KUCHING: The proposed RM3.06 billion cut to the Ministry of Health’s operational expenditure has sparked alarm among cancer advocates, who said that the move could jeopardise patient care, delay treatment and worsen pressure on Malaysia’s already strained oncology services.
The Society for Cancer Advocacy and Awareness Kuching (SCAN) said the cuts come at a time when cancer cases are rising nationwide, with 168,823 new cases recorded between 2017 and 2021 and the lifetime cancer risk now standing at one in eight Malaysians.
SCAN President, Emmy Marina Marzuki, said healthcare operational spending should not be viewed merely as administrative expenditure, as it directly supports clinical services and patient survival.
“We understand the government’s need to manage a ballooning subsidy bill, now estimated at RM58.4 billion. However, fiscal responsibility should not be achieved by shifting the burden onto the sick and the vulnerable,” she said in a press statement today (May 8).
The advocacy group warned that reductions in operational funding could severely affect access to essential oncology medicines and targeted therapies, where treatment interruptions can lower survival rates.
It noted that more than 74 per cent of colorectal cancer patients and over 94 per cent of lung cancer patients in Malaysia are diagnosed only at advanced stages, leaving little room for delays in treatment.
SCAN also raised concern over the government’s directive to delay new civil service intakes except for “critical roles”, saying oncology departments nationwide are already understaffed and struggling with increasing caseloads.
According to the group, the latest reporting period recorded over 16,430 new breast cancer cases and more than 11,500 colorectal cancer cases, placing immense pressure on hospitals and frontline healthcare workers.
“Any further strict control on hiring will worsen burnout among medical personnel and increase waiting times for diagnostic scans and surgeries — delays that can ultimately cost lives,” it said.
The group further stressed that maintenance of radiotherapy and chemotherapy equipment falls under operational expenditure, warning that any disruption could have serious consequences, particularly in Sarawak, where many patients travel hundreds of kilometres for specialised treatment.
SCAN urged the Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Health to ensure that essential medicines procurement and maintenance of life-saving medical equipment are exempted from the budget review due by May 15.
It also called for exemptions in the recruitment of specialised healthcare workers and urged Putrajaya to ensure healthcare facilities in East Malaysia are not disproportionately affected by the proposed cuts.
“While we support moderation of official events and seminars, we seek a transparent guarantee that these savings will not be carved out of the clinical services that keep our patients alive,” Emmy said.
SCAN said it remains ready to engage with the National Budget Office on identifying sustainable efficiencies that do not compromise patient safety, adding that healthcare remains “the most critical investment a government can make.”
