Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has directed the Public Works Department (JKR) to expedite the construction of the Sarawak Cancer Centre, Sarawak deputy premier Dr Sim Kui Hian said.
Dr Sim said JKR has been instructed to issue the tender for the RM1.5 billion project by the first quarter of next year, with construction slated to begin by the third quarter. The target is for the centre to be completed and operational before 2031, according to a report by the Borneo Post.
He said the directive was issued during a special meeting on national strategic projects held in Putrajaya on Monday.
“One of the four projects presented was the Sarawak Cancer Centre, a Health Ministry public hospital with JKR as the implementing agency. The centre will have 310 beds and a gross floor area of 154,498.26 square metres, equivalent to about 1,500 shop lots,” he said.
Dr Sim expressed appreciation to the prime minister for instructing JKR to accelerate the project timeline, adding that the Sarawak government would extend a RM1 billion loan to the federal government to support its implementation.
The Sarawak Cancer Centre is among the key health sector projects outlined under the 13th Malaysia Plan. Once completed, it will be Malaysia’s first fully fledged public cancer centre.
