Heng Lee Lee (PH-Berapit) said the 134-year-old hospital was “bursting at its seams”, with its seven-bed intensive care unit constantly full and emergency department visits averaging 210 to 240 patients daily.

“The current facilities are no longer sufficient to meet the healthcare needs of the growing population in Bukit Mertajam and Seberang Perai,” she said during the debate on the 2025 state budget today.

Heng claimed that plans for a 516-bed facility on an eight-acre site opposite the current hospital had been drawn up, but progress had stalled.

As such, she called on the state government to keep tabs on the land acquisition process and push for the completion of the new hospital.

“Why has this issue, which has been ongoing for nearly a year, still not resolved? Can the health ministry provide an assurance that this will be finalised soon?” she asked.

Heng also raised several issues with the current hospital, including a lack of lifts to access the specialist clinics on the first floor and the critical shortage of ICU beds.

“Many patients in critical condition often have to wait for an ICU bed, putting their lives at risk,” she added.

Gooi Hsiao Leung (PH-Bukit Tengah) weighed in, noting that the overcrowding issue extended beyond Bukit Mertajam and affected the entire state.

He referenced a study by the Penang Institute which revealed that Penang had only one public hospital bed per 1,000 people, well below the recommended two beds per 1,000 people under the 12th Malaysia Plan.

“We have the lowest number of available beds in the country, second only to Selangor. States like Sarawak, Sabah, and even those on the east coast, such as Kelantan and Terengganu, have more beds than we do,” he said.

Heng pointed out the troubling doctor-to-population ratio in Penang, with only one public doctor for every 684 people. The ratio should ideally be 1:400, as outlined in the 12MP.