PETALING JAYA: The Health Ministry has rubbished allegations that its budget has been slashed by RM3.06bil.
The ministry issued a statement to address the false allegations, saying that the ministry had only had its operating expenditure restricted to RM500mil by the Finance Ministry.
"This restriction warrant is a technical adjustment to surplus allocations for vacant positions that cannot be filled this year, and it does not affect the 18,641 posts approved by the Public Service Department (JPA) for the Health Ministry for 2026.
"This restriction does not involve the ministry's operational allocations or asset procurement," it said on Thursday (June 25).
The ministry added that this meant that the allocations for the procurement of medicines, vaccines, medical supplies, hospital maintenance, as well as the daily operations of clinics and public health facilities, would continue as normal.
"Our training allocation is also unaffected and programmes for the development of expertise and human capital will proceed according to the original plan.
"Therefore, claims that the ministry is experiencing a cut of RM3.06bil to its operating budget or health services are inaccurate and misleading.
"The figure being circulated is merely a preliminary savings estimate based on the Finance Ministry's formula and is not the finalised restriction warrant amount," it said.
The Health Ministry assured the public that the delivery of health services would continue as normal.
"Hospital operations, health clinics, and public health facilities nationwide will remain fully operational, and public access to treatment and medicines will be guaranteed," it said.
