Health ministry to submit counter-proposal on budget cuts

 Health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad says any budget reductions must take into account essential services and human resource needs.

Health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad (left), with federal territories minister and Segambut MP Hannah Yeoh, showing the site of the Manjalara health clinic. With them is district health officer Dr Aminnuddin Ma’pel. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA:

 The health ministry has requested that proposed spending cuts be re-evaluated to ensure core services provided to the public are not compromised.

Health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad said Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim had acknowledged the ministry’s appeal to prevent the RM3.04 billion in cuts proposed by the Treasury secretary-general from being implemented as originally planned.

He said any assessment regarding budget reductions must take into account essential services and the ministry’s human resources, Bernama reported him as saying.

Dzulkefly said he had instructed his ministry’s secretary-general to immediately submit a counter-proposal to the Treasury.

This included identifying non-essential areas where cuts could potentially be made, provided they do not involve core services or human resource requirements.

Dzulkefly assured that these spending cuts would not affect critical development projects or the continuity of healthcare facility construction under the ministry.

Dzulkefly visited the site of the Menjalara health clinic project in Kuala Lumpur today. With him was federal territories minister and Segambut MP Hannah Yeoh.

Dzulkefly said the project was expected to begin in 2028 at a total cost of RM85.9 million, aiming for completion by January 2032. It will serve 256,000 residents in Segambut, Batu and Damansara. - FMT