The Association of Private Hospitals Malaysia (APHM) said this would reduce the strain on public hospitals by using the skills and resources of private hospitals.

APHM president Dr Kuljit Singh said private hospitals, including some that are government-linked, could partner with public hospitals to handle specific treatments.

He said this would allow public hospitals to focus on areas with higher demand, and was more cost-effective than creating private wings, which might worsen access to healthcare.

“Private wings in public hospitals will stretch already limited resources, creating unfairness between those who can pay for private care and those who rely on public services,” he said in a statement.

Kuljit said using the same doctors and nurses for both private and public patients could lead to longer wait times and less access to specialists for public hospital patients.

He said the government could tap into private hospitals and work with them to take on outsourced treatments.