KUCHING: The Sarawak government has requested to have administrative control over education and healthcare matters within the state.
Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said this includes running the operation of the hospital and recruitment.
“What we say is, why not administratively, you delegate the power to us to run the hospitals, recruitment and all that? The rest is federal policy,” he said in an interview with The Edge Malaysia which was published in their magazine titled ‘Sarawak: A New Economic Powerhouse’.
The Edge Malaysia was asking the Premier on the latest development on the talks for autonomy on education and healthcare with the current administration.
Abang Johari further emphasised the requirement for specific policies to manage the control centre for cancer treatment.
“For a patient to go from here to Kuala Lumpur (KL) is expensive, so I said why not set up a cancer centre here?
“But the federal government said they haven’t got the budget. So, let us build the hardware (building and equipment), then the federal government leases the building and provides the doctors and specialists, so that the people don’t have to go to KL for treatment.
“Then we have the Pan Borneo Highway and coastal highways. People can come to Kuching by road to get treatment,” he said.
He added that seeking cancer treatment in KL is expensive which includes airfare, and accommodation.
“This autonomy applies to education. Previously they had a policy whereby if they had a problem with teachers there in Peninsula, they sent them here.
“We know what criteria of teachers we need. The moment we address that, the country can move forward with other economic policies because people are happy,” he said.
The Premier also said mastering the English language is important aside from training people to be skilled.
Earlier this year, the federal government had agreed in principle to return the education and health autonomy over to Sarawak.
Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof earlier this month had said that the federal government is currently exploring the possibility of handing over the administration of education and healthcare matters to the Sabah and Sarawak governments.
“Further discussions were needed between the relevant federal and state ministries to determine the scope of work to be carried out by the Sarawak government.
“This is among the things that need to be studied in detail,” he said
