Tellian rep calls for permanent placement of specialist doctors in Mukah Hospital

KUCHING (Nov 24): Tellian assemblyman Royston Valentine called for the permanent placement of doctors with other specialties in Mukah Hospital.

“I have been informed by the director of Mukah Hospital that an Obstetrics and Gynecology specialist has been permanently stationed at the hospital since Nov 13, 2023 – 11 days ago.

“The number of medical officers serving in Mukah Hospital has also increased from five in May 2023 to 11 today (Nov 24). However, there are still four vacant positions that need to be filled to ensure the smooth operation of health services in Mukah,” he said at the 2024 State Budget at the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting here today.

Furthermore, he requested that Mukah Hospital receive its fair share of the total budget of RM4.7 million allocated for the purchase of three dialysis machines, including reverse osmosis (RO) water tank, raw water tank, and membrane filters.

“Furniture and equipment in the treatment rooms and wards of Mukah Hospital also need to be replaced, as many are old and pose risks to users,” he said.

On another note, Royston also called for the state government and the Ministry of Education to reconsider the Per Capita Grant (PCG) rates for primary school students in Sarawak.

According to him, the current PCG rates do not take into account the distance and location of schools, which creates a significant problem for rural schools with a small number of students to participate in activities at the district, divisional, and state levels.

“The annual rate for sports aid for primary schools with an enrolment of 1-50 students is only RM200 for a school. This rate is not relevant to schools in Sarawak.

“Therefore, I suggest the Sarawak government and the Ministry of Education Malaysia reconsider the Per Capita Grant rates for primary school students in Sarawak. This reconsideration is important for the balanced development of education in Sarawak,” he stated.

In addition, Royston proposed the construction of solar power systems in several schools located in remote areas under Tellian state constituency, stating that these schools do not have a stable supply of electricity.

“I am pleased with the new initiatives mentioned in the 2024 Budget, especially the initiative to provide solar power to schools located in rural areas. The Tellian state constituency has several schools located in remote areas without a stable supply of electricity.

“Therefore, I would like to propose the construction of solar power systems for SK Balingian, SK Sungai Kilan, SK Sungai Kut, and SK Pantu,” he said.