State health and unity committee Ling Tian Soon said a brand new government hospital is much-needed as the two main facilities in Johor Baru - Hospital Sultanah Aminah and Hospital Sultan Ismail - are stretched with a bed occupancy rate of more than 80%.
ISKANDAR PUTERI: The Johor government hopes the Hospital Sultanah Aminah 2 project could be included in the Federal Budget for next year.
State health and unity committee chairman Ling Tian Soon said a brand-new government hospital is greatly needed as the two main medical facilities in Johor Baru – Hospital Sultanah Aminah and Hospital Sultan Ismail – are stretched with a bed occupancy rate of more than 80%.
“With a new Health Minister who is from Johor, we hope the project can be set in motion by including it in next year’s Budget.
“During previous health minister Khairy Jamaluddin’s official visit to Johor, both Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi and I raised the issue and need for Hospital Sultanah Aminah 2.
“However, the project was not included in Budget 2023 tabled in October and we hope the Federal Government can look into the matter,” he told reporters during the state assembly recess at Kota Iskandar here on Sunday (Dec 4).
Ling first brought up Hospital Sultanah Aminah 2 at the state assembly sitting in June.
At the time, he said RM500mil was required to build the facility, which will comprise specialist clinics, staff quarters and a Health Department office.
He added that a plot of 207.5ha land in Kempas has been identified for the project and the Health Ministry has also paid the land premium.
