Premier’s pol-sec: Putrajaya must avoid uniform cuts as S’wak lags in healthcare staffing

Kho Teck Wan

By DayakDaily Team

KUCHING, May 4: Political secretary to the Sarawak Premier, Kho Teck Wan, has called on the federal government to adopt a differentiated approach to budget rationalisation, warning that uniform spending cuts could worsen healthcare staffing shortages and widen regional disparities in Sarawak.

In a recent statement, she said concerns persist despite assurances by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim that expenditure rationalisation will not affect healthcare hiring or school capacity expansion.

She said Sarawak’s healthcare system is operating from a lower baseline compared to other regions, citing staffing gaps at major facilities.

“A 1,000-bed hospital such as Sarawak General Hospital should have about 5,500 personnel based on staffing norms in similar hospitals in Peninsular Malaysia but currently operates with around 4,500 staff.

“This shortfall places additional strain on healthcare workers and inevitably affects service delivery,” she said.

Kho said the disparity reflects longstanding gaps in operational capacity and infrastructure provision in Sarawak.

She warned that across-the-board budget cuts, even if targeting non-essential expenditure, risk worsening the imbalance if applied uniformly across regions.

“What may appear non-essential at the federal level could still be critical in under-resourced regions like Sarawak,” she said.

As such, she called on the federal government to adopt a differentiated approach to budget rationalisation that takes into account existing regional disparities.

She further urged Putrajaya to ensure adequate operational and development allocations for Sarawak to close gaps in healthcare and education, while also providing transparent details on what constitutes non-essential spending.

Beyond funding concerns, Kho also called on the Ministry of Health’s senior management to expedite efforts towards greater healthcare autonomy for Sarawak, saying localised control would allow the state to better address its specific needs.

She stressed that fiscal discipline must be balanced with equitable development, adding that policies should reflect Sarawak’s unique circumstances. — DayakDaily