Materia Medica Malaysiana

‘Fungal’ hospital: Chua says Samy’s explanation unacceptable

Health Minister Dr Chua Soi Lek has described the explanation given by his colleague in the Works Ministry on the fungal problem at the Sultan Ismail Hospital in Johor as “unacceptable”.

“We can’t accept this accusation,” Chua was quoted as saying in the Sin Chew Daily and Nanyang Siang Pau today.

Works Minister S Samy Vellu explained on Tuesday that his ministry handed over the Sultan Ismail Hospital to the Health Ministry in March but blamed the latter for only appointing a contractor to oversee the hospital six months later and that the delay had resulted in the fungal problem.

But Chua has a different version of what actually happened.

He told the vernacular dailies that his ministry had immediately pointed out numerous “weaknesses” pertaining to the structure of the hospital building after they took over from the Public Works Department (PWD) in March.

“The cause of the fungal problem was due to the flaws in the building structure during its construction process.

“PWD’s responsibility is to monitor the project development and ensure no problem will arise from its construction. The Health Ministry is a consumer in this case,” Chua added.

Briefing in cabinet

Sin Chew also quoted sources in a frontpage report as saying that the works minister has been “advised” during the cabinet meeting yesterday to exercise extreme caution when giving media statements in future.

He was also requested by his cabinet colleagues to take stringent action against contractors who failed to carry out their tasks and that none of them should be ‘protected’.

The cabinet, however, has yet to state its stand on whether to accept Samy’s report pertaining to problems of six government projects under his ministry. The report was handed over to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on Tuesday.

Two Barisan Nasional backbenchers, MCA Kota Melaka MP Wong Nai Chee and Gerakan Puchong MP Lau Yen Peng together with opposition DAP Seputeh MP Teresa Kok also expressed their dissatisfaction with Samy’s explanation as reported by Sin Chew.

Wong opined that the works minister’s explanation was insufficient and did not address the main issues such as why the problems occurred repeatedly and why it could not be avoided.

Lau agreed on the inadequateness of Samy’s explanation and felt that the latter should provide an in-depth statement to the media and public, not just to the premier and cabinet.

DAP’s Kok argued that Samy just cannot wash his hands over all that had happened.

“As the minister in charge of the projects, he should have brought it up in the cabinet as soon as he is aware of such problems,” she said.