KOTA SAMARAHAN – The long-awaited Sarawak Cancer Centre development has reached a defining milestone, with construction scheduled to commence in January 2027.
Ten pre-qualified engineering firms are currently formalising their design-and-build bids ahead of a critical deadline in October.
Works Minister Dato Sri Alexander Nanta Linggi confirmed that the formal selection of the primary contractor will follow evaluation in early 2027.
Speaking from an observation deck at the neighbouring Sarawak Heart Centre, Nanta explained that the project will operate under a five-year construction window, targeting a comprehensive structural finish by 2032.
A standard two-year liability period will succeed the practical handover to address any eventual maintenance issues. Financially, the cutting-edge medical hub is structured via a unique funding partnership.
The Sarawak regional government is fronting an initial RM1 billion loan to the federal authorities to bypass standard bureaucratic delays. This sum will be fully reimbursed by the central government under a structured agreement.
However, with the final build layout still being subsidised and designed, total infrastructure spending is widely anticipated to exceed the baseline RM1 billion allocation.
To ensure the facility boasts modern capabilities without expanding the federal debt burden, the Sarawak government is independently donating an additional RM500 million. This specific fund will go directly towards state-of-the-art diagnostic and oncology hardware.
Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg previously advocated for the facility’s swift implementation, emphasising that the immediate medical welfare of the local population remains the state’s absolute priority.
The strategy behind the equipment funding also solves a common modern healthcare dilemma. Following a joint resolution on 14 April 2026 involving Public Works and Health ministry leaders, Sarawak will handle procurement directly.
Because locking in equipment prices now for a 2032 opening would render the systems technologically obsolete upon launch, the state will acquire the machinery closer to the completion date, guided strictly by clinical oncologists at Sarawak General Hospital.
Spanning a 27-acre plot, the 310-bed medical complex will provide both day-care and inpatient oncology treatments, including advanced cellular therapies and stem cell transplants.
The facility will integrate seamlessly into the emerging Sarawak Health Metropolis, situated alongside the regional infectious disease research facility and the UNIMAS teaching hospital.
Officials hope the hub will mirror the regional prestige of the adjacent cardiac facility, which is currently ranked among the top 60 cardiorespiratory centres across the Asia-Pacific region.
