19/05/2025

MONDAY | MAY 19, 2025

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App to facilitate smarter healthcare product purchases

Zahid said the ministry, through Kemas, had also allocated RM1.06 million for community development and entrepreneurship programmes, along with another RM1.27 million for skills education that would directly benefit Sabahans. He said in driving rural economic growth, the ministry is also strengthening economic empowerment programmes such as the Mini Estet Sejahtera programme, Desa Harapan programme, Madani Rural Entrepreneurs initiative and expanding the reach of digital economy centres throughout rural areas in Sabah. Zahid also announced an allocation of RM500,000 for elevator upgrading and RM500,000 for water tank repairs for residents at the Seri Keramat People’s Housing Project. MCMC to review 4G coverage disparity: Minister CYBERJAYA: The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) will examine the disparity in 4G Coverage of Populated Areas (CoPA) among telecommunications companies (telcos) in different locations, said Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil. He said although Malaysia has achieved an overall cover rate of 92% for Sarawak and 98.70% nationwide for the first quarter of this year, coverage levels vary significantly amongst telcos. “Some telcos have CoPA as low as 76%, while others at 86%,” he told reporters after officiating the World Telecommunication and Information Society Day 2025 on Saturday. Fahmi said he had instructed MCMC to provide detailed reports showing both the national aggregate and individual telco’s CoPA, broken down by state. “We want to make sure that when Malaysians pay for internet packages, they receive coverage across the country, not just in selected areas. We’re paying for nationwide access.” Fahmi stressed that 4G services must be available throughout Malaysia, and that the government had been actively working to enhance network-sharing among telcos. “I’ve worked hard to get all telcos to participate in network sharing, and we formalised this through a recently published framework,”he said. On another development, Fahmi said the soon-to-be-enforced Online Safety Act (OnSA) 2024 would play a crucial role in holding social media platforms accountable for the content they host, particularly in protecting users from scams and online harm. He emphasised that OnSA would compel platforms to share the responsibility of ensuring a safer digital environment. “One of the key objectives is to make sure that social media platforms are responsible for the kind of content available on their platforms.” Fahmi also raised concerns over the lack of action by major platforms, especially Facebook, in tackling scam and gambling advertisements, despite these being paid content. “For example, there are many scam and gambling ads, yet Facebook hasn’t done enough to remove them – simply because scammers are paying for them. “As such, we’re waiting for the Online Safety Act to receive royal assent, and once it comes into effect, we believe that OnSA will play a pivotal role,” he added. OnSA was passed in Parliament last December. It requires social media platform providers to meet three core responsibilities – ensuring platform safety, protecting children under the age of 13 and limiting access to harmful content. Platforms will also be required to issue clear user guidelines, including terms of use, and provide mechanisms for users to report harmful or offensive content. – Bernama

o Platform would ensure consumers aware of medicine prices as steep variations occur at private clinics and pharmacies

Ű BY IKHWAN ZULKAFLEE newsdesk@thesundaily.com

PETALING JAYA: A mobile application which allows users to compare the prices of medications at private clinics and hospitals could be the ideal solution to help consumers make informed healthcare decisions, says economist Prof Emeritus Barjoyai Bardai. He said such a platform would ensure consumers are aware of the prices of medicines in the market before making a purchase. “At the moment, medicine prices at over-the counter pharmacies vary significantly. In the Klang Valley alone, there are many pharmacies, and since prices were previously unregulated, some were selling medicines at double the price compared with competitors. “This should not continue, as consumers who fail to diligently compare prices may incur unnecessary financial losses,” he told theSun. Barjoyai said the government should consider developing the app in line with the enforcement of the mandatory price display under the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011 (Act 723), which came into effect on May 1. “Just like pharmacies, private healthcare facilities also charge varying prices for medication. Unless someone visits several clinics or hospitals, it’s hard to know which one offers more affordable services. “But if there were an app that allowed users to compare treatment and medication costs at nearby facilities, it would empower consumers to make smarter choices. It might also encourage clinics to standardise pricing to remain competitive.” During a TikTok Live session by a senior Health Ministry officer who discussed the mandatory display of medicine prices in private clinics and pharmacies last Wednesday, it was revealed that a mobile app is in development to help users compare medicine prices across private clinics and pharmacies. Barjoyai, however, was puzzled over the opposition from some healthcare groups to the implementation in the private sector. “Displaying prices has long been mandatory across retail sectors, from hypermarkets to market traders. Pharmacies are also required to

