KUCHING, Nov 13: Preliminary research is ongoing to identify a suitable location to build a hospital to reduce congestion in existing hospitals and clinics in Bintulu, says Dato Sri Tiong King Sing.
The incumbent MP and Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) candidate for P217 Bintulu said, during his recent Facebook live stream, a lot of viewers misunderstood by thinking that Bintulu Hospital would be turned into a private hospital.
“I cannot stop any party from building a private hospital in Bintulu, but what is important is to ensure that the government hospital fees charged to the public should be affordable and service be of good quality.
“No matter how many private hospitals are built, the middle and lower income groups cannot afford them. This means the medical system fails to cover all communities, which will also be an obstacle for them to get medical services,” he said.
Tiong, who is also Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) president, said that he would also consider cooperation with the private sector where there will be a government hospital and a private medical centre built next to each other.
“I will do my best to upgrade Bintulu Hospital to enable it to provide the best service for the people. At the same time, I will also work to upgrade various hospital equipment. This is what I want to do for Bintulu Hospital and the people of Bintulu,” he added.
Meanwhile, Tiong recommended building a car park under a multi-storey building, while additional wards can be built on top of the car park to provide sufficient parking space in Bintulu Hospital.
“However, we should make sure that after upgrading half of the government hospitals, it will not lead to an increase in medical expenses,” he said. — DayakDaily
