GEORGE TOWN: All contracts linked to the Health Ministry’s Flying Doctor Service (FDS), including those involving helicopters, will be reviewed following the fatal helicopter crash in Long Lellang, Sarawak, said Health director-general Datuk Dr Mahathar Abd Wahab.
He said the review was in line with the announcement by Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad following the Sept 8 crash, which claimed the lives of five people, including four KKM personnel and the pilot.
“As stated in the press conference issued by the minister, we will review all the contracts related to it,” he told reporters after the Malaysia Trauma Conference (MTC) 2026 at a hotel in Bukit Jambul on Saturday (Sept 13).
Asked whether the helicopter contract would also be reviewed, Dr Mahathar said all related contracts would be assessed.
He, however, declined to comment on claims that the helicopter involved was old, saying the matter fell under the jurisdiction of the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM), which is conducting the investigation.
“That is under the jurisdiction of CAAM, which is conducting the investigation,” he said.
Dr Mahathar also clarified that the RM30 allowance paid to FDS personnel was on a per-trip basis, adding that it would also be assessed.
Following the crash, the Health Ministry announced that FDS operations in Sarawak would be temporarily suspended to allow a comprehensive assessment of the service’s safety and operational mechanisms.
The review covers the FDS delivery framework, including contracts, governance, operational safety, coverage requirements and the effectiveness of the existing service model.
On Sept 8, a helicopter operating the FDS crashed near Long Lellang in Ulu Baram, Sarawak, killing five people.
Earlier, at the trauma conference, Dr Mahathar said trauma prevention and management required cooperation beyond the healthcare sector, with various government agencies, employers, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and communities having a role to play.
He said the approach was in line with the “whole of nation” or “whole of society” concept, particularly as many trauma cases could be prevented through better road and workplace safety.
“When we look at the management of trauma cases, it begins from the occurrence of an incident until the recovery process in the community.
“More importantly, for trauma, there must be prevention programmes.
"These prevention programmes do not only involve the Health Ministry, but also other government agencies,” he said.
Mahathar said road safety issues involving motorcyclists and vehicles were not solely under the Health Ministry’s jurisdiction, while workplace injuries, particularly at construction sites, required greater commitment from employers.
“When trauma occurs, we know that it often affects members of society who are in a very productive age group.
"Therefore, the impact on the economy is also very significant,” he said.
He said the Health Ministry has established cooperation with agencies including the Fire and Rescue Department and Civil Defence Force to manage trauma patients at accident scenes before they were transported to hospitals.
“In Penang, for example, we have a lot of cooperation with NGOs in providing ambulance services and so on.
“This is what we call cross-agency cooperation and is not solely the responsibility of the Health Ministry, but also other agencies,” he said.
On concerns over rising health insurance premiums and the possibility of more patients turning to public hospitals if they could no longer afford private coverage, Dr Mahathar said the Health Ministry and Finance Ministry were examining the matter through a joint committee.
“Both ministries have been cooperating through a joint committee to look into this matter. This is also one of the reasons the government has been pursuing the medical basic programme,” he said.
