of Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC); Deputy Minister for Energy and Environmental Sustainability Dr Hazland Abang Hipni; MMA president Dr Muruga Raj Rajathurai; MMA Sarawak chairman Dr Liew Shan Fap; and the event’s organising chairman Dr Kalwinder Singh Khaira. — DayakDaily
