Communities outside Selangor’s urban areas have emerged as the main users of Ambulance Kita Selangor (AKS) service, reflecting a growing need for affordable and accessible healthcare transport.
Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari said the three areas with the highest usage were Taman Medan, Sijangkang and Paya Jaras.
“Based on data up to the beginning of this year, several localities, particularly suburban areas, recorded the highest number of service requests,” he said after launching AKS Phase Two at Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah building in Shah Alam.
At the event, he also introduced the tanjung flower as the state’s public health icon.
AKS, running since November last year, currently operates using 48 ambulances provided by St John Ambulance Malaysia.
Amirudin said a total of 374 ambulance emergency trips were recorded in Phase One, serving 103 patients.
“The programme covered 23 healthcare facilities, including hospitals.”
He said following the positive response, the state government decided to expand the service under Phase Two, covering 86 health clinics across Selangor.
Amirudin said the service also provided significant benefit to low- and middle-income residents who might otherwise face difficulties affording private ambulance services.
Meanwhile, Selangor public health and environment committee chairman Jamaliah Jamaluddin said adoption of the tanjung flower as the health icon reflected the state’s identity, heritage and pride.
As Selangor’s official flower, she said it was a fitting emblem for the state’s public health initiatives and commitment to improving the well-being of its people.
“The design of the tanjung flower, featuring nine petals, carries significant meaning.
“It represents the nine key pillars of public health that form the foundation of efforts to protect and improve the health of the people,” she said.
The pillars encompass health promotion, disease prevention, mental well-being, environmental health, food safety, maternal and child health, health preparedness, equitable access to healthcare services, and innovation in the field of health.
“AKS and the tanjung flower as the public health icon of Selangor reflect the state’s commitment to bringing healthcare services closer to the people, strengthening the public health system and ensuring that no one is left behind in accessing the healthcare services they need,” Jamaliah added.
Also present at the launch were State Assembly Speaker Lau Weng San, State Secretary Datuk Dr Ahmad Fadzli Ahmad Tajuddin and state investment, trade and mobility committee chairman Ng Sze Han.
