We will address all issues in A-G report, says Liow

PUTRAJAYA: No stone will be left unturned in the Government’s efforts to address issues highlighted in the Auditor-General’s Report, said Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai.

He said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had already instructed all Government departments to look into the report and rectify any problem immediately.

“The A-G’s Report reflects the Government’s transparency and accountability in managing government expenditure,” he said after receiving a courtesy call from a patient who was brought out of a two-month coma and nursed back to health at the Ipoh Hospital recently.

Liow pointed out that all Government officers are duty bound to act according to regulations and any circulars issued from time to time.

He, however, noted that despite the problems that cropped up in the report, the Government had shown steady improvements in how it managed public funds.

“The A-G’s Report showed that the situation is much better every year,” he said.

Liow also commended the team of specialists at the Ipoh Hospital for successfully saving the life of 62-year-old Dr Vijayalechumi, who fell into a two-month-long coma due to various complications after a bout of pneumonia.

She was admitted to a private hospital in Ipoh in July and was transferred to the Ipoh Hospital where she was given round-theclock care at the intensive care unit.

“When I woke up, I couldn’t walk. I was wheelchair-bound, but they gave me a lot of encouragement. I decided to push myself and now I am walking again. I can’t express my gratitude in words,” she said.

Liow said Dr Vijayalechumi’s case was a good example of the cooperation between private and public hospitals, where one side can take on a case that the other may not be able to handle.

“In Government hospitals, we have a team of doctors that look at every angle. We are very proud of the quality of our treatment.”