KUALA LUMPUR – Bukit Gasing assemblyman Rajiv Risyakaran has welcomed plans for a new Petaling Jaya Government hospital, saying the facility will ease the burden on residents who currently travel long distances for treatment at overcrowded public hospitals.
Following controversy over the lack of a government hospital in the area despite 18 years under the current state administration, Rajiv said the proposal was a step in the right direction.
“So people don’t need to go to Klang or Shah Alam or Sungai Buloh Hospital. All the nearest hospitals are quite far away,” Rajiv told Scoop.
He emphasised that the proposed 500-bed hospital would particularly benefit patients requiring regular visits and follow-ups.
“And especially people who need to go regularly to the hospital for follow-up, they don’t need to travel so far. And that really has a huge cost impact on people who do not have a car,” the DAP politician added.
Rajiv also highlighted challenges faced by lower-income residents who may struggle to use public transport or motorcycles while unwell.
“The lower income who do not have a car and you are sick, you may not be in a condition to take public transport or not be in the condition to take motorbikes. It makes a huge difference,” he said.
He noted that proximity to the hospital would also make it easier for family and neighbours to assist patients.
Beyond improving access, the new hospital is expected to reduce pressure on Klang Valley hospitals, many of which are currently operating at full capacity.
“All the other hospitals are overloaded. Their wards are full, their doctors are full. So this is going to reduce some patient load from the hospitals around the Klang Valley,” Rajiv said.
On residents’ expectations regarding the timeline, he stressed patience.
“But you have to be reasonable. It will take a few years to do construction and all that. You cannot expect it to be ready in one year,” he said, adding that the announcement had already been met with enthusiasm.
He expressed confidence that transport links and road access would be adequately addressed.
“I have confidence that that won’t be an issue, that that will be sorted,” he said.
Petaling Jaya is home to a variety of established private and specialist hospitals, such as Assunta Hospital, Columbia Asia Hospital, Thomson Hospital, Beacon Hospital, and KPJ Damansara Specialist Hospital, each providing a range of specialties and services.
The University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) serves as a key healthcare institution for both Petaling Jaya and the wider Klang Valley. As one of Malaysia’s largest teaching hospitals and affiliated with Universiti Malaya, it plays a vital role in medical education, research, and the provision of specialist care.
The Selangor government previously welcomed the Health Ministry’s approval of a proposed site for the 500-bed hospital.
Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari said the state had been searching for a suitable location since 2018 to accommodate rapid population growth in the Petaling district.
“The state government has been actively working to identify a suitable site for a public hospital in Petaling Jaya since 2018, taking into account the rapid population growth in the Petaling district, which now stands at about 2.3 million people. In Petaling Jaya alone, the population is estimated to exceed 800,000,” he said in a statement.
While Amirudin did not disclose the exact location, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad reportedly confirmed to Malaysiakini that the hospital would be constructed on a six-hectare plot in Taman Medan, currently occupied by the X Park PJ South sports complex. – May 28, 2026