Malaysian Medical Resources.18th December 2008: - Sime Darby Bhd has expressed interest in taking over the National Heart Institute, or Institut Jantung Negara (IJN), a move that has met with objections from the ministry of health, sources said.
It is learnt that the Ministry of Finance (MoF), which owns IJN, has submitted a proposal for the privatisation of the hospital to the cabinet. Health industry officials are not surprised by the MoF’s move as the ministry had sent out feelers to government-linked companies to gauge the interest in such an exercise.
Sources said that both Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai and his deputy Datuk Dr Abdul Latiff Ahmad do not agree to the proposed divestment.
“They do not agree to this sale unless there is a safety net for the poor and the underprivileged. Their needs have to be taken care of. And the time is not right,” said a source.
Sources said Sime Darby’s interest and the positive reception from the MoF do not in any way mean that a deal is certain.
“It’s a preliminary exploration. There is still a long way to go as there are a lot of things to be ironed out,” said one of the sources.
One of the concerns is whether IJN’s charges would increase should it be taken over by a private corporation.
It is learnt that the Ministry of Finance (MoF), which owns IJN, has submitted a proposal for the privatisation of the hospital to the cabinet. Health industry officials are not surprised by the MoF’s move as the ministry had sent out feelers to government-linked companies to gauge the interest in such an exercise.
Sources said that both Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai and his deputy Datuk Dr Abdul Latiff Ahmad do not agree to the proposed divestment.
“They do not agree to this sale unless there is a safety net for the poor and the underprivileged. Their needs have to be taken care of. And the time is not right,” said a source.
Sources said Sime Darby’s interest and the positive reception from the MoF do not in any way mean that a deal is certain.
“It’s a preliminary exploration. There is still a long way to go as there are a lot of things to be ironed out,” said one of the sources.
One of the concerns is whether IJN’s charges would increase should it be taken over by a private corporation.
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That was the news from the world of madness. It must be the idea from hell where someone in the top post is living. Do you think that most working class Malaysian can afford to pay the bills if it’s transferred to Sime Darby ? I don’t understand with the previous government. What they think is total capitalism.
I just had a check up for Yasmine Shahnaz and I observed the patients here. Most of them are from the middle class. See the picture below and look at the crowd including the most front person.
I just had a check up for Yasmine Shahnaz and I observed the patients here. Most of them are from the middle class. See the picture below and look at the crowd including the most front person.
Thanks to Dr. M who aggressively protest the IJN privatization. He said “Don’t just think about money, give it to the public”. I can smell whose hand that full of maggots.
