Putrajaya should ensure Sarawak gets adequate operational and development allocations for healthcare and education, says SUPP Women

KUCHING, May 4 2026: Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) Women Central chief Kho Teck Wan (picture) has asked the federal government to adopt a differentiated approach to budget rationalisation announced by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim recently.

She said any budget rationalisation must take into account existing regional disparities.

“The federal government should also ensure Sarawak receives adequate operational and development allocations to close long-standing gaps in healthcare and education,” Kho said in a statement.

She also called on the federal government to provide transparent and detailed breakdowns of what constitutes “non-essential” spending.

“While the federal government has indicated that reductions will focus on “non-essential” expenditure, the definition of such spending must be handled carefully.

“What may appear non-essential at the federal level could still be critical in under-resourced regions like Sarawak.

“In addition, I strongly urge the Ministry of Health’s senior management to expedite the process of Sarawak Health Autonomy, in line with ongoing efforts to empower Sarawak in managing its own healthcare priorities more effectively.

“Sarawak’s needs are unique, and policies must reflect that reality. Fiscal discipline must not come at the cost of fairness and equitable development,” she said. 

Kho said SUPP Women acknowledges a recent statement by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim that the government’s expenditure rationalisation will not affect healthcare hiring or school capacity expansion.

However, she said it is important to highlight that concerns among the public, especially in Sarawak, are not without basis.

Kho pointed out that Sarawak is already starting from a lower baseline in healthcare, saying that the 1,000-bed hospital such as Sarawak General Hospital should, based on staffing norms comparable to similar hospitals in Peninsular Malaysia, have approximately 5,500 personnel.

“However, it currently operates with only about 4,500 staffs. This shortfall places additional strain on healthcare workers and inevitably affects service delivery,” she said.

Kho stressed that this clearly demonstrates that in both operational capacity and infrastructure provision, Sarawak has historically received less than what is required to meet national standards.

“Therefore, any across-the-board budget cuts—regardless of how they are defined—risk further widening this gap,” she added.

Recently, the Finance Ministry has proposed a RM5.4 billion reduction in operating expenditure (OE) across the health and higher education sectors as part of efforts to strengthen the country's fiscal position.

According to media reports, the cuts would affect the operating expenditure of both ministries, although the Finance Ministry has assured that essential services will not be disrupted.

The move forms part of a broader strategy to curb spending and ensure fiscal sustainability, in line with preparations for the 2026 Budget.

The proposed reductions in the health and higher education sectors contribute to a wider plan to achieve RM10 billion in OE savings this year across all ministries, departments and government agencies.

Of the RM10 billion targeted savings, the Health Ministry and Higher Education Ministry are expected to account for the largest reductions, at RM3.06 billion and RM2.39 billion respectively.

 

Homemaker scammed after responding to advertisement promoting food posted on Facebook

KUCHING, May 4 2026: A homemaker has said that she has been scammed of an undisclosed amount of money in her bank account after she came across an advertisement on Facebook promoting home-cooked food. 

Caption: The homemaker seeking assistance from Sarawak DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen's special assistant Michael Kong 

Upon expressing interest, Madam Chan contacted the alleged vendor via WhatsApp call.

During the call, the individual insisted on sending her a menu, but she  declined as she already had a specific dish in mind.

“When the caller persisted, she ended the call out of frustration,” Sarawak DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen’s special assistant Michael Kong said in a statement today, after the woman came to seek his assistance to get back her money from the bank.

Kong said within minutes, Madam Chan noticed that her phone began behaving abnormally, adding shortly after, her son informed her that multiple contacts had received messages from her number requesting money.

“Alarmed, she immediately contacted her bank and discovered three unauthorised transactions from her savings account and one from her credit card account,” he said.

Despite lodging a dispute with the bank, Kong said her claim was rejected on the basis that her User ID and password were used to access her account, and that her device “may have been compromised due to malware”.

“This explanation is deeply unsatisfactory. She has categorically stated that she did not download any applications or click into any links.

“The only interaction she had was a WhatsApp call with the alleged scammer,” Kong said, adding that this raises serious concerns about the evolving tactics of scammers, who may now be capable of exploiting vulnerabilities through seemingly harmless interactions such as calls or social media engagement.

“This case highlights a new wave of scams, where fraudsters are becoming increasingly technologically sophisticated, potentially gaining access to devices without the victim knowingly downloading anything.

“We are currently assisting Madam Chan in lodging an appeal with the Financial Markets Ombudsman Services to challenge the bank’s decision and to seek a fair resolution.

“At the same time, I urge members of the public to exercise extreme caution when encountering advertisements on platforms such as Facebook.

“Even seemingly legitimate offers (such as food sales or services) may be entry points for scammers,” he added.

Kong said scammers are constantly evolving, and traditional assumptions about how scams work are no longer sufficient.

“What may appear to be a simple phone call could now be part of a larger phishing or device-compromise scheme.

“Financial institutions must also step up in addressing these cases with greater accountability, especially where there is clear evidence that victims played no part in the compromise of their own security,” he said.

Shocked veteran journalist, who was thought to have died, is very much alive

KUCHING, May 4 2026:  A veteran journalist, who was thought to have passed away, is, in fact, very much alive and kicking.

The news of his supposed death was posted in the media group chat, prompting many reporters and photographers to express their shock and extend their condolences to his family.

He, himself, was shocked to receive dozens of calls and messages asking about his “death” after a condolence poster with his picture went viral in several WhatsApp groups this morning.

Even more shocking, when the poster went viral, he had actually just finished handling the Gold Card registration before stopping to enjoy a cup of coffee at a nearby shop.

“I was shocked when the phone didn’t stop ringing. Many media friends, old acquaintances, and relatives asked if the news was true.

“ Some continued to offer their condolences,” he said while chuckling, still shocked by the incident.

He said that at first he thought something had happened to a friend, but after seeing the poster featuring his face with a death message, he could only be stunned.

“Imagine being drinking coffee, suddenly people asking why I died. I am still alive, healthy and enjoying my morning coffee,” he said.

The false information is believed to have spread due to a mistake by an individual who used his picture on someone else’s death poster before it was shared without checking.

The incident not only caused confusion but also caused panic among family and close friends who kept contacting him for confirmation.

He hoped that the public would be more careful before spreading any news, especially involving death, because it had an emotional impact on the family and the individuals involved.

“Don’t easily believe and just ‘forward’. First make sure the authenticity of a news. Today I am the one who ‘died and came back to life’, tomorrow it might be someone else,” he said jokingly.