BDA deputy general manager William Pao told the Borneo Post yesterday that a non-governmental organization that wanted to set up such centre was required to submit its application to the Ministry of Health.  This requirement was met by St John Ambulance.  Once the centre was completed, the ministry would send its officers from Putra Jaya to inspect the premises before approval was given, he said.

He also disclosed that St. John Ambulance's chief operating officer Bernard Yeo had met him over the matter last Friday.

"The setting up of the centre is in accordance with the requirements stipulated by the Ministry of Health.  People can't simply set up any centre because there are requirements to be met," he said.  

"In my opinion this (centre) is good for the people of Bintulu.  St John Ambulance is doing charity work here and its efforts should be praised.

He said there were three options for the setting up of such a centre here; they are to  use a residential house, shophouse or piece of land.

"BDA can find a piece of land fro it, but it would be costly and would take to three years before patients can benefit from the facilities,” explained Pao.  He said a piece of land would require the state government’s approval because it is for long-term  use.  “This too would require applicant to wait longer in order to raise more funds from the public,”he said.

"A shophouse on the other hand is quite expensive in terms of rent which could be from RM2500 to RM3000 per month now.  Yeo told me that to accommodate all 12 machines, they would need two shophouses.  This is expensive for a charity organisation.  So that is one of the reasons they opted to rent a house for RM800 to RM900 per month.

He recalled that Yeo had also given assurance that the draining of liquid waste from the centre would not be by way of the housing drainage system.  Only ordinary wash water would go to the ordinary drain.

He was also told that registered nurses and medical assistants would to be stationed at the centre in the morning and afternoon.

On the residents, complaint letter, Pao said it had been received, but he had not discussed it with his general manager (Mohiden Ishak) who was on Hari Raya leave.

"I'll meet him after Raya, and hopefully we can come up with something like calling for a dialogue with residents of Taman Jasmine and St John Ambulalance," he said.