NST : 2009/03/19
SOS for another 'Elizabeth'
By : Roy GohKOTA KINABALU: Sabah's dire need for a new hospital is well acknowledged by the government at both the state and federal levels.
Medical services in the state have long been below par and it took a further blow last October.
The Tower Block at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Complex, the "heartbeat" of the state's medical and healthcare service, was declared unsafe and has since been vacated.
The block had 250 beds, eight surgery rooms, an intensive care ward, a radiology services unit, a pharmacy and a forensics unit, among others.
There has been a proposal for the construction of a new hospital, with the state government offering the Federal Government land for the purpose.
This, however, would only fit into a long-term plan and the state's medical and healthcare problem would not be able to wait that long, said a doctor at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital who declined to be named.
There has also been talk that the Health Ministry plans to purchase a private hospital, the Sabah Medical Centre (SMC), as well as acquire a vacant building, Wisma Khidmat, he added.
The proposal to acquire the SMC may cost RM460 million. As for Wisma Khidmat, it is likely to be cheaper.
At present, the SMC provides top-of- the-line facilities, including 460 beds and a cardiotherapy centre, a facility which the state never had although there were plans to build one at a cost of RM300 million.
"We could save on building a new cardiotherapy centre by acquiring the SMC," said the doctor.
Heart patients are currently referred to the National Heart Institute in Kuala Lumpur.
"The cost of transporting a patient on a stretcher is the equivalent of 12 return airline tickets.
"Imagine how much can be saved if we had our own cardiotherapy centre."
The state government holds a 20 per cent stake in the SMC.
The natural resources of this country belongs to the citizens. So how come only PETRONAS is benefiting from it and none of the citizens are enjoying any of the perks that come with the resources? Why should we be taxed on things that belong to us while only certain individuals enjoy the full benefits; including the government. If that's the case, we shouldn't be paying income tax since we're being taxed on our natural resources.
You might argue that every other country in this world impose taxes on their citizens. BUT AT LEAST THE PEOPLE OF OTHER NATIONS ENJOY FAR BETTER LIVING CONDITIONS WITH MUCH HIGHER BUYING POWER. IN CASE YOU DIDN'T REALISE, THE RINGGIT IS BECOMING RUBBISH.
I don't mind paying taxes, but WHERE THE HELL DOES ALL OUR MONEY GO TO? IF YOU SAY OUR TAX RATE IS MUCH LOWER AND OUR GOVERNMENT HAS LESS MONEY TO SPEND, HOW COME OUR MINISTERS CAN LIVE JUST AS LAVISHLY AS MINISTERS IN OTHER COUNTRIES???????????? OUR TAX MONEY CANNOT GIVE US BETTER PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION? BETTER SECURITY? THEN THE MINISTERS SHOULD STOP GOING AROUND IN BRAND NEW MERCEDES VEHICLES, LIVE IN APARTMENTS, SHOP AT HYPERMARKETS AND SO ON. IF THE LIVES OF MALAYSIAN CITIZENS ARE NOT GOOD ENOUGH TO ENJOY ALL THESE, IT SHOULD ALSO BE THE CASE FOR THE MINISTERS SINCE WE ARE THE ONES PAYING FOR EVERYTHING THEY EARN AND OWN.
OUR DAMN BUDGET HAS TRIPLED SINCE 10 YEARS AGO. HOW MANY OF YOU OUT THERE CAN SAY THE SAME FOR YOUR SALARIES. IF THE GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO TRIPLE THE BUDGET IN ORDER TO 'RUN' THE COUNTRY, I DON'T KNOW WHY THE CITIZENS DO NOT NEED TRIPLE THEIR SALARIES TO SURVIVE. IT'S TIME WE STOPPED CUTTING DOWN ON WHAT WE HAVE JUST SO SOME MORONS CAN HAVE MORE.