Sarawak FDS postponement: Number of affected population to be announced

IPOH, 13 September: The number of people affected in terms of access to medical services due to the suspension of operations of Air Doctor Service (FDS) in Sarawak will be announced in the near future.

Dr Mahathar Abd Wahab, Director General of Health of Datuk said the matter will be announced by Minister of Health of Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad.

He said the statistics of the affected population have been collected and will be submitted to the Minister of Health for further action.

"In the near future, we will release (the figure in question)", he said when meeting with reporters after a Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) 2026 dinner attended by MMA President Dr L. Sivanaesan is here tonight.

On Thursday, Dzulkefly reportedly said that all FDS operations in Sarawak were suspended following a disaster incident involving a helicopter used for the service at Long Lellang.

Dzulkefly said the suspension was to allow investigations and review of security mechanisms and operations carried out by relevant parties.

Nahas on Tuesday claimed the lives of all five people aboard a Boeing 105 helicopter operated by Layang-Layang Aerospace after it crashed near the end of STOLport Long Lellang runway at about 3:40 p.m.

Victims include medical officer Dr Ainul Baraah Kamaruddin, 33, medical assistant Alexson Adit Henry, 31, as well as two nurses, Debra Moset, 40, and Jessie Paya Jok, 44, and Zainol pilot Afiq Bee Sham, 30. -TVS