JOHOR BAHRU - The Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (Usim) Teaching Hospital will be built in Sedili, Kota Tinggi and is expected to be completed within five years.
Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said the design process would commence next year.
"The hospital is expected to be completed within five years, involving two construction phases.
"However, we will only know the exact timeline after the design process begins next year,” he said when asked to comment on the construction of the hospital, which was announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim when tabling the Budget 2024 recently.
Khaled was speaking at a press conference after the Higher Education Ministry engagement session with the southern zone media here last night, with Johor Media Club president Mohamad Fauzi Ishak also present.
He said the construction of the hospital, with a cost of RM938 million for the first phase, is set to complete the medical education ecosystem in all public universities, as all medical faculties now have their own teaching hospitals.
According to Khaled, the hospital would also provide space for medical students, especially those in Usim, to receive better and systematic training, and more opportunities to further their studies as specialist doctors.
Meanwhile, in his speech, the minister stressed that media practitioners need to continue playing a role as instruments that encourage critical thinking and self-improvement rather than promoting emotional, racist, biased or divisive sentiments.
"We must work together to steer society away from such issues,” he said.
Khaled said that the ministry and media practitioners must always work together, avoid being politically inclined, and instead use their power and resources to benefit the public.
"For me, the most frightening thing is when the ministry and media practitioners fail to guide and mentor our society to think and act responsibly. Therefore, we must continue to work together in a strategic and professional manner, and support each other,” he said. - BERNAMA