Malay Mail SUBANG JAYA: The Health Ministry will set up a 1Malaysia clinic to serve Subang Jaya residents despite opposition against the move.
The residents, led by state assemblyman Hannah Yeoh, have expressed concern over whether nurses and health assistants at 1Malaysia clinics were in the position to legally treat patients and prescribe medication.
They want a government health clinic, run by a qualified doctor and medical staff, instead.
Deputy Health Minister Datuk Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin said she was aware of the residents’ concerns and said the ministry had studied and discussed these issues with various government agencies and non-governmental organisations.
However, Rosnah said the 1Malaysia clinic would serve its purpose for residents in USJ and the surrounding areas.
“The ministry had previously set up a health clinic in Medan Maju Jaya in March 2007, which serves the surrounding areas, including Bandar Sunway,” she said.
“Subang Jaya residents can also seek medical attention from the health clinic in Medan Maju besides the other clinics in Kelana Jaya and Puchong.”
Yeoh said she was disappointed the ministry was going ahead with its plan to set up the 1Malaysia clinic.
“I have raised the matter with the relevant authorities and the ministry on several occasions but to no avail,” she said.
“There is already an allocation under the Ninth Malaysia Plan for the construction of a government clinic that will be able to operate like any other health clinic with qualified doctors and medical staff to serve the needs of the public.”
She also said the Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ) had identified a suitable plot of land in USJ 1 for the construction of such a health clinic.
Last week, Yeoh accompanied members of the Subang Jaya senior citizens club to a meeting with ministry officials to discuss problems faced by the residents seeking treatment at nearby health clinics.
She said the clinics already served densely-populated areas and the residents would prefer to seek treatment “in their own area”.
Yeoh said in addition to having to wait for long periods, some of the residents had to stand for hours because of the lack of chairs.
Rosnah said there should not be any problem for senior citizens to collect their medicines as it could be done by their spouses or children.
1Malaysia clinics were first set up more than a year ago.
Since the announcement by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak of a RM10 million budget allocated for the project, 50 such clinics have been established throughout the country.
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