MELAKA, Nov 28 — The government has allocated RM40 million to repair the 94 Armed Forces Hospital (94 HAT) at the Terendak Camp, Sungai Udang, here, said Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

He said the allocation was as a beginning and the repair works were expected to start in June next year to solve the issue of basic facilities at the hospital including water, electricity, operation theatre, intensive care unit (ICU) and patients’ rooms.

‘’To date, we received RM40 million from the government and the amount is indeed not enough because it is only to solve pressing issues.

‘’The hospital is too old, namely since 1964. This HAT cannot be continued for the long term. If we only make repairs, there will be other damages in future and it will not solve problems other than it can only take small surgery cases,’’ he said.

‘’To me, what is important, needed and truly ideal is to build a new 94 HAT for a long term solution. A request will be made to the government for allocations to build a new 94 HAT.

He was speaking at a media conference after visiting 94 HAT here, today. Also present was Army chief, General Tan Sri Zamrose Mohd Zain.

Ismail said the ministry would seek other initiatives to obtain allocations to realise the aspiration of building a new 94 HAT on a 1.21-hectare (ha) to 1.61 ha site if the application (to build a new hospital) was rejected by the government.

To date, he said 94 HAT, which was 56-years-old could only accommodate 114 patients at any one time including civilians.

Until to date, the Ministry of Defence had five hospitals, namely, HAT Tuanku Mizan di Kuala Lumpur, 94 HAT di Melaka, 96 HAT Royal Malaysian Navy (TLDM) Lumut di Perak, Syed Sirajuddin Camp Army Hospital, Gemas di Negeri Sembilan and HAT Wilayah Kota Kinabalu di Sabah, he added. — Bernama