
HUKM tried to cut cancer treatment costs, patients paid the price
This is after the firm that won the contract failed to provide Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Hospital (HUKM) with a linear accelerator (Linac) radiotherapy system and other supporting equipment on time.
In an audit report released today...

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New Straits Times
21-07-2025
- New Straits Times
Hospital awards RM25.6mil catering contract to non-halal certified firm
KUALA LUMPUR: Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz (HCTM) in Cheras awarded a three-year catering contract worth RM25.64 million to a company that did not possess halal certification from the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim). However, the Auditor General's Report 2/2025 said the company, identified as 0267299-T, won a tender to "provide halal food to HCTM patients" from February 2024 to February 2027. The report noted that the company aimed to streamline the status of its main kitchen, which had received halal certification from Jakim. The report said that the technical evaluation committee did not recommend 0267299-T, citing the company's failure at the technical evaluation stage as it lacked both halal and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) certifications. The committee said the company failed the technical evaluation due to lack of experience and not having enough food servers and trolleys for the hospital. Nonetheless, the company was selected because it met the financial evaluation committee's criteria, the audit said. Only two out of 12 bidders passed the technical assessment stage, and 0267299-T was among the 10 companies that failed after scoring 53 per cent. The technical committee recommended company 0797329-A as it scored highest, at 87 per cent. "The audit review found that the company that was offered the contract, namely 0267299-T, failed the technical assessment but was still brought to the Financial Assessment Committee," it said. The company was ranked fourth in having a cheaper price. Although it passed the financial committee stage, it was not recommended. "The pre-tender committee was unable to make a recommendation that could be most profitable, reasonable and provide the best value-for-money to Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. "This is because no tenderer passed and was recommended by both the technical and financial evaluation committees. "Therefore, the pre-tender committee recommended company 0912013-P with the justification of the lowest price offer and meeting the minimum specification score," it said. In response to the audit, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), which oversees HCTM, said the previous patient food supply contract was nearing its end, and the tender committee had to proceed with the new tender to avoid service disruption. UKM also said that 0267299-T had applied for HACCP certification on Sept 24 last year, but the audit process could only be carried out after renovation works at HCTM were completed. The report did not include UKM's response to 0267299-T's lack of halal certification. The company was not recommended by the technical evaluation committee after its linear accelerator (Linac) machines failed to meet integration requirements with HCTM's existing systems. As a result, key medical equipment, including the Linac machines, CT simulators and contrast injectors, faced delays. Although scheduled for delivery by Sept 18 last year, the Linac machines had yet to arrive at the time of the audit, marking a 122-day delay. "The delay in the supply of (this equipment) within the stipulated timeframe has affected services at HCTM. "The delay in starting treatment has had an impact on patient survival, with 20 patients experiencing waiting periods ranging from one to eight weeks," the audit said. In the report tabled in parliament this morning, the auditor-general found "serious irregularities" in UKM's procurement process, involving three tenders worth RM58.45 million. The irregularities occurred when the tender procurement committee selected companies that were not recommended by the technical evaluation committee, financial evaluation committee, or pre-tender committee.


Malaysiakini
21-07-2025
- Malaysiakini
HUKM tried to cut cancer treatment costs, patients paid the price
An attempt by a university hospital to save cost in providing cancer treatment has ended up jeopardising patients' health, a probe by the National Audit Department found. This is after the firm that won the contract failed to provide Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Hospital (HUKM) with a linear accelerator (Linac) radiotherapy system and other supporting equipment on time. In an audit report released today...


New Straits Times
07-07-2025
- New Straits Times
Health Ministry, IHH Healthcare ink MoU to expand free cancer treatment for 500 patients
PUTRAJAYA: The Health Ministry (MOH) and IHH Healthcare Malaysia signed their third Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) today, aimed at strengthening a strategic public-private partnership to improve access to advanced cancer treatment. Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said the agreement will enable an additional 500 cancer patients to receive high-quality radiotherapy and radiosurgery at no cost, through services delivered by MOH oncologists and neurosurgeons via IHH's facilities. "This agreement also brings the total number of participating IHH facilities to eight hospitals, including the newly added Island Hospital in Penang, which are equipped with Gamma Knife and LINAC technologies allowing for precise, high-impact treatment, especially for tumours located in sensitive areas," he said after the MoU signing ceremony. The MoU was signed by MOH secretary-general Datuk Seri Suriani Ahmad and IHH Healthcare Malaysia chief executive officer Jean-François Naa. Dzulkefly said the collaboration, first established in 2022, has benefited 1,000 cancer patients nationwide so far. "This collaboration is a concrete step toward closing the access gap for underserved and lower-income groups. It also reflects Malaysia's broader commitment to Universal Health Coverage, where cancer care is not treated as a privilege but as a right. "We should never allow a patient's health outcome to be dictated by where they live or how much they earn," he said. Dzulkefly said from 2020 to 2024, the Malaysia National Cancer Registry recorded more than 165,000 new cancer cases, with breast, colorectal, lung, lymphoma and liver cancer being the most common. "Alarmingly, over 60 per cent of cases are detected at late stages, when treatment is more complex, costly, and less effective," he said. Meanwhile, according to a statement issued by MOH, the types of cancer treated under the MoU include brain tumours, brain metastases, head and neck cancers, as well as various other cancers such as lung, breast, colorectal and lymphoma. It said the MoU would serve as a catalyst in strengthening public-private partnerships, further supporting the ministry's efforts in combating cancer and expanding access to care and treatment for cancer patients in the country through continued cooperation between the MOH and IHH Healthcare Malaysia. "This initiative is also aligned with the National Strategic Plan for Cancer Control, which prioritises early detection, effective treatment, palliative care and broad system coordination to reduce the national cancer burden," the statement read. — BERNAMA