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Sarawak Heart Centre at Kota Samarahan. Photo credit: Sarawak Heart Centre's websiteAdvertisement
By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, June 24: Sarawak Heart Centre has once again secured a place among the Top 100 specialised hospitals in the Asia-Pacific region for 2026, marking its fourth consecutive year receiving the prestigious recognition from Newsweek and further cementing Sarawak’s reputation for excellence in public cardiac healthcare.
Describing the achievement as “another proud moment for Sarawak”, Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian said the ranking No. 52 in Cardiology proves that world-class cardiac care can be found in the “jungle of Borneo”.
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“Heartiest congratulations to our very own Sarawak Heart Centre for once again being named as one of the ‘Best Specialized Hospitals in the Asia-Pacific region for 2026’ by Newsweek,” he said in post shared on his social media on Tuesday (June 23).
Malaysia currently has 10 public heart centres under the Ministry of Health (MOH). However, Dr Sim noted that Sarawak Heart Centre remains the only public heart centre from the ministry to consistently feature in Newsweek’s Asia-Pacific Top 100 rankings.
“Only this Sarawak heart centre from MOH appeared in Newsweek Top 100 in Asia Pacific for many years. So this definitely is not mere luck, already the fourth year in a row.
“It took 21 years of hard work and teamwork to achieve this recognition,” he said.
Dr Sim, who is also Minister of Public Health, Housing and Local Government, attributed the international recognition to the dedication, expertise and sacrifices of the centre’s healthcare professionals, who work tirelessly to provide life-saving treatment to Sarawakians.
“This global recognition is a direct result of the hard work, sacrifices and expertise of our local medical heroes who work day and night to care for our local community, giving tens of thousands of our fellow Sarawakians another chance to be alive every year after heart attacks.
“More importantly, the culture and values of excellence at Sarawak Heart Centre have been institutionalised after 25 years,” he added.
He also acknowledged the broader cardiac care network in the State, including satellite centres in Bintulu, Sibu, and Miri, which support the delivery of specialised services across Sarawak.
Despite the accolade, Dr Sim highlighted several challenges facing the public healthcare system, including limited funding, manpower shortages and salary disparities between public and private healthcare sectors.
He noted that Sarawak Heart Centre continues to operate under resource constraints, including inadequate funding for consumables and medical equipment upgrades, while the State is also facing a shortage of healthcare personnel.
According to him, a 2025 human resource audit by the MOH identified more than 11,000 staffing shortages across seven public hospitals in Sarawak, including the Sarawak Heart Centre.
“We need JPA to create new posts and KKM to redistribute the posts to Sarawak,” he said.
On specialist retention, Dr Sim pointed out that doctors in Malaysia’s public healthcare system earn significantly less than their counterparts in the private sector and overseas.
He said specialists in the Ministry of Health typically earn between RM8,000 and RM18,000 per month, compared with up to RM100,000 in private practice and substantially higher salaries in countries such as Australia.
These issues, he said, are among the reasons Sarawak continues to push for greater health autonomy under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
Expressing his appreciation to the staff, Dr Sim added: “Thank you, Sarawak Heart Centre team, for your incredible service and for placing Sarawak firmly on the international medical map.” — DayakDaily
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