Barjoyai says an app that allows users to compare treatment and medication costs would empower consumers and encourage outlets to standardise pricing. – ADIB RAWI YAHYA/THESUN

memorised the Quran) aged seven to 12, who not only memorised Juz Amma, which is the last or 30th part of the Quran, but who also followed a systematic and phased Quranic study syllabus. Meanwhile, Ahmad Zahid said the Tabika Tunas Istimewa@Kemas provided appropriate early education opportunities for children with special needs, particularly autistic children, so that they could enjoy fair and comprehensive education. “Through Kemas, I have also requested for care and attention to be extended to Kemas nurseries and preschools as well as the Desa community centres. Any Kemas preschool or nursery in a dilapidated condition, especially in Sabah, must be upgraded immediately so that our children can use them comfortably.” ‘unbundled’ billing requirement, patients could now see charges such as RM5 for registration, RM10 for medicine, RM5 for disposables, RM5 for waste disposal and RM5 each for nursing and infectious disease notifications. This would raise the total bill to around RM110,” he explained in a WhatsApp reply to theSun . Shanmuganathan warned that the shift would not only drive up costs but also increase the administrative load for GPs, who have traditionally absorbed or waived minor fees to keep care affordable. On Sunday, the Health Ministry clarified that there is no policy change or new directive requiring private medical clinics to provide itemised billing by default. It said itemised bills are only mandatory upon a patient’s request and must be issued at no extra charge to help patients understand the breakdown of service, treatment and medication costs. “The right of patients to request an itemised bill is stipulated under the Private Healthcare Facilities and Services (Private Hospitals and Other Private Healthcare Facilities) Regulations 2006,” the ministry said in a statement. It emphasised that continued collaboration among stakeholders will enhance healthcare quality and safeguard patient rights, in line with Madani values, particularly “well-being”, which promotes equal rights for both patients and private providers.

comply. So it’s unclear why certain groups in the private healthcare sector are objecting to this move,” he said. The mandate to display drug prices at general practice clinics has sparked concerns that it could trigger medical inflation. Federation of Private Medical Practitioners’ Associations Malaysia (FPMPAM) president Dr Shanmuganathan TV Ganeson said the enforcement would impact livelihoods and restrict patient access to affordable care. He said GPs nationwide have long practised a “bundled fee” model, in which charges for administrative tasks, consultations, nursing, medication and minor procedures are combined into one affordable sum for the entire visit. With the new move, Shanmuganathan said GPs may no longer be able to pool the services under a single bill, and a typical clinic visit could now cost patients over RM100. “The bundled model mirrors the Diagnostic Related Groups (DRG) pricing system, which helps contain costs and offers predictability for patients. “For instance, treating a common condition like dengue fever might typically include: RM35 for consultation, RM20 for medicine and RM40 for blood tests, totalling RM95, with no separate charges for registration, nursing, disposables, utilities or compliance documentation. “However, under the new itemised or

More than RM1b allocated for rural development in Sabah PUTATAN: The Rural and Regional Development Ministry has allocated RM1.11 billion for rural development in Sabah this year, says Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. such as roads needs to be upgraded and improved,” he said at the closing ceremony of Sentuhan Kasih Desa Madani Bersama Pimpinan event on Saturday night.

Zahid said to uplift every rural child from an early age and ensure no one is left behind, the ministry is currently implementing three high impact early education initiatives, now in the pilot phase, reported Bernama. He said the Smart Classroom@Kemas initiative introduced a high-tech kindergarten and nursery model with the integration of digital teaching and learning, smart infrastructure facilities and efficient governance. He added that the PeliTa@Kemas Programme, is aimed at producing a generation of young Huffaz (those who have fully

Zahid, who is also the rural and regional development minister, said the allocation covered social infrastructure projects, including construction of rural roads, provision of electricity and water supply systems. He said there is still a significant gap that must be addressed, particularly in terms of basic infrastructure, economic access, education and rural digitalisation in Sabah. “There are no major electricity issues in urban areas, so rural areas must also have good electricity supply. Similarly, rural infrastructure