Call on the Government to announce the details of 1 Care

DAP National Deputy Chairman and MP for Kepong Dr Tan Seng Giaw calls on the Central Government to announce the details of its 1 Care programme.

On 6.6.2011, Dr Tan issues a statement concerning 1 Care.

The Government has 12 National Key Economic Areas (NKEAs) with Key Performance Indices (KPIs) and National Key Result Areas (NKRAs). By 2020 the expenditure is estimated at RM1.4 trillion, 92% being from the private sector. One of the Government Transformation Programmes (GTPs) is said to be 1 Care, rhyming with 1 Malaysia.

What is 1 Care? The Government has yet to let the public know.

Over 10 years ago, there was much talk about corporatisation of the health services involving over 3,000 hospitals, clinics and public polyclinics in Malaysia. In 1999, the then Health Minister Datuk Chua Jui Ming denied it.

Although the Government refers to the corporatisation of the National Heart Institute (IJN) since 1993 with continued subsidies, the trend of Government-Linked Companies (GLC) like Sime Darby taking over private hospitals such as Subang Jaya Medical Centre makes people search for answers. This sounds American. In 2010, President Obama promulgated Health Care Legislation,allocating USD 940 billion to cover 32 million more Americans. Does the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib intend to propose new Health Care Legislation?

We would like to know what GTP on health care is. We continue to seek details on 1 Care as health issue is very complicated. Can poor people afford it? What is important is that Malaysians should be treated fairly in health care.

Dr Tan Seng Giaw