KUCHING, Jan 7 — A meeting will be held next week between the Health Ministry and Sarawak Public Health, Housing and Local Government Ministry to deliberate further on the state’s request for autonomy on health matters.

Sarawak Deputy Premier and Minister for Public Health, Housing and Local Government, Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian said the discussion process is quite complicated as it had to go through stages before the outcome could be presented to the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.

"It also involves 43 laws and I have stated in a letter sent to the (Health) Minister (Datuk Seri Dr Dzukefly Ahmad) recently that after 60 years (of Malaysia’s establishment) have passed, the existing health system is no longer working well,” he said.

Dr Sim said this to reporters after after a book launching ceremony at Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) headquarters here, today.

According to him, Sarawak wants health autonomy to be handed over to the state to ensure the health services reach the best level.

He added that Sarawak needed more health facilities, such as heart centres in Sibu and Miri, due to the massive size of the state and the time taken to travel within it. — Bernama