Kuala lumpur: The Rakan KKM initiative is not a form of privatisation, but a transformative effort by the Health Ministry (MOH) to improve access to elective procedures in public healthcare facilities, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said. He pointed out that his ministry was able to utilise its pool of specialists and the available capacity within its health facilities to offer patients the option of receiving elective treatments more quickly through the initiative.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the initiative is not designed for emergency cases, where all patients are treated equally regardless of their socioeconomic status. Instead, it provides patients with choices for elective procedures, allowing them to either wait in the regular queue or opt for faster access through Rakan KKM or private healthcare. This was stated by Dzulkefly following the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the ministry and IHH Healthcare Malaysia.
He clarified that the programme is fully financed by government-linked investment companies (GLICs) and does not involve private sector funding. This funding model reflects confidence in the public healthcare system’s capabilities. Dzulkefly also mentioned that the programme has the potential to generate additional revenue, which would be reinvested into public healthcare facilities, thereby benefiting the public health system.
Furthermore, the income generated from the programme is aimed at boosting incentives for medical specialists, assistant medical officers, and other healthcare workers. This is part of a broader effort to retain specialists and improve the overall retention of healthcare workers within the public sector.
Rakan KKM represents a whole-of-government partnership designed to enhance ministry hospitals and clinics for all Malaysians. It aims to increase the retention of healthcare workers, particularly benefiting the B40 group by increasing investment in the public healthcare system, while providing more value-based options for the M40 group amid rising healthcare costs.
The programme offers ‘premium economy’ services at selected public hospitals for elective outpatient, daycare, and inpatient services. These services include personalised care, specialist choice, and enhanced privacy, thereby providing a broader spectrum of healthcare options for the public.