'Cancellation of Kampar hospital a major disappointment'

IPOH: The much anticipated Kampar hospital project has been cancelled by the federal government much to the disappointment of the 120,000 residents who had been hoping for better medical treatment.
Kampar's DAP MP Dr Ko Chung Sen (pix) said the residents were shocked to hear that the previously approved project had been called off.
"The present hospital built in 1949 on a steep hill with a capacity for 90 beds, cannot cater for major operations and lacks other facilities.
"The reasons given by the government for the cancellation of the project cannot be accepted," he told reporters here today.
According to Ko, the then Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai had announced the project costing RM150 million, which would be undertaken by the federal government on July 26, 2011.
A 42ha site in Bandar Agacia, Taman Kampar Putra had been identified, and the project was supposed to be completed in two years.
However, it was pushed to the 11th Malaysia Plan on March 5, 2014, and finally, the government decided against the construction due to several reasons.
He said among the reasons given was that the site was composed of 40% soil and 60% water which would incur a high cost for ground treatment.
The construction of a specialist teaching hospital by Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (Utar) in the area, was also cited as a reason for calling off the project.
"It is not justified as Taman Kampar Putra is experiencing a construction boom in recent years with a completed 20-storey high condominium project and another 24-storey apartment building being built.
The Utar hospital is expected to become a regional centre for paediatrics in Asean.
"The Utar hospital will impose charges which the poor patients will not be able to pay and it cannot replace a new government hospital," he said.