PSM raises concerns over mySalam scheme fund

PUTRAJAYA: Parti Sosialis Malay­sia (PSM) has handed over a memorandum to the Finance Ministry, highlighting its concerns over the health protection fund for the low-income group (B40).

PSM central committee member Dr Michael Jeyakumar Devaraj handed the memorandum over to the ministry’s Corporate Strategy and Communications Division deputy secretary Tajol Azhar yesterday.

This came about shortly after Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad launched the mySalam national protection scheme.

Dr Jeyakumar said he was disappointed that the Finance Minister had not replied to PSM’s request for a meeting despite sending letters to him on Nov 25 and Dec 17 last year.

Dr Jeyakumar said that while PSM welcomed the support for the low-income group, it hoped that the funds would be used exclusively for treatment in government hospitals.

“We hoped the RM8,000 one-off payment for critical illness could be used for implants too, when patients seek treatment in government hospitals as many poor patients cannot afford expensive implants or medical devices,” he said.

The memorandum, among others, urged the government to avoid expanding the private insurance system because the bottomline for the private sector is based on profit, is risk-rated, and incurs high administrative costs.