Why are people upset over the PJ-Subang-Puchong hospital issue? For residents in PJ-Subang-Puchong, this issue is not another public fuss.
When government hospitals are overcrowded, appointments delayed, or emergencies happen, many are pushed to hospitals outside the area, or expensive private care.
So, let’s help Selangor find land for a public hospital.
Selangor has 13 public hospitals. Yet PJ–Subang–Puchong, among Malaysia’s densest and wealthiest urban corridors, still lacks a dedicated government hospital. Petaling district alone has 2.4 million people, larger than several states.
Before saying there is “no suitable land”, let’s look at land productivity. In a Selangor state assembly reply, PKNS reportedly held 4,821 acres of land bank statewide, including 240.94 acres in Petaling district alone.
If a major urban public hospital may require only 15-40 acres, the public deserves transparency on how strategic land is being prioritised.
What exactly is “suitable land” for a hospital? Reliable water and energy access. Flood-risk avoidance. Strong infrastructure. Accessibility. Expansion potential. These sound oddly familiar, because they are also core requirements for data centres.
Selangor currently has 39 operating data centres and another 13 under construction. Some single hyperscale campuses in Selangor already exceed 100 acres. For perspective: a major urban public hospital may require only 15-40 acres. Is the 'suitable land' issue, or state priority?
MB Selangor cited “suitable land” as the challenge. But urban land in Selangor has always been difficult. Malaysia’s Land Acquisition Act exists precisely because governments sometimes need to assemble difficult land for projects deemed in the public interest.
The real question is: what projects does the state consider important enough to make land become suitable?
Even more interesting: a public hospital arguably has more locational flexibility than a hyperscale DC if urgency exists in rapidly building DC infrastructure, why is there no urgency to build accessible and affordable public healthcare? - May 26, 2026
Charles Santiago is former Klang MP
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