Empty posts, crumbling clinics: Sarawak wants the power to fix its own healthcare

KUCHING, Sept 12 — Sarawak is seeking the ability to manage its own healthcare facilities and services under the Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Act 1998 (Act 586), according to Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian. This push for greater autonomy was part of the three key areas discussed during the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) Implementation Action Council meeting in Kota Kinabalu on Friday.

The regulatory function should be shifted from the Ministry of Health (MOH) to the state Health Department (JKNS) in line with the MOH White Paper and provisions under the Federal Constitution, Dr Sim said in a Facebook post. With 5,654 vacant health posts accounting for 18 per cent of the state's health workforce, Dr Sim also called for urgent action to address the shortage, which left health personnel overworked and susceptible to burnout.

He proposed creating 11,000 additional health posts across different categories to meet Ministry of Health staffing standards following an audit of seven Sarawak hospitals last year.

Infrastructure upgrades were also a concern for Dr Sim, who estimated SAR400 million for the repair of dilapidated Klinik Kesihatan (KK) facilities and SAR845 million for their redevelopment. Sixty-six per cent of the state's 271 KKs were classified as dilapidated. He questioned why Sarawak had more dilapidated KKs compared to the rest of Malaysia.

Dr Sim noted that health was among the more complex issues in the MA63 matter, involving 41 laws. While some MA63 matters had been resolved, the remaining negotiations would be more challenging, as some involved constitutional amendments requiring approval at Cabinet and Parliament level, and in some cases, the Conference of Rulers.

The negotiations had to consider the spirit of MA63, the Cobbold Commission and Inter-Governmental Committee reports. Dr Sim emphasized that the journey of MA63 would require courage, wisdom, and the spirit of the founding fathers.