MARAN: After a four-year delay, Maran Hospital will be ready by the end of next year, said Deputy Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Abd Muttalib today.
Ismail said the news about the construction of the RM350 million hospital was announced during the tabling of the 2023 Budget last week.
"The hospital was first approved under the 11th Malaysia Plan by then prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
"The RM150 million project was supposed to begin construction in 2018 but it did not happen following the change in government.
"Till today, Maran remains the only district in Pahang without a hospital.
"Before the tabling of the 2023 Budget, I spoke with the prime minister (Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob) and finance minister (Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz) to ensure the hospital is included in the budget .
"The prime minister assured me that Maran Hospital would be included and I hope construction will begin soon."
He said this after visiting the hospital project site in Kampung Batu 55, Jalan Kuala Sentul-Maran, near here.
The hospital was approved by the Barisan Nasional administration under the 11th Malaysia Plan (2016-2020) and the ground-breaking ceremony was held in May 2018. The project was suspended in March 2019.
The hospital, which was initially planned on a 20ha site, was supposed to be completed this year.
Ismail, a four-term Maran member of parliament, said the lack of a hospital had forced Maran residents to go to Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Hospital in Temerloh, Jengka Hospital or Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital in Kuantan.
"The 76-bed hospital will be the first dedicated infectious-disease hospital in the east coast.
"The project will benefit more than 140,000 people in the district and surrounding areas, including the Orang Asli.
"We have a design for the hospital, which was prepared by the Public Works Department.
"I hope construction can begin next year and that there will be no further setbacks as delays will result only in hardship for the people."