KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Ahmad Ibrahim wants the Sarawak Cancer Centre project up and running as soon as possible for the benefit of cancer patients in Sarawak and Sabah.
The Senator noted that cancer patients in both state still have to travel to Kuala Lumpur to be treated.
“In my opinion, the Sarawak Cancer Centre is crucial, considering that in Sarawak, three types of cancer are most commonly detected, namely respiratory system cancers, including lungs at 14.3 per cent, nasopharyngeal cancer or nasal cancer (13.9 per cent), and colorectal cancer (12.7 per cent).
“For women, the highest cancer is breast cancer at 20.9 per cent, followed by cervical cancer (12.6 per cent) and colorectal cancer (9.5 per cent).
He hoped that once the cancer centre is ready, it will facilitates cancer patients from Sarawak and Sabah to access treatment without having to go to Kuala Lumpur.
He was debating on the 2024 Royal Address in Dewan Negara yesterday (Mar 18).
On the used cooking oil collection programme, initiated by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security together with Petronas, he suggested that the programme be expanded to every state because not all Petronas stations are involved.
“For example, in Sarawak, only two Petronas gas stations are involved — in Kuching, namely Petronas Astana station and in Miri, Petronas Desa Senadin station.
“If possible, all Petronas stations should have used cooking oil recycling facilities. Because used cooking oil can commercialise sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
“This programme benefits users, especially now as we move towards renewable sustainable energy, which I think will benefit us in the future,” he added.
