PRIME Minister Anwar Ibrahim said the Health and Education Ministries would continue to get the biggest allocations under the Madani Budget 2024 to be tabled on October 13. 

Anwar, who will present the budget, said among the matters to be focussed on were the building of health clinics and resolving congestion in government hospitals nationwide. 

“In the Madani Budget, health and education issues will continue to be given emphasis. Our main focus is healthcare facilities, including hospitals. 

“Some claim that since Anwar became PM, most hospitals have become congested. This problem has long existed, so we will manage it properly,” he said when launching the national Madani Medical Scheme and Madani Afiat Programme 2023 today. 

Anwar also said subsidy rationalisation was necessary to ensure government subsidies benefitted groups that truly needed help. 

He said this included treatment charges at government hospitals. 

“We have to study it; if we want to continue with subsidies, there is no need to give to the 10% (high-income group). For example, hospital charges are low, even free in some cases, but we give to all. Is it wrong to impose higher payments on the richest group?” he asked. 

On the Madani Medical Scheme, he said it was an important initiative under the Malaysia Madani Policy to provide equitable access to quality health service for the B40 group. 

Anwar also conveyed his greetings to the local pharmaceutical fraternity which celebrated World Pharmacists Day on September 25.  

He also praised Perak for implementing various initiatives to improve the dissemination of health information, including the state-level Malaysia Health Month programme. – Bernama, October 1, 2023.