Pasir Gudang council: Layangkasa a suitable site for hospital

What say you on the issue below?

JOHOR BARU: A proposal to build a public hospital in Pasir Gudang has been submitted to the Public Private Partnership Unit (Ukas), which comes under the Prime Minister’s Depart-ment.

Pasir Gudang Municipal Council (MPPG) president On Jabbar said the unit would follow up on the proposal to the Government for further action.

“We are really hoping that the Government will approve the project as Pasir Gudang residents are in dire need of a public hospital,” said On after the opening of a one-day seminar entitled “Pasir Gudang as a Safe City in Iskandar Malaysia” by the state’s deputy police chief Datuk Ismail Yatim.

Kicker: On (right) briefing Ismail (centre) on exhibits on display at the ‘Pasir Gudang as a safe city in Iskandar Malaysia’ seminar.

He added that there were two pieces of lands within the MPPG jurisdiction – the 10.11ha land at the intersection of Taman Cendana-Kota Masai and the 20.23ha land Layangkasa — as the site for the proposed hospital.

However, he said of the two, the Layangkasa land was a better choice as it was larger and suitable for a full-fledged public hospital at least with 200 to 300 beds.

He added that Layangkasa, formerly known as Felda Cahaya Baru in Masai, was a better choice as it was located near the Senai-Pasir Gudang-Desaru Highway.

“The hospital can serve Pasir Gudang residents and those from nearby areas.”

Residents seeking medical treatment at public hospitals now have to go either to Hospital Sultan Ismail in Pandan or Hospital Sultanah Aminah in Johor Baru about 20km and 45km away respectively.

On an unrelated matter, On said the MPPG had taken its own initiative by stationing its traffic wardens at several road junctions within Pasir Gudang to ensure smooth traffic flow during peak hours.

“This is not a long-term solution and we are hoping that the relevant authorities will come up with better ways to overcome the problem,” he said.

He added that the congested areas were the intersections at the Malaysian Marine Heavy Engineering, Taman Pasir Putih, Kota Masai, Taman Cendana and Taman Rinting.