KOTA SAMARAHAN: The contract for the Sarawak Cancer Centre project is expected to be awarded by early next year, with construction scheduled to be completed in five years.
Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi said contractors selected under the pre-qualification process will submit their proposals by October.
"Hopefully, we can appoint (a contractor) by January 2027. From then on, they have 60 months to complete the project.
"After that, there will be a two-year defect liability period. But we hope the centre will be completed on time and start operating in 2032," he told reporters during a site visit at the Sarawak Heart Centre here on Tuesday (July 7).
Nanta said the Sarawak Cancer Centre will be built on a 10.93ha site next to the Sarawak Heart Centre.
It will have 310 beds, with facilities for in-patient and out-patient services, diagnosis and treatment.
"I've been told that this is going to be a very modern, state-of-the-art hospital. It's very important to have this," he said.
He added that the centre will be implemented as a design-and-build contract, with the Health Ministry providing the project scope and the Public Works Department monitoring the implementation.
The centre is a collaboration between the Federal and Sarawak governments.
The state government is advancing the initial financing of RM1bil, to be reimbursed later by Putrajaya.
Nanta said the final cost was estimated to be higher than RM1bil, but declined to provide further details.
