KUCHING, Jan 31 — Sarawak Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian has voiced disappointment over the Ministry of Health’s (MoH) allocation of mobile dental units, saying it has created unequal access to dental services among states.
Dr Sim, who is also the Sarawak Minister of Public Health, Housing and Local Government, said Sabah was allocated three mobile dental units and Perlis one, while Sarawak received only a single unit.
“This is extremely unfair. Perlis, with its smaller land area, can be sufficiently covered by one unit,” he said.
“In Sarawak, our vast landmass and scattered population mean that one mobile dental unit is not even enough to serve Kuching, let alone the entire state,” he added.
Dr Sim made the remarks while speaking at the Dato Tan Guek Kee and Datin Lee Siew Ling Charity Foundation’s annual charity event here.
He said the matter had been raised during a recent dialogue with Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad. Despite the outcome, he stressed that Sarawak would continue to seek additional medical resources in future roundtable discussions with the federal government.
Dr Sim also welcomed the role played by non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in bridging healthcare gaps across the state. Among the notable efforts, he highlighted the establishment of a palliative care centre, believed to be the first NGO-initiated facility of its kind in Sarawak.
“This shows that Sarawak is capable of achieving initiatives that may not yet have been realised elsewhere in Malaysia,” he said.
He expressed appreciation to NGOs and community-based organisations for their dedication to charitable work and preserving a caring society. He also urged more organisations and individuals to contribute towards making Sarawak a more progressive and compassionate state.
Dr Sim further praised the Dato Tan Guek Kee and Datin Lee Siew Ling Charity Foundation for its long-standing commitment to charitable causes since its establishment in 2010, particularly its support for underprivileged communities and educational institutions.
While Sarawak is often regarded as a wealthy state, Dr Sim said it still faces significant challenges in securing funding for development, especially in education, human capital, social welfare and infrastructure.
He emphasised that close cooperation between the government, NGOs and charitable foundations remains essential to strengthening social well-being in the state.