GEORGE TOWN: State government has maintained that Island Hospital is the only eligible party to buy the Peel Avenue land for its expansion project. State Local Government, Traffic Management and Flood Mitigation Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow said “special reasons” had been considered before the state government agreed to sell the land without calling for a tender. He said for any expansion project which required permit from Health Ministry, it must be located in close proximity. "An underground passage will also be built to connect both the hospital buildings, so both should be located near each other." He said Island Hospital Sdn Bhd already paid RM32 million of the total RM156 million in 2016 and would settle the remaining amount after obtaining the permit for the expansion.

Source: New Strait Times November 08, 2017 03:00 UTC