Bung Moktar Urges Immediate Action On Overcrowding In Sabah's Govt Hospitals

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 6 (Bernama) -- Kinabatangan Member of Parliament Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin raised a critical issue in the Dewan Rakyat today, highlighting the severe overcrowding at government hospitals in Sandakan and Kota Kinabalu.

He said the overcrowding was made worse by inadequate facilities and a shortage of specialist doctors, particularly at Sandakan Hospital, forcing many patients with chronic illnesses to be sent to Kota Kinabalu, located 327 kilometres away or a seven-hour drive.

“Every time chronic patients are transferred to Kota Kinabalu, their appointments are delayed until their health worsens...sometimes taking up to three weeks, a month or even two months.

“When we go to the Emergency Department, it’s heartbreaking to see patients forced to wait in packed conditions, which worsened their health rather than improving it,” he said during the debate on the motion of thanks for the royal address.

In light of these challenges, he urged the government to improve the facilities at both hospitals, particularly by increasing the number of specialist doctors, to reduce the need for patients to endure long and costly journeys to Kota Kinabalu.

“When hospitals become overcrowded, these are the result. I urge the government to consider establishing new hospitals in these two districts,” he said.

Meanwhile, Bung Moktar called on the government to reassess the Education Ministry’s (MOE) procurement related to ICT projects in Sabah, which, he claimed, have been awarded to external companies since 2021, now reaching RM48 million annually.

He described this as denying rights to local companies in Sabah, which are equally capable of executing such projects.

“This matter needs to be addressed by the Finance Ministry and the MOE, as it constitutes discrimination and undermines local companies in Sabah, which are fully capable of performing this work,” he said.

-- BERNAMA