Sim said JKR was ordered to issue the tender for the RM1.5 billion project by the first quarter of next year and commence construction by the third quarter.

He said the target was to have the health facility up and running before 2031, Borneo Post reported.

Sim added that the order was made during a special meeting in Putrajaya on national strategic projects on Monday.

“One of the four projects presented was the Sarawak Cancer Centre, a health ministry public hospital with JKR as the implementing agency. It will have 310 beds with a gross floor area of 154,498.26 sq m, roughly equivalent to about 1,500 shop houses.

“Thank you prime minister for instructing JKR to speed up the project timeline,” he said.

Sim also said that the Sarawak government was extending a RM1 billion loan to Putrajaya to support the implementation of the project.

The Sarawak Cancer Centre was among the key projects listed by Anwar for the health sector under the 13th Malaysia Plan.

Once completed, the facility will be Malaysia’s first full-fledged and public cancer centre.