PETALING JAYA: The densely populated Petaling district is now a step closer towards getting its own public hospital.
Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari said the proposed site that was accepted by the Health Ministry for the Petaling Jaya hospital will cater to the needs of the district’s residents in terms of accessibility, capacity, land cost and proximity to local communities.
It was reported that the future Petaling Jaya hospital will be located at a site in Taman Medan which is currently home to a modern sports complex.
“The location allows the hospital to operate with a capacity of 500 beds through a vertical concept as implemented in Hospital Ampang.
“This design reduces dependence on land while also optimising costs for the Health Ministry,” he said in a statement yesterday.
Amirudin added that a site visit will be carried out by the relevant agencies immediately this week.
This will comprise the ministry, state government agencies and officers, including the state’s Economic Planning Unit, the Petaling Jaya City Council and also the Petaling District Office.
Amirudin pledged the state government’s commitment to facilitate and expedite land-related processes to ensure the ministry’s construction of the Petaling Jaya Hospital will benefit Petaling district residents, especially those in Petaling Jaya, Subang Jaya and Puchong.
He also welcomed Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad’s agreement to the proposed site for the hospital, adding that this follows a recent meeting on May 14 which involved federal and state agencies as well as local authorities.
“The announcement reflects the roles of both parties and how both federal and state governments reach decisions concerning public healthcare, particularly in matters involving the construction and operation of hospitals, as stipulated under the Ninth Schedule of the Federal Constitution.”
He added that efforts to locate a site for the Petaling Jaya public hospital have been actively carried out by the state government since 2018, considering how there are more than 2.3 million residents in the district alone.
Petaling Jaya, he said, is also home to more than 800,000 residents.
“Currently, residents in the district have to depend on the Sungai Buloh Hospital which has a capacity of 1,037 beds, the Shah Alam hospital which has a capacity of 490 beds and the Universiti Malaya Medical Centre which has a capacity of 946 beds and is managed by the Higher Education Ministry,” he said.
“We have also worked closely with the Health Ministry to overcome issues related to accessibility and congestion at public hospitals around Selangor,” he said.
Recently, Amirudin drew brickbats from netizens following remarks he made in relation to the possible construction of the Petaling Jaya hospital.
