GEORGE TOWN, Aug 17 — The Penang government today expressed regret that it was not informed at all regarding the sudden arrival of the medical tourists from Indonesia into the state last Friday.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said he chaired an emergency meeting this morning following public uproar over the recent arrival of three Indonesian patients into Penang under the medical tourism sector to seek further treatment at a private hospital in the state.
He said the meeting was held to seek further clarification on the matter, as well as touch on the issue of standard operating procedures (SOP) set at the federal level regarding the arrival of patients under the medical tourism category into the country, especially Penang.
“The state government has been given further clarification on the arrival of two cancer patients and a patient who needs immediate medical attention from Indonesia on a chartered flight on Aug 14 in compliance with the federal government’s SOP,” he said in a statement.
In this regard, Chow said the Penang government continued with its stand not to allow or accept patients under medical tourism during this period.
Chow said the Health Ministry was now updating the SOP for the medical tourism sector.
“Therefore, the state government wishes to reiterate our stand not to allow any medical tourists to come into our state until the ministry has finalised its new SOP especially during this period when Penang still has active Covid-19 cases.
“It is also stressed that all agencies involved in the medical tourism sector are required to keep the state government informed on developments in the sector, so that we can together manage this issue more effectively,” he said.
He said the state secretary was instructed to hold a multi-agency technical meeting this afternoon to manage the medical tourism issue.
Meanwhile, Citizen’s Awareness Chant Group (Chant) urged the federal government to stop allowing the foreign patients to come into the country for medical treatment in light of the Covid-19 situation.
Chant advisor Yan Lee said the country was still recording new positive Covid-19 cases everyday and foreign patients especially those from the red zone countries should not be allowed to enter Malaysia.
— Bernama
