Scrapping of govt clinic draws Subang residents’ ire

SUBANG – The only government clinic planned in Subang has been scrapped due to budget restrictions, drawing the ire of residents and lawmakers here.

Subang MP Wong Chen said in a press briefing that the Klinik Kesihatan USJ1 project costing RM67.8 million was cancelled by the Economic Planning Unit (EPU) on August 4 last year.

This was relayed to him by Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin in a March 24 parliamentary reply.

“The reason given by the EPU was that the project cost was too high at RM67.8 million and that the original budget of RM45 million was approved under the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP).”

Wong lambasted the cancellation, calling the reason given a “complete mockery of the government budgetary process”. 

“The higher budget requested by the Health Ministry should not be an excuse to cancel the project. The cancellation is also contradictory to the promises made by the prime minister under 12MP, rendering the national masterplan a document of little importance and consequence.”

The PKR lawmaker also called on the Health Ministry to explain why it had requested for a higher budget than the one approved, questioning why the ministry did not go ahead with the initial cost.

“The inability of the ministry and EPU to resolve this matter and carry out the project at its original cost shows a complete breakdown of communication and cooperation between the two.”

He also highlighted how Subang has no government health facilities in the area despite its population of around 478,000. 

Also present at the briefing was Subang Jaya assemblyman Michelle Ng, who urged the government to reinstate the project as public healthcare centres nearby are already serving over capacity.

“The nearest government clinics in Kelana Jaya and Batu 14 Puchong were each designed to handle a maximum daily load of 500 patients, but are instead serving 1,000 a day.”

She added that a government medical facility is needed, as about 96,000 residents in Subang Jaya comprise urban poor and ageing citizens.

Meanwhile, 78-year-old Subang Jaya resident Michael Sundram, representing the senior citizen community here, said they are hoping for just an accessible government clinic and not a hospital.

“What is the point of getting city status if you don’t even have a simple clinic?” he asked, referencing Subang Jaya’s elevation from a municipality to a city on October 19, 2020. – The Vibes, March 31, 2022