AN MCA leader has questioned the delay in developing a public hospital in Petaling Jaya, saying residents in one of Selangor’s most densely populated areas continue to lack access to affordable government healthcare services despite the state being governed by Pakatan Harapan for more than 18 years.
Selangor State Liaison Committee Chairman Datuk Lawrence Low said residents in Petaling Jaya, Subang and Puchong had for years relied on facilities such as Hospital Shah Alam and University Malaya Medical Centre for affordable medical treatment.
At the same time, the number of private hospitals in the surrounding areas continued to grow.
“Do residents here not deserve access to government healthcare services?” Low asked in a statement.
The MCA vice president also questioned the Selangor government’s priorities following the approval of a 25% increase in assessment tax collection by local authorities earlier this year.
“What is the purpose of collecting additional revenue if it is not channelled back towards the welfare and healthcare needs of residents?” he said.
Low went on to slam Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari over explanations that the project faced challenges due to limited suitable land and high land costs.
“It is difficult to accept that Selangor, the country’s richest and most developed state, cannot identify suitable land for a government hospital while commercial developments continue expanding rapidly,” he remarked.
He added that many residents viewed the situation as evidence that development priorities were being placed ahead of public healthcare needs.
Low further raised the question as to why the issue was only gaining attention as the country moved closer to the 16th General Election (GE16).
“The public is asking whether this will eventually become another election promise when the need for a government hospital should have been addressed much earlier,” he remarked.
He stressed that the issue was becoming increasingly urgent due to the area’s ageing population, noting that many senior citizens may eventually struggle to afford treatment at private hospitals after retirement.
“The health and wellbeing of residents should never be treated as a political tool,” he said.
“If the state government is sincere about protecting public welfare, it must demonstrate the political will to identify suitable land instead of repeatedly citing high costs.”
Low also pointed to an earlier announcement by Petaling Jaya mayor Datuk Mohamad Zahri Samingon in February that a government hospital would be built in the area.
“Residents deserve an explanation over the apparent contradiction between that announcement and the Menteri Besar’s statement that no suitable land is available,” he added. ‒ May 27, 2026
Main image: The Star
