GEORGE TOWN – The Bayan Baru parliamentary constituency on Penang island is in urgent need of a government hospital due to rapid population growth and increasing demand for accessible healthcare, its MP Sim Tze Tzin said.
In a statement today, Sim highlighted that the area — part of the island’s Southwest District — has a population of 389,608 with a density of 10,881 people per square kilometre.
Currently, the nearest government hospitals are located far from Bayan Baru, with Penang General Hospital in George Town and Hospital Balik Pulau situated 19km and 17km away, respectively.
“These distances pose difficulties for patients, especially the elderly and those with chronic illnesses, to receive immediate treatment,” said the PKR lawmaker.
He added that the district has recorded a noticeable rise in its ageing population, making a new public healthcare facility even more necessary.
Sim raised the matter with Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad during the latter’s working visit to the Bayan Baru health clinic yesterday, formally requesting the construction of a general hospital in the constituency.
According to Sim, the minister was receptive to the proposal but noted a key obstacle: land availability.
The Health Ministry requires at least four hectares of land to build a full-scale government hospital, and Dzulkefly has called on the Penang state government to assist in identifying a suitable site.
“I appreciate the minister’s openness and commitment to this proposal. I hope all parties, especially the state government, will work together to make the construction of a new public hospital in Bayan Baru a reality,” Sim said.
At present, the only hospital operating in the area is the 190-bed Pantai Hospital Penang, a private facility.
Penang currently has six government hospitals serving its population of 1.74 million — including 946,092 residents on the mainland.
These are Penang General Hospital and Hospital Balik Pulau on the island, and Hospital Kepala Batas, Hospital Seberang Jaya, Hospital Bukit Mertajam, and Hospital Sungai Bakap on the mainland. — May 3, 2025