KUCHING: Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin has given his assurance that Sabah and Sarawak will be treated fairly and equally as stipulated in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
He justified his assurance by highlighting the establishment of the Special Council on MA63 to discuss in depth MA63 matters.
“A meeting will be held in the middle of this month and we will get the reports from the working committee of which I will be chairing later on,” he told reporters today (April 2).
He said Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg and other state leaders including those from Sabah would be present during the meeting.
“This is why the Special Council on MA63 is important as it shows the commitment and efforts of the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government to help resolve some of the long-standing issues,” he said.
Under the Special Council on MA63 three committees namely, Allies Working Committee, Sabah and Sarawak Security Working Committee and Socio-Economic Working Committee have been formed.
The prime minister said his two-day visit to Sarawak had led him to understand better the needs of Sarawak and its people.
“I understand that there are several main issues that need to be given attention, and in the 12th Malaysia Plan (12th MP), we will take into consideration especially the physical development such as the Pan Borneo Highway project and internet connectivity facilities.
“This is because we feel that such facilities need to be completed earlier than the schedule set,” he said.
Muhyiddin added that with the close ties between the PN and Sarawak governments, the state would be able to develop fast in a 10-year period which is the deadline set for Sarawak to become one of the most developed regions in the country.
“With that, I believe Sarawak will continue to grow and advance. And I am confident that the people in Sarawak are satisfied and God willing they will render their full support to the present leadership,” he said.
Earlier, the prime minister visited the new surgical day care centre at Sarawak General Hospital (SGH). He was accompanied by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg.
According to a media release, the new day care centre would be the first ever in Sarawak under a government hospital after the federal government approved SGH’s upgrading project by a concession company through a private financing initiative (Swiss Challenge).
The project was the result of the efforts by the Ministry of Health (MoH) which signed a concession agreement with Asaljuru Weida Sdn Bhd (AVWSB) on April 28, 2017 to build the block – Meditel Block – and a multi-storey parking block costing RM351 million.
It is expected to be completed in June this year after a slight delay following the implementation of the movement control order (MCO) to curb the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The new day care centre will house a total of 64 beds, seven surgical rooms, three endoscopy rooms and one Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) room.
It is expected that an estimated 100 patients will be able to be treated a day at the new centre.
This will help SGH reduce the backlog cases of treatment that can be implemented in the day care centre such as 80 percent of paediatric dentistry cases, 30 to 40 percent of paediatric surgeries, 30 to 40 percent of minor OT cases and reducing an estimated one year waiting time, and 15 to 30 percent of general surgery cases.
In addition, the federal government through the MoH has agreed to provide an allocation of RM5 million to SGH for the procurement of critical medical equipment as well as an allocation of RM2 million for the procurement of irradiator equipment for the use of the Transfusion Services Department and Blood Bank in the Intensive Care Center Block.
The equipment is much needed in the hospital for irradiation of blood products for patients in need to prevent Transfusion Associated Graft Versus Host Disease (TA-GVHD).
Operating since 1931, SGH is the only tertiary referral centre for the entire state out of the 23 existing hospitals staewide.
