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SABAH is pushing for healthcare to be moved to the Concurrent List, allowing both state and federal governments to share control, said Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Dr Joachim Gunsalam.
He hopes an agreement can be reached by June, giving the state joint authority over key areas.
“There are a few things that we want from the Ministry of Health. Number one is, of course, if you look at the number of infectious diseases in the whole of Malaysia, Sabah still tops the list,” he said at Parti Bersatu Sabah’s (PBS) 40th anniversary celebration at Hakka Hall here last night.
“So, we want things like vaccination to be also controlled by Sabah. This can be put in both the federal and Sabah lists.”
Gunsalam, who is also the PBS acting president, said he raised the issue with Health Minister Datuk Seri Dzulkefly Ahmad during a Sabah Health Development Joint Action Committee meeting yesterday.
The meeting also covered hospital development, staffing shortages, and legal barriers, he said, adding that five key committees were formed to enhance Sabah’s healthcare autonomy.
Sabah is reviewing the legal framework to enable joint authority over healthcare, which currently falls under the Federal List and is managed solely by Putrajaya under the Health Ministry.
Two key ordinances govern Sabah’s healthcare system: the Public Health Ordinance 1960 and the Local Government Ordinance 1961.
“The Sabah government is always trying to improve administration, the way we govern the state. However, because of federal rule of law, the ordinances … it doesn’t permit certain things,” he said.
For instance, he cited the repatriation of bodies as one of the challenges.
“Another good example is, if someone dies in Sabah, then we must send them to KL, or if they die in KL or abroad, the state cannot simply ask for permission from KL. And that causes a lot of complications. These are the things that we want to discuss.”
“In fact, we have identified five areas that will increase Sabah’s autonomy in healthcare. I can’t remember all the names, but we have five authorities to increase the autonomy of health in Sabah.”
“These are policy matters, and we are hoping that by June this year—based on the timeline we have set—we can reach an understanding on the issues discussed.” – March 6, 2025
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