KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 22 — Picture a public hospital where you can choose your specialist and receive personalised care without the hefty private hospital price tag.

This is the vision behind the new Rakan KKM (the Malay initials of the Ministry of Health) programme, a government initiative inspired by the Madani concept.

Designed to enhance public healthcare for all Malaysians, the Rakan KKM programme aims to introduce affordable care options while reinvesting in the system to benefit all segments of society.

What does Rakan KKM offer?

According to Health Minister Datuk Seri Dzulkefly Ahmad, the Rakan KKM programme will provide Madani premium economy services to those willing to pay for quality healthcare, while ensuring that the bottom 40 per cent income group (B40) continues to have access to affordable healthcare.

He also reportedly said last October that the initiative will focus on forging partnerships with private investors and government-linked companies (GLCs) to expand and improve healthcare infrastructure. The goal is to maintain affordability for low-income communities while improving the system’s overall sustainability.

He added that the key to Rakan KKM is inclusivity — ensuring that every Malaysian, regardless of economic status, has access to quality healthcare services.

Rakan KKM services will be available at selected public hospitals and include:

  • Personalised care tailored to patient needs
  • The ability to choose specialists
  • Enhanced privacy and comfort in outpatient, daycare, and inpatient wards

While these services come at a slightly higher cost than standard public healthcare, they will remain more affordable than private hospital options.

What does Rakan KKM seek to achieve?

Beyond benefiting the public healthcare sector, the Rakan KKM programme aims to:

  • Improve healthcare worker retention
  • Boost investment in public healthcare for the B40
  • Provide value-based options to address rising healthcare costs for the middle 40 per cent income group (M40)

How is Rakan KKM beneficial for Malaysians?

Several income groups will be a focus of the programme:

  • M40: Affordable, value-based healthcare options provide relief amid rising private healthcare costs.
  • Healthcare professionals: Better income and working conditions encourage them to remain in public service, benefitting all patients.
  • B40: Increased investment in public healthcare ensures better access and quality for vulnerable communities.

As the initiative is designed to serve the public interest, revenues generated by the Rakan KKM programme will be used for:

  • Covering the full cost of services, including hospital consumables, healthcare team salaries, and programme management
  • Investing in shared services benefiting all patients, including those not enrolled in the programme
  • Redirecting excess revenue for public purposes, such as cross-subsidising healthcare costs for non-participants

How does Rakan KKM benefit healthcare workers?

Malaysia’s public healthcare system faces challenges in retaining healthcare professionals, many of whom leave for the private sector.

The Rakan KKM programme aims to address this by:

  • Offering specialists and healthcare workers opportunities to earn additional income within public hospitals, instead of relying on private locums
  • Improving working conditions to retain talent in the public sector, ensuring more specialists and experienced professionals are available to serve the community

Who funds Rakan KKM, and where is it found?

The programme is supported by seed financing from the Ministry of Finance and investments from government-linked investment companies (GLICs).

In his Budget 2025 speech, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced an early allocation of RM25 million for Rakan KKM’s implementation.

However, the programme is fully owned and governed by the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Finance, ensuring it remains a public initiative, not a privatisation. Privatisation refers to the transfer of ownership, control, and management of public assets to the private sector.

Rakan KKM will be managed by a professional team, appointed by and accountable to the government.

As a public initiative, it is not profit-driven and will focus on delivering value-based healthcare.

The programme will begin at several hospitals and gradually expand to major public hospitals nationwide.

Anwar has reportedly said that it will first be implemented in five high-demand hospitals, including Cyberjaya Hospital, which has the necessary infrastructure.

The full list of hospitals, healthcare service prices, and the official commencement date will be announced in due course.