KUCHING, Dec 17 — The Sarawak Cancer Centre project has been placed on an accelerated timeline following a directive by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to the Public Works Department (JKR), said Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian.

He said JKR has been instructed to tender out the RM1.5 billion project by the first quarter of 2026, begin construction by the third quarter of 2026, and ensure that the facility is completed and operation before 2031.

He said this followed a special meeting to monitor national strategic projects in Putrajaya on Monday.

“One of the four projects presented today (Monday) is the Sarawak Cancer Centre, a Ministry of Health (MoH) Malaysia public hospital with JKR Malaysia as the implementing agency. It will have 310 beds with a gross floor area of 154,498.26 square metres, roughly equivalent to about 1,500 shop houses.

“Thanks PMX (Anwar) for instructing JKR Malaysia to speed up the project timeline,” he said in a Facebook post.

Dr Sim, who is Public Health, Housing and Local Government Minister, said the project cost of RM1.5 billion was determined following a value laboratory exercise conducted by the MoH and JKR, adding that the Sarawak government is extending RM1 billion loan to the federal government to support the projects implementation.

“Once completed, the Sarawak Cancer Centre will be the largest and only fully fledged dedicated cancer centre in Malaysia.

“It will also serve as a key component of the Sarawak Health Metropolis in Samarahan, a 6km corridor integrating healthcare, higher learning, research and industry,” he said.

The area includes the Sarawak Heart Centre, Sarawak Infectious Disease Centre, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) Hospital, Unimas, Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Sarawak, Sarawak Biodiversity Centre, and the Samajaya Free Industrial Zone.

Dr Sim stressed that while infrastructure is important, the greatest challenge in delivery specialist medical services in Sarawak and Malaysia lies in attracting and retaining specialist doctors and nurses.

“In 2025, even for Sarawak, our medical service has moved beyond the level of good enough for general medical specialist service but moved to sub-specialised services such as Heart Centre and Cancer Centre.

“But these sub-specialists are wanted everywhere in the world, not just in Sarawak or Malaysia. A challenge for Malaysia is retaining them, especially when they are nowhere as well paid as even the closer neighbouring countries like Singapore or Australia,” he said.

Drawing from Sarawak’s experience in developing the Sarawak Heart Centre, Dr Sim said it took more than two decades for the centre to be recognised among the top 100 heart centres in the Asia-Pacific region.

That achievement, he said, eventually led to federal approval for the establishment of satellite heart centres at Bintulu Hospital, followed by Miri Hospital and Sibu Hospital.

“When it comes to sub-specialist hospitals such as heart or cancer centres, it is important that we not only build a world-class infrastructure but also world-class doctors and nurses so that we are not just providing services with cutting-edge facilities but also in medical research,” he said.

He also highlighted Sarawak General Hospital’s (SGH) growing reputation, noting that it has been Malaysia’s top clinical research hospital for the past three years and is increasingly recognised by medical and scientific communities across the region.

Reiterating his stance on medical standards, Dr Sim said there should be no compromise on the quality of doctors and specialists, even amid shortages.

“There must be no shortcuts when it comes to human life,” he said. — The Borneo Post