By Ashley Sim
KUCHING, March 7: Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will be in talks regarding the financial framework for the construction of the proposed Sarawak Cancer Centre, according to Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian.
Dr Sim, who is the Deputy Premier of Sarawak-cum-Minister for Public Health, Housing, and Local Government (MPHLG) Sarawak, highlighted that the final decision on the Sarawak Cancer Centre is up to the Premier and Prime Minister.
“Our Premier had mentioned many times that the State is ready to fund the cancer centre, but how much it costs to build it depends on how many beds, what sort of equipment it has, and others.
“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. We want the Sarawak Cancer Centre to be just like the Sarawak Heart Centre; we want the best. That’s why it will be costly.
“It is down to the Premier and Prime Minister to sit down and consider the financial options. The Prime Minister has already made an announcement in Parliament, but we hope that something happens quickly on the administrative side,” he told reporters after launching the Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month campaign at the Sarawak General Hospital’s (SGH) Day Care Centre here today.
Dr Sim further emphasised the significance of the Sarawak Cancer Centre, highlighting that cancer is the second biggest killer disease after heart disease.
“That is why the Premier is so supportive (of the construction of the Sarawak Cancer Centre).
“When the Minister of Health paid him a courtesy call, the Premier expressed his desire to see the Sarawak Cancer Centre completed during his tenure as Premier. And I think that’s a very powerful message,” he added.
Among others present at the event were State health director Dr Veronica Lugah, SGH director Dr Ngian Hie Ung, SGH consultant colorectal surgeon Dr Kenneth Voon, and Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) consultant colorectal surgeon and lecturer Assoc Prof Dr Aini Fahriza Ibrahim. — DayakDaily
