Not true that hospital project will cost RM8.2 billion, says UiTM

Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) students at a convocation ceremony. UiTM says claims that the government will spend RM8.2 billion for a hospital project are untrue. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, October 29, 2015.

Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) yesterday refuted claims by the opposition that the government would spend RM8.2 billion for the UiTM Hospital project at the Puncak Alam campus.

UiTM in a statement said the claim by PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli in relation to the cost was not accurate.

"UiTM is unhappy with the incorrect information that was sensationalised by Rafizi with regard to the UiTM Hospital through a private finance initiative (PFI) in Puncak Alam.

"UiTM has not signed a concession with any parties to build the hospital. The draft of the concession was sent to UiTM on July 14 and discussed by UiTM's board of directors on October 22," said the statement.

The university said the draft was still being studied to ensure the welfare of UiTM.

"The 400 bed hospital has been proposed to be built on a 11.28 hectare site (28.19 acres)," said the statement, referring to a news report quoting Rafizi as saying the project had been handed to a businessman who was a close relationship with Umno.

Rafizi said then that the cost for building the hospital would only incur RM599 million but that the government had handed out the project for RM8.2 billion. – Bernama