KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 21 — Semenyih voters have complained about waiting for hours at the sole two government clinics in the constituency, with the congestion forcing some to even sit on the floor.
Malay Mail reported that there are only two public clinics serving 92,000 residents in the Selangor state seat, located in Pekan Semenyih and Beranang.
“When the clinics are packed, we sometimes have to sit on the floor and wait, or the clinic will send us to Hospital Kajang instead,” a Malaysian Armed Forces retiree, Miskun Mohd Yassin, was quoted saying.
The 72-year-old veteran also reportedly said he had to wait for four hours to get a blood test.
Miskun reportedly said sometimes the beds were fully occupied and the clinic had to use makeshift beds or hammocks for patients to sleep in while awaiting treatment.
The nearest hospital is Hospital Kajang, which is some 9km from Pekan Semenyih and 18.5km from Beranang.
Beranang native Mohd Din Suin also reportedly complained about overcrowding at the Beranang public clinic.
“Sometimes they’re so packed they will send you to the hospitals. But when you reach the hospitals, they send you back to the clinics, which is an underlying issue for those seeking basic health care,” he was quoted saying.
Both Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) candidates — Muhammad Aiman Zainali and Nik Aziz Afiq Abdul respectively — have campaigned for a district hospital in Semenyih.
But Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad reportedly said it was more practical to look at constructing clinics rather than hospitals.
Opposition candidates Barisan Nasional’s Zakaria Hanafi and independent Kuan Chee Heng are also running in the Semenyih by-election on March 2.
