By Wilfred Pilo
KUCHING, March 31: Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian claims that senior federal government officials were not happy with the cancer centre being built despite the fact Sarawak will fund the project first.
He said that during a meeting on Saturday (March 30), disagreement was visible on these senior officials’ faces as they said the project could not be done. However, with Prime Minister Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s intervention and the presence of Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg and other federal and State ministers, it was agreed that Sarawak would go ahead with the centre.
Dr Sim who is also the Minister for Public Health, Housing and Local Government described the meeting as extraordinary and historic as the Prime Minister was so happy that Sarawak is the first State in the country to offer money to build a federal project, and added that the federal government will reimburse the State later.
“The cancer centre is so important as we cannot keep on waiting especially those cancer patients. I look forward to the federal government officers doing the working paper on the centre so that we can get it done.”
“We are almost there but not quite,” he told reporters when met at the Seng Ong Kong Deity street procession at Hong Sang Si Temple at Wayang Street today.
Dr Sim said the project is long overdue because Sarawak cannot wait until the federal government has the funds, and the Sarawak Premier wants the people of Sarawak to benefit from such facilities.
“I have asked the Sarawak State Health Department Director to sit with us (to discuss) because there are a lot of dilapidated health facilities in Sarawak.
“Whatever we proposed the federal government has to agree,” he said.
On Saturday (March 30), Anwar was in Kuching on a working visit and attended a meeting with Abang Johari concerning critical issues in State Health and Education matters.
Also present at the procession were Kuching South City Council Mayor Dato Wee Hong Seng, Padawan Municipal Council chairman Tan Kai, Unit For Other Religions (Unifor) director Datu Jack Aman and Federation of Sarawak Temple Associations (FSTA) chairman Dato Richard Wee. — DayakDaily
