“The multi-storey carpark at the Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) in Kuching, for example, is a very old issue,” he pointed out, adding: “We see the need to speed up the project or it will incur more cost.”

Any further delay will not only burden the government but also the people, he added in remarks reported by The Borneo Post.

He was speaking on the sidelines of the Health Ministry Training Institute’s Convocation 2016, Sarawak Zone, at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) in Kuching yesterday.

Meanwhile, Sarawak Health Department Director Dr Jamilah Hashim said that the multi-storey car park project, which includes a budget hotel, had been approved.

“The parties were going through the concessionaire agreement,” she explained. “The process may take about six months.”

She expressed the hope that the long-delayed project, which will cost RM378 million, will start next year.

Elsewhere, Jamilah said the proposed Petra Jaya Hospital was only 64 per cent complete.

“It will not be ready next month as scheduled. The new completion date is June next year,” she said.

She revealed that the contractor involved blamed the delay on a shortage of workers.

“The contractor requested for extension of time to complete construction work.

“The contractor has been fined for the delay,” Jamilah said, adding that the contractor has promised to employ more workers.

She also gave an update on the proposed hospital in Lawas.

“The project in Lawas will proceed to Phase 2B following the approval of an additional RM22 million allocation. It involves the construction of buildings,” Jamilah said.

Phase A and 2A, physical works, had been completed, she disclosed.

“The initial problem was shortage of funds but since that has been sorted out, Phase 2B will start soon.”

She had no update on the long-delayed hospital in Sri Aman.