ISKANDAR PUTERI – The Johor government hopes that the construction of the (HSA) 2 will be included in the new government’s upcoming budget.
State Health and Unity Committee chairman Ling Tian Soon said it is hoped that the new hospital will become a reality after it was not listed in Budget 2023 presented at the Dewan Rakyat on October 7.
He said the bed occupancy rate at the two main hospitals in Johor Baru, namely HSA and Sultan Ismail Hospital, has exceeded 80% and can no longer accommodate patients.
“We need a new hospital given the density in these hospitals. As such, I hope the new government and Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa will help us realise this HSA 2 project,” he told reporters outside the state legislative assembly here today.
“I was informed there were several reasons why the construction of the hospital was not included in the budget, one of which was because the location of the proposed site is near a squatter area.
“However, the state government is proposing another location for the construction of the new hospital,” he said.
Meanwhile, Ling said the construction of the Pasir Gudang Hospital was going smoothly and the hospital is expected to be fully completed in 2024.
On August 12, former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin reportedly said that the Pasir Gudang Hospital is expected to be fully completed in November 2024, while the HSA 2 project will be officially announced in Budget 2023.
Khairy said the additional two hospitals would help ease congestion at Sultanah Aminah Hospital and Sultan Ismail Hospital. – Bernama, December 4, 2022
