TMJ: Better to build hospital, increase healthcare budget

KUALA LUMPUR: The Tunku Mahkota of Johor said it would be better for the government to improve healthcare and proceed with the construction of a hospital in Pasir Gudang instead of the “crooked bridge” project.

In a tweet, Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim said: “In my opinion, it’s better to go ahead with the hospital in Pasir Gudang that (the) government tunda (postponed) and increase the healthcare budget for the state.

“All hospitals in JB, including districts, need more beds and medical equipment. Just my humble opinion,” he said in response to a tweet asking what he thought of a proposal to revive the “crooked bridge” project linking Johor Baru and Singapore.

It was reported that the proposed 300-bed, RM500-million hospital was approved under the 11th Malaysia Plan, with 20.23ha in Jalan Gunung in the Bandar Seri Alam township earmarked for the site. However, in May, the state government announced that it was among several projects being reviewed.

Johor Works, Infrastructure and Transport Committee chairman Mazlan Bujang was quoted as saying that the Finance Ministry issued letters asking for these projects to be reviewed due to the alarming national debt of RM1 trillion.

The crooked bridge cropped up again when Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Osman Sapian revealed that the project was back on the table.

Osman said Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had hinted that he was very keen to revive it.

“At an Iskandar Regional Development Authority meeting last month, he asked me whether Johor still needed the crooked bridge. I said, ‘It’s up to you, it’s your idea. If you say you want to

In my opinion, it’s better to go ahead with the hospital in Pasir Gudang that (the) government tunda (postponed) and increase the healthcare budget for the state. Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim

Tunku Mahkota of Johor

continue, I’ll just follow.’ It has a lot of benefits,” Osman said at the Parliament lobby on Tuesday.

The six-lane bridge project was mooted by Dr Mahathir before his retirement in 2003.

However, as Singapore did not agree to the project, it was modified to incorporate a sharp curve on the Malaysian side which would allow vessels to pass underneath, thus earning it the “crooked” moniker. The bridge would join up with the undemolished portion of the Johor Causeway on the Singapore side.

Osman said the crooked bridge was expected to be discussed in a meeting between the state government and the Singapore government later this month.

He said Economic Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Azmin Ali would attend the meeting, to be held in Singapore.