Sibu: The government remains committed to upgrading Sibu Hospital in stages from a district hospital to a regional facility comparable to the Sarawak General Hospital in Kuching, said Sibu MP Oscar Ling Chai Yew.
Ling said the key focus of the upgrade will be the construction of a new hospital complex under the 13th Malaysia Plan (RMK-13), estimated to cost RM1 billion. The new facility will include a specialised oncology department to enhance cancer treatment services in the central region of Sarawak.
He emphasised that the project’s absence from the Prime Minister’s 2026 Budget speech does not mean it has been excluded from the government’s plans.
“The budget speech only lasts one or two hours, but the full budget document contains many more details.
“People in Sibu are understandably concerned about the development of Sibu Hospital, local clinics, and other infrastructure projects, but I want to assure them that these plans are ongoing,” Ling explained.
Ling also revealed that the Cardiac Intervention Unit for Sibu Hospital has already been approved – one of only three such facilities in Sarawak, alongside those in Bintulu and Miri.
However, construction is pending due to limited space within the existing hospital grounds.
“The Ministry of Health is currently identifying a suitable location for the cardiac intervention room,” he said.
Meanwhile, a temporary relocation project for the Oya Health Clinic is being planned, with the Ministry of Health agreeing that the existing site is ideal for reconstruction.
Ling further clarified that although the 2026 Budget did not explicitly list Sibu’s medical projects, several major developments that will benefit the region are still in progress. These include:
- The RM2 billion MADANI Submarine Cable System, which will connect Sibu to improve internet services.
- RM350 million worth of upgrading works along the Pan Borneo Highway.
In addition, Ling’s service centre has allocated nearly RM1 million over the past two years to establish a Neurosurgery High Dependency Unit (HDU) at Sibu Hospital – a major boost for stroke and neurosurgical patients, including those with cancer.
On the national front, Ling noted that the 2026 Budget introduced by the Ministry of Health (MOH) includes several reforms and record allocations that will directly benefit Sibu and Sarawak as a whole:
- RM46.5 billion – the highest allocation in MOH’s history (11% of the national budget).
- RM1.2 billion – for maintenance and repair works of all hospitals and clinics nationwide.
- RM775 million – to replace outdated medical equipment and procure advanced new devices.
- RM650 million – to strengthen internet connectivity for public hospitals, health clinics, maternal & child health clinics, community clinics, and rural clinics.
- 4,500 contract doctors to be offered permanent positions, and 935 nurses to be absorbed into the permanent civil service.
- RM120 million – to increase on-call allowance (ETAP) for doctors by about 40%, effective October 1, 2025 — the first revision since 2011.
- Additional tax revenue from tobacco and alcohol will be channelled to MOH for the Lung Health Initiative and for diabetes and heart disease treatment programmes.
- RM60 million, jointly funded by the government and industry, will be used to introduce a national affordable basic health insurance product and implement the Diagnosis-Related Group (DRG) system.
- RM144 million – to strengthen public-private healthcare partnerships, allowing some patients to be referred to military, university, and private hospitals for treatment, with costs borne by the government.
Ling said these allocations show the government’s commitment to improving the nation’s healthcare system while ensuring regions like Sibu continue to benefit from ongoing reforms.
“The RM144 million allocation for outsourcing medical services is especially meaningful for Sibu. When our hospital faces facility shortages, patients can still receive treatment at private hospitals – and the costs will be covered by the government,” he said.
