SAPP: Mositun should do some soul-searching

KOTA KINABALU, 22 May 2009: Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) proclamation of the proposed plan to convert Wisma Khidmat into a private hospital as "the best Kaamatan gift to the people of Sabah" is outrageous and a gross insult to the people of Sabah, said Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) Information Chief, Chong Pit Fah.

He especially urged PBS Information Chief, Johnny Mositun who made such a proclamation recently, to better explain on how would a private hospital benefit the people of Sabah at-large, to justify such a magnanimous proclamation as "the best Kaamatan gift" to the people.

"Is this private hospital upon completion going to provide free medical treatment to the people of Sabah? If not, how could he simply call on all Sabahans to rejoice and acknowledge it as "the biggest harvest this year"," quipped Chong in a statement issued here today.

He also refuted Mositun for saying that the new private hospital would provide the best opportunity for local doctors to contribute to the well-being of the State and its people, describing it as shallow and detrimental to the already depressing situation of acute shortage of doctors in the public hospitals in the State.

"He should perhaps conduct a serious soul-searching for making such an outrageous proclamation to endorse the State government's plan to convert Wisma Khidmat into a private hospital. It seems that he's trying to polish the shoes of his political master.

"Perhaps he should inform the people of Sabah whether this is just his personal view or that of his party," said Chong.

He dared Mositun to lead the entire supreme council of his party to publicly repeat his proclamation at the state-level harvest festival do end of this month, if it is indeed the party's stand and view.

Chong who is also SAPP Kepayan CLC Chairman went on to contend that if Mositun was truly sincere and eager in wanting the State government to present the people of Sabah "the best Kaamatan gift", he should tell the State government to demand the Federal government to allocate more funds to improve the state's public healthcare, instead of endorsing the proposed private hospital project using the hard-earned money of a Government-linked company, the Sabah Credit Corporation (SCC) who is also the owner of the Wisma Khidmat building.

"He should also realize that healthcare is under the purview of the Federal government as stipulated in the "20-points Agreement" besides the fact that a majority of the people of Sabah still could not afford to seek treatment at private hospital," Chong pointed out.

He said while SAPP welcomed the private sector to build more private hospitals so as to provide for a better choice and service to those who can afford it, the party was nonetheless of the opinion that the proposed conversion of Wisma Khidmat into a private hospital was not a good idea as the building and the location is not suitable for such a set up, coupled with it is being handled by a wrong agency i.e. Sabah Credit Corporation (SCC) which is a Government-linked company (GLC).

"Everyone knows that the building is not suitable for a hospital, as it was not designed for such a purpose. It may not meet the Ministry of Health's (MoH) requirements for a hospital. Furthermore, the fitness and safety of the building is also in question as it had been abandoned for many years, coupled with the fact that the building was built using the sea sand hence, a major portion of its structures could have been badly corroded," he pointed out.

He further noted that the State government currently still has 18% shares in the Sabah Medical Centre (SMC) which is also a private medical centre.

"Hence, what's the justification and rationale behind undertaking another private hospital project? Is there something that we do not know that the State government is not telling us?"

"Let's examine who are actually going to benefit from this project. Is it the people of Sabah at large, or those who get to undertake the project?" he questioned.

He thus reminded Mositun who is currently also the Deputy Speaker of the State Legislative Assembly that as a senior public servant, he should constantly strive to safeguard public interest, and not that of the Government or those privileged few.

Chong went on to argue that it would be more meaningful for the State government to utilize the money intended for the private hospital project which is estimated at RM100 million, to assist the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the state, many of whom are now struggling to stay afloat in this trying time.

He noted that the giving out of loans to SMEs in the state was also in-line with the main objectives of SCC's inception in the first place, adding that it would also prevent them to borrow from the 'Ah Long' (loan shark).

He stressed that the State government must continue to support the SMEs as they are an important part of the state economy besides catering job opportunities to the locals.