KOTA KINABALU: Api Api Assemblywoman Datuk Christina Liew has requested the State Minister of Public Works, Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin to bring the delayed Tawau Hospital Construction and Upgrading project to the attention of his Federal counterpart.
She made the request during her debate on the government policy speech in the State Assembly on Monday.
“Although it is a Federal-funded project and implemented by JKR Malaysia, it does not mean that the State Government has no right to follow up with the Federal Government. I have done my part to follow up but I believe the Government can follow up more effectively. That is why I am requesting Datuk Seri Bung Moktar to do the needful,” she said.
Liew was replying to Kuala Penyu Assemblyman Datuk Limus Jury who interrupted to say that she, who is also Tawau MP, could highlight the issue in Parliament as the Tawau Hospital Upgrade is a Federal project under the supervision of JKR Malaysia.
In response, she told the Assembly she had raised the matter twice in the Dewan Rakyat, and that Health Minister Tuan Khairy Jamaluddin, who visited the construction site last year, had replied in writing recently and confirmed the delay.
“It was supposed to have been completed in May 2020 under the 11th Malaysia Plan (11MP),” she said.
Meanwhile, Minister of Local Government and Housing, Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun informed Liew that the non-completion of the new hospital building was brought up at the State Action Committee meeting for the relevant ministry and department to sort out.
On Wednesday, Minister of Industrial Development Datuk Dr Joachim Gunsalam said he would provide a written reply to Liew when she asked the former to disclose Sabah’s share of the Federal allocations for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the country under Budget 2022.
