By Siti Rohaizah Zainal
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 25 — The medical scheme introduced by the Unity Government called Skim Perubatan Madani (Madani Medical Scheme) was modelled after the Selangor state government’s Iltizam Selangor Sihat (ISS) programme.
Menteri Besar Dato’ Seri Amirudin Shari commended the new initiative introduced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as it would enable cooperation between the federal and state governments in the implementation of the programme.
“Aside from Skim Perubatan Madani being inspired (by state initiatives), other (state) efforts were also modelled after, such as the fees for motorcycle licences, which has been initiated in Selangor,” said Amirudin, referring to the Roda Darul Ehsan (RiDE) initiative, which includes a B2 (bikes below 250cc) motorcycle licence subsidy amounting to RM350 for urban poor youths.
In the Federal budget, Anwar said that the government will absorb licence test fees for B2 motorcycle, taxi, bus and e-hailing categories.
“I am pleased to see that several programmes (by the state) served as models for the Unity Government and that we would be able to share on the implementation and challenges faced,” Amirudin said when met after the tabling of the Budget 2023 by Anwar, who is also the Finance Minister, in the Dewan Rakyat, here yesterday.
Anwar announced the medical scheme with an allocation of RM120 million that allows the poor to seek treatment from private general practitioner (GP) clinics.
When tabling the Federal budget, Anwar also compared Skim Perubatan Madani to an initiative currently being implemented by the Selangor government.
The Iltizam Selangor Sihat (ISS) programme offers people of Selangor up to RM500 in financial aid for basic medical care, including outpatient costs and vaccinations.
Amirudin previously stated that the improved people’s health protection programme, which replaced the previous insurance scheme, also provides insurance coverage up to RM5,000 and a RM1,000 death benefit.
