PRESS RELEASE: Minister’s QEH Response Welcomed — But Sabahans Demand Action, Not Lip Service
KOTA KINABALU, 3 April 2026 — Parti Warisan has welcomed the recent visit by State Women, Health and People’s Wellbeing Minister Datuk Julita Majungki to Queen Elizabeth Hospital II (QEH II), but stressed that Sabahans can no longer afford symbolic gestures without real outcomes.
Warisan's Luyang Assemblyman Samuel Wong said the Minister’s visit — which followed mounting public complaints and Warisan’s fact-finding mission at Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) I & II — must not end as a routine administrative exercise.
“We appreciate the Minister’s prompt attention. But Sabahans have heard promises before. What matters now is whether this will translate into real, measurable action — not another round of lip service,” he said.
Wong stressed that QEH, as the main referral centre for 23 hospitals statewide, has been pushed to its limits for years.
“Patients — many from remote districts — continue to endure overcrowding, long waiting times, outdated equipment, and a critical shortage of doctors and specialists. These are not minor inconveniences, but life-and-death issues. Every delay, every broken machine, every understaffed ward carries real risk and consequences,” he said.
He added that longstanding infrastructure failures reflect a deeper issue of weak execution.
“The additional multi-storey car park for QEH I was promised more than five years ago, yet nothing has materialised. We cannot allow this latest visit to follow the same pattern of announcements without delivery,” he said.
In the joint statement, Warisan Supreme Council Member Chen Ket Chuin meanwhile said the crisis must be treated with the urgency it deserves.
“This is not about comfort alone — this is about lives. Patients are waiting in pain, doctors are overstretched, and the system is under immense strain. Every delay carries real consequences.
"This must be treated as a humanitarian emergency — not just another operational review," he said.
Chen stressed that solving QEH’s crisis requires immediate and decisive action on manpower and equipment.
“A hospital without enough doctors is a serious issue. We need urgent deployment of more doctors and specialists, alongside long-term manpower planning and stronger incentives to retain talent in Sabah,” he said.
He reiterated that outdated and failing equipment must be replaced without delay.
“Healthcare cannot function with broken machines. Funding alone is not enough — implementation must be swift, transparent, and felt on the ground. Patients need working equipment at their bedside, not promises on paper,” he stressed.
Chen called on the State Government, Sabah State Health Department, and the Ministry of Health to present a clear, time-bound action plan with measurable milestones, covering manpower, equipment, and infrastructure.
“Transformation plans that exist only on paper are of no comfort to a patient waiting for treatment. The rakyat deserve transparency, accountability, and a timeline they can hold the government to,” he said.
Both Wong and Chen emphasised that while initiatives such as upgrading the Sabah Heart Centre are positive, execution will determine whether real change is delivered.
“Don’t just talk about enhancing healthcare quality — show us the plan, show us the timeline, and most importantly, deliver results,” Wong said.
Warisan reiterated its readiness to work constructively with all stakeholders but affirmed that it will continue to hold the government accountable until tangible improvements are seen.
“The people of Sabah have waited long enough. This must be the turning point — not another missed opportunity,” they concluded.
3rd April 2026
Chen Ket Chuin @ KC
Warisan Supreme Council Member
