KUCHING: The procurement of all equipment for the Sarawak Cancer Centre will be managed by the Sarawak government to ensure the facility is equipped with the latest medical technology when it begins operations.
According to Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian, this was agreed to during a meeting with the Ministry of Health (MoH) secretary-general and the federal Public Works Department (PWD) on April 16.
He said all equipment under Groups 1, 2, 3 and 4 would be procured in accordance with Sarawak government procurement procedures, with advice from cancer specialists at the Sarawak General Hospital (SGH).
Explaining, he said, if any commitment were to be made on equipment purchase now merely to lock in prices, it would be obsolete by the time the project is completed in 2032.
Hence the state government’s decision to procure all the equipment for the cancer centre.
“Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg wants to see our Sarawak Cancer Centre having the latest equipment,” he said in his Facebook post recently.
Dr Sim revealed that the Premier had expressed his wish to the Health Minister in January 2024 for the centre not only to be completed but also to be operational while he is still serving as Premier.
“To ensure the project could proceed, the Premier offered a RM1 billion loan to the federal government, which would be repaid later, for the benefit of the people.
“Furthermore, when the proposed 310-bed capacity was requested to be reduced to 200 beds due to financial constraints, the Premier once again offered an additional RM500 million for the purchase of equipment.
“Following discussions, the RM500 million was agreed upon as a contribution from the Sarawak government and does not need to be repaid by the federal government,” he explained.
Meanwhile, he expressed hope that construction of the Sarawak Cancer Centre could be expedited from the planned 60 months to about 36 months, although the current schedule targets completion by 2032.
“However, the project must go through various federal government procurement processes as healthcare services in Sarawak are still under the administration of the Ministry of Health.
“For that reason, the Sarawak government is also negotiating with the federal government to obtain a devolution of healthcare powers under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63),” he said.
The Sarawak Cancer Centre will be built on a 23-acre site in Kota Samarahan, adjacent to the Sarawak Heart Centre and near the Sarawak Infectious Disease Centre as well as the Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) Teaching Hospital.
The facility will form part of the Sarawak Health Metropolis development, which is expected to strengthen the state’s position as an internationally recognised hub for healthcare services and clinical research.
