Dr Sim speaks during the opening of Affin Bank at Pine Square, Kuching on Wednesday.
KUCHING (May 6): The state government is determined to take control of the procurement of equipment for the Sarawak Cancer Centre project to avoid the risk of outdated technology, said Deputy Premier Dr Sim Kui Hian.
He said the move is necessary as the funding for the equipment will come from the state government.
“It is worth at least RM500 million for the project to avoid the risk of outdated technology which is targeted to be completed by 2032,” he said during the Affin Bank opening ceremony at Pines Square here.
He revealed that officials from the Public Works Department (JKR) Malaysia and the Ministry of Health had met him to discuss the project.
“As the funds come from the state government, we want to have a certain level of control over the procurement.
“However, JKR had informed that the project would be implemented under the Trans-Pacific Agreement via an open tender across the region, involving a total cost of RM1.5 billion,” he said.
He added that the state government plans to allocate at least RM500 million for medical equipment.
“The equipment procurement has been divided into four groups with the main contractor proposing to handle Groups 1 and 2.
“I do not agree. I have clearly stated that we want to take over this responsibility, meaning the state government will manage the procurement itself,” he said.
He stressed that Sarawak cannot rely entirely on the main contractor for procurement of critical hospital equipment, given the rapid advancement of medical technology.
“If we buy equipment today, will it still be relevant in 2032? Even smartphones evolve every year. We should not risk ending up with outdated equipment when the hospital is completed.
“At present the allocation is estimated at RM500 million but by 2032, that figure may no longer be sufficient.
“We must remain flexible and make decisions based on current needs rather than outdated projections,” he said.
He also stressed that the proposed cancer centre is not merely a standard healthcare facility, but has the potential to become a high-impact treatment, research hub and early-stage clinical trials centre.
On Oct 9 last year, Dr Sim revealed that the state government had agreed to provide upfront funding to expedite the project.
The project remains a federal initiative, with construction costs to be reimbursed later by the federal government.
