TANJONG PAPAT Warisan Assemblyman Alex Thien has expressed disappointment that Budget 2027 does not specify funding for the expansion or major upgrading of Duchess of Kent Hospital (HDOK) in Sandakan, despite increased healthcare allocations nationwide.
He said a review of the Budget 2027 speech and Federal Expenditure Estimates found no clearly earmarked allocation for the hospital’s proposed expansion, despite its longstanding infrastructure challenges.
Thien said the hospital continued to face insufficient bed capacity, ageing buildings, inadequate medical facilities, a shortage of specialist doctors and limited parking spaces.
With demand for healthcare services increasing, he said the hospital was under considerable pressure, while several facilities required urgent repairs and upgrading.
“Sandakan Hospital does not only serve residents of Sandakan. It is also a major referral hospital for Sabah’s east coast, receiving patients from surrounding districts such as Kinabatangan, Beluran, Telupid and Tongod who require further medical treatment.
“The shortage of facilities therefore affects not only the people of Sandakan, but also healthcare delivery across the wider east coast region,” he said.
Thien noted that during a visit to the hospital in 2025, the Health Minister had proposed constructing a new clinical block with an additional 594 beds to address overcrowding.
However, he said Budget 2027 did not clearly state whether the project had received formal approval, nor specify its annual funding allocation or implementation timeline.
He added that although the Government had previously approved funding for repairs and upgrading works involving older wards and related facilities, some projects had experienced prolonged delays.
He called on the authorities to clarify the implementation status of these projects.
“What the people need is not merely funding announcements or development proposals, but projects that actually commence, are completed and deliver meaningful improvements to healthcare services.
“Since the Health Ministry has already proposed a new clinical block, it should clearly explain whether the project has received formal approval, the total estimated cost, when construction will begin and when it is expected to be completed,” he said.
Thien stressed that hospital development must take into account bed capacity, specialist services, medical manpower and future population growth, rather than relying solely on minor repairs to meet rising healthcare demands.
He urged the Finance Ministry and Health Ministry to outline the development plans, funding arrangements and implementation timeline for the hospital’s proposed expansion, stressing Sandakan’s importance as a healthcare referral centre for Sabah’s east coast.
Meanwhile, Thien raised concerns over a reduction in federal development funding for Sabah’s water supply infrastructure under Budget 2027.
According to the Federal Expenditure Estimates 2027, the allocation for the Sabah Water Supply Programme (Rancangan Bekalan Air Sabah) has decreased from about RM192.77 million under the revised 2026 estimates to RM166.44 million in 2027.
“This represents a reduction of approximately RM26.33 million, or 13.66 per cent, despite Sabah continuing to face serious and persistent water supply problems,” he said.
Thien said Sabah had experienced recurring water disruptions, low water pressure, ageing transmission and distribution pipelines, and frequent pipe leakages for years.
He said sustained investment was needed to upgrade and replace ageing infrastructure to improve the reliability of water supply.
“Water supply problems are not something new. They are longstanding issues that Sabahans have been facing year after year.
“Addressing these accumulated infrastructure problems requires sustained and adequate financial investment. Why is the allocation being reduced when Sabah’s water supply challenges remain unresolved?” he asked.
Thien acknowledged that the Federal Government had announced a nationwide Non-Revenue Water (NRW) reduction programme, including the replacement of ageing pipelines.
However, he said clarification was needed on how much of the funding would be allocated to Sabah, which districts would benefit and what projects would be implemented.
He stressed that the effectiveness of a national budget should not be measured solely by increases in overall expenditure, but also by whether funding reached areas with pressing infrastructure needs and whether approved projects were delivered on schedule.
“We welcome increased federal development allocations, but what matters most is whether these funds translate into real improvements in the healthcare and water supply services that Sabahans have been waiting for,” he said.
Thien called on the Finance Ministry, Health Ministry and relevant authorities to provide a detailed breakdown of allocations, project implementation progress and completion timelines for the proposed Sandakan Hospital expansion and Sabah’s water supply improvement projects.
“The people deserve clear answers on when these long-awaited developments will become a reality,” he said.