THE Klinik Kesihatan Bandar Baru Selayang (health clinic) project in Selayang Baru, Selangor, needs to be reviewed, says community activist Yee Poh Ping.
“There are insufficient parking bays to accommodate the volume of visitors a health clinic would attract.
“The area is likely to see haphazard parking, similar to the situation at Hospital Selayang, where a lack of parking space has resulted in vehicles being parked along access roads, causing inconvenience to other motorists,” he said.
Yee said the project was already underway, with renovation works set to take place at three existing commercial blocks along Persiaran 3 to convert them for the intended purpose.
“I was told that Blocks A, B and C are involved in the project, which means patients may have to move between blocks to seek treatment,” he said.
“It will be very troublesome for patients, especially those with mobility issues and young children to seek treatment at such buildings.”
Yee said a health clinic should ideally be constructed as a standalone building.
“I am not sure whether the commercial lots are being rented or have been purchased, but if they are rented, the cost will be much higher over time.
“It would be better to use state land and build a health clinic from the ground up,” he said.
Yee claimed that the delay in the project meant there were problems with it.
He said the project start date was Jan 14, 2021 and it was supposed to be completed by July 13, 2023, but had since been extended to August 2025.
“It is still not complete and I only see work being done in Block A.
“If the project still has a long way to go, it is worth reconsidering the decision to build the health clinic at the current location and look for a better alternative,” he said.
Long-time Selayang resident Goh Eng Guan, 62, said he anticipated many problems once the health clinic opens.
“Many of us currently seek treatment at Hospital Selayang, which is overcrowded and has long waiting time.
“We appreciate the government’s efforts to build a health clinic here to serve residents in the surrounding areas.
“However, if there are potential problems, then these need to be addressed.
“It will be better to resolve them at the start,” Goh said.
