Fed Govt to buy Sabah hospital for RM245m

Star: KOTA KINABALU: The Federal Government is buying privately owned Sabah Medical Centre (SMC) as an immediate measure to overcome the critical hospital bed shortage problem in the city here.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said the Government was in the final stages of taking over SMC at a cost of RM245mil.
“We are committed to providing the best available healthcare to Sabahans,” he said at a “meet-the-people” gathering at the historic Padang Merdeka in his first visit to the state as premier.
Dismissing talk that the acquisition would cost nearly RM450mil, he said the SMC takeover would be “fast-tracked” as the Government was aware of the urgency in tackling the healthcare needs of the state capital following the closure of the Queen Elizabeth hospital main tower block.
He said the Government would also be refurbishing the recently completed SMC located in suburban Damai, 2km from downtown Kota Kinabalu.
Later Najib told reporters that that the refurbishment cost would depend on the requirements of the Health Ministry while under the purchase, SMC will be renting two floors from the Government.
Previously the Government had acquired the first SMC building in Likas and converted it into a women and children’s hospital that is now known as Likas Hospital.
Najib said RM500mil of the special RM1bil allocation pledged to Sabah had already been delivered for various development projects.
The Prime Minister in his speech reminded Sabah Barisan Nasional leaders that they were servants of the people.
He said the leaders should constantly see for themselves the everyday situations faced by ordinary folk so that they could solve their problems.
“As elected representatives, there is no need to wait for invitations, red carpets or TV cameras. We need to work for the people.
“I don’t want leaders who are feared. I want leaders who are appreciated and respected,” he said.