PENANG: A single father down with bladder cancer has sought help from Bayan Baru member of parliament Sim Tze Tzin after the premium of his medical insurance tripled.

Sim managed to help him file a complaint with Bank Negara to restore the premium to original sum.

Sim shared on his Facebook that 55-year-old single father Eson was diagnosed with stage 1 bladder cancer in 2018.

He underwent treatment under the company’s insurance plan which lasted three years and cost nearly RM300,000.

The treatment fees were fully covered by the insurer.

Eson eventually recovered from cancer, although doctors warned there was still a risk of recurrence.

Eson had actually purchased his own insurance policy 15 years ago with a monthly premium of RM652.

“Eson works in sales, which is not easy. He often worked overtime, leading to long-term fatigue, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic,” Sim said.

“In 2021, he was forced to resign and retire early due to health issues.”

Eson faced severe financial pressure during that time and ended up using most of his retirement savings within two years.

“To make things worse, his insurance company recently hiked the monthly premium from RM652 to a shocking RM1,800.

“At the same time, he was diagnosed with a recurrence of cancer.

“He came to my office and said, ‘I can’t take it anymore. My cancer is back, and I can’t afford the premium,” Sim said.

Sim said Eson’s is not an isolated case, as he had received hundreds of complaints about skyrocketing insurance premiums.

Some senior citizens in their 70s were even forced to surrender their policies and lost all coverage.

In November 2024, Sim raised this issue in Parliament and met with the Bank Negara governor. As a result, Bank Negara introduced a “temporary measure” that limits insurance premium increase to a maximum of 10 percent annually over the next three years.

Sim personally assisted Eson in filing a complaint with Bank Negara, which ultimately led to his premium being restored to RM652 per month.

“Nearly half of Malaysians rely on insurance for healthcare coverage now. Insurance companies should not be allowed to raise premiums arbitrarily, putting lives at risk.

“This is a matter of life and death!”

Sim pledged that he would fight to protect the rights of the people.