Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak today announced an allocation of RM1.315 billion for the implementation of five new government projects in Langkawi under the 11th Malaysia Plan (11MP).

The projects are construction of additional building for the Langkawi Hospital (RM500 million), quarters for health staff (RM135 million), new fire and rescue station, as well as quarters, at Padang Matsirat (RM30 million), upgrading of Jalan Bulatan Lapangan Terbang- Pulapol Langkawi (RM50 million) and project to address water supply problem (RM600 million).

“At present, the Langkawi Hospital can only accommodate 110 beds, while the bed occupancy rate is nearly 90 percent. Therefore, the Langkawi Hospital additional building project has been approved under the Third Rolling Plan of the 11MP,” he said.

He said this in his speech when opening the ‘I Am Usahawan GO 4.0’, a programme organised by the Malaysian Malay Chambers of Commerce to create awareness on Fourth Industrial Revolution, in Langkawi.

The new hospital building, he said, would be equipped with 220 beds, wards for intensive care and coronary unit, as well as other facilities.

Najib said the project would also provide facilities for full-paying patients to meet the demand for health-tourism in Langkawi which had yet to have a private hospital.

On the project to address water supply in Langkawi, he said, it was allocated the biggest allocation among the five projects as it was intended to be a long-term solution.

He said currently the capacity of water production in Langkawi had reached the maximum level of 89.4 million litres daily and the project, which would involve off-river storage at Padang Matsirat, would ensure additional water supply of 124.48 million litres daily that would be sufficient to accommodate water supply needs until 2040.

“Implementation of the project started early this year and is expected to be ready in 2022,” he added.

He said the projects proved the continuous commitment of the BN government at the federal and state levels to safeguard the welfare of the people in Langkawi.

The prime minister said the people should not look back or continue with their lives based on sentiments or feelings.

He said the development and transformation to ensure the people’s well-being required a solid and strong government, and not because of the popularity of an individual.

“An individual, no matter how popular the person was before, cannot bring changes without a strong party behind him,” he said.

As a state that did not have enough natural resources, Najib said, the people of Kedah should not allow the state to return to the time when it was under the opposition.

“Without the support of the federal government, we will go back to that time. We should not return to that time, but to look ahead,” he said.

- Bernama