KUALA LUMPUR: Reforming public healthcare is far more critical than pursuing changes within the private sector.
The Association of Private Hospitals of Malaysia (APHM) president Datuk Dr Kuljit Singh said that reforms in private healthcare primarily benefit the M40 and T20 income groups by capping, reducing, and controlling private health care, leaving the B40 group — those with the lowest incomes — largely unserved.
Dr Kujit questioned the current state of healthcare access for the B40 individuals, who predominantly rely on public hospitals, and called for their needs to be addressed promptly as they await treatment.
"I think the parliamentarians (and) the think tanks, should actually dive into that more than looking at their private health care.
"If their delivery system is good, then we will not have this issue," he told the New Straits Times' podcast Beyond the Headlines.
While Dr Kuljit admitted he is not in a position to comment on the specifics of public healthcare reform, he said it's more urgent over private sector changes.
He added that those working in both the private and public healthcare sectors need to understand how each system operates, as this knowledge is essential before any changes can be made.
"So we need to sit together, learn from each other, and definitely, we can make Malaysia a better place for our citizens.
"We are already making it a better place for our foreigners to receive treatment, so why don't we do it better for our own people," Dr Kuljit said.