Health Minister Dr S Subramaniam today reassured Malaysians that the price hikes in public hospital wards will not affect the poor.

Subramaniam said the cabinet decided to raise the charges because they have not been reviewed for a long time.

"I will like to reassure all Malaysians that the government will not abrogate its responsibility to the poor and those from the low income group.

"They will continue to receive the high level of care that they have been receiving as before," Subramaniam said.