'No plans to suspend Medivest over HSA fire' - Dr Hilmi

The government have no plans to suspend Medivest Sdn Bhd, while investigations are ongoing into the deadly fire at Sultanah Aminah Hospital (HSA) in Johor on Tuesday.

However, Deputy Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Hilmi Yahya said stern action would be taken against the hospital support services provider if they were found to have breached their agreement.

"The ministry has no plan to suspend the company during the course of investigations.

"The investigations are being conducted by an independent committee comprising the Public Works Department, Fire and Rescue Department and Health Planning Division. Hopefully, they will come up with recommendations to improve safety in hospitals," he told the Dewan Rakyat today.

He was responding to a question by Liew Chin Tong (DAP-Kluang) who wanted to know if Medivest's services would be temporarily suspended while investigations were ongoing.

Dr Hilmi added that besides HSA, Medivest is also currently servicing 21 others hospitals in the South zone; six in Negeri Sembilan, three in Malacca and 12 in Johor.

In Tuesday's blaze, six patients – four women and two men – were killed when the fire struck a treatment room of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) on the second floor.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had earlier proposed to set up a Commission of Inquiry for a detailed investigation into the incident.

The commission, he said, will look into various aspects, including the safety of buildings and facilities in the hospital.