KUCHING: Sarawak government will continue lobbying for federal funding to implement a teaching hospital in Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas).

Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu said this after he was appointed Unimas pro-chancellor 2 for a period of two years, effective Oct 8.

“As our commitment to continue expanding this first local university, we hope to secure some funds from the federal government to build a teaching hospital for Unimas. We know that it is going to be very expensive but we are optimistic the federal government will consider our request when the money is available because it is necessary,” he said.

Jabu said his immediate task was to do his homework to justify the request made to the federal government.

He disclosed this after receiving his appointment certificate from Unimas vice-chancellor Datuk Dr Mohamad Kadim Suadi in Wisma Bapa Malaysia here yesterday.

According to Mohamad Kadim, their plan was for Unimas to have a 400-bed teaching hospital but it all depended on the availability of government grants for the project.

“The project is going to be very costly. We are talking about RM1.5 million per bed here and the estimate to complete the whole project is around RM600 million,” he said.

To this, Jabu said the state will not pressure the federal government to implement the project at once but do it in phases.

source:MJNnews