KUCHING: The state government is hoping the approval from the federal government for the building of the new Sarawak Cancer Centre will be given this year.
Deputy Premier Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian said with the approval, work on the centre can get started at least with the appointment of a consultant.
“We are still waiting for the Minister of Health Khairy Jamaluddin to talk with Prime Minister and present the paperwork to the federal cabinet.
“We have offered a loan of RM1 billion to the federal government and presented several models on how it will be built whether we lend the federal government money and they build it, or we build it then they pay us back.
“Basically, we are still waiting for the approval by the federal cabinet, whether they accept our offer or not, I cannot say much as I am not in the federal cabinet,” he said when met by reporters at the ‘Program Ziarah UKAS 2022’ by Sarawak Public communication Unit at Kampung Sinar Budi Baru here, yesterday.
Meanwhile, Dr Sim said that there were some politicians arguing on why the cost of the centre is expensive.
“This politician do not know the cost of a cancer centre, the bulk of the cost is on the equipment which are very expensive, not the building.
“Why should we get second grade equipment when West Malaysia get first class. Those politicians, they have no idea what the cost of the equipment for cancer is, and there is no reason why Sarawakian should get second class equipment.
“If we want to do, we want to do first class ward for the people and the federal government can pay us later because we don’t want to hear they have no money, we want a cancer centre for treating our people,” he stressed.
On April 14, Dr Sim had visited Khairy in Kuala Lumpur and said that Sarawak government was offering RM1billion of its money as a loan to the federal government to set up the Sarawak Cancer Centre.
