CHIEF Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar has ordered immediate action to address critical service issues at the University of Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC), following public complaints over

Shamsul Azri said he convened a meeting involving the Secretary-General of the Higher Education Ministry, representatives from the Education Ministry, Universiti Malaya Vice-Chancellor and PPUM’s management team to discuss the issues and identify immediate solutions.

He said the provision of quality healthcare services remained a key priority under the MADANI Government.

“Healthcare service delivery has always been a priority for the MADANI Government. PPUM is a teaching hospital and its services must be aligned with its role, capacity and capabilities as a teaching institution,” he said in a Facebook post on Thursday.

According to Shamsul Azri, the discussions focused on policy-related issues arising from public complaints, particularly long waiting times, increasing pressure on clinical services, and the availability of skilled healthcare personnel and specialist expertise.

He said the meeting also examined measures to strengthen PPUM’s service delivery while ensuring it continues to fulfil its dual role as a leading teaching hospital and tertiary healthcare provider.

“I have directed that immediate action be taken to implement the decisions reached during these discussions,” he said.

The directive comes amid growing public attention on healthcare capacity and patient access at major public hospitals, with the government seeking to improve service efficiency while strengthening the country’s healthcare workforce. – July 23, 2026