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As Malaysia moves to strengthen its healthcare infrastructure, greater attention must be paid to semi-urban and rural areas such as Hulu Selangor, even as plans for a new government hospital in Petaling Jaya proceed, said Dr Sathia Prakash Nadarajan.
The Pakatan Harapan Hulu Selangor Parliamentary Coordinator said that while he acknowledged that the proposed hospital in Petaling Jaya is both necessary and timely, he stressed that the needs of communities outside major urban centres should not be sidelined.
Hulu Selangor, he noted, covers nearly 20 per cent of Selangor’s land area—making it larger than the state of Melaka—and is home to an estimated 300,000 residents.
With ongoing population growth, new housing developments and rising healthcare demands, the district requires more serious government attention.
“Time is life. We cannot continue wasting the time of Hulu Selangor residents when it comes to accessing specialist care,” said Dr Sathia, who is also Hulu Selangor PKR division chief.
Currently, residents must rely on hospitals outside the district—including those in Selayang, Sungai Buloh and Slim River—for specialist treatment.
This often means long-distance travel, traffic congestion, difficulty finding parking and extended waiting times.
“In healthcare, every minute matters. When patients have to travel far for treatment—especially the elderly, pregnant women, those with chronic conditions or emergency cases—delays can have serious consequences. Time is life. We cannot afford to waste it,” he added.
Dr Sathia also pointed out that major urban hospitals in the future, including the planned facility in Petaling Jaya, are likely to see a significant influx of patients from semi-urban and rural areas such as Hulu Selangor.
As such, he said, healthcare planning at the state level must take into account rapidly developing regions that still lack adequate access to government specialist services.
“Healthcare should not be about politics or which area gets priority first. Every community deserves proper access.”
“But for Hulu Selangor, the need for a government specialist hospital is becoming increasingly urgent,” he said. - May 30, 2026
