Healthcare and medical hub in Iskandar Malaysia

 Johor government wants to promote medical tourism to realise Iskandar Malaysia to become healthcare and medical hub in the region, taking advantage of its strategic location in South East Asia and high quality services with cheaper medical bill and affordable healthcare compare to its competitor Singapore.

Johor Menteri Besar Khaled Nordin said that there are about 14 private hospitals in Iskandar Malaysia. Most of the facilities in these private hospitals received many patients from nearby countries like Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand and regional countries.

KPJ Healthcare, a private hospital chain under Johor Corporation has been assigned by Johor government to draw a master plan associate to transforms Iskandar Malaysia into healthcare and medical hub in the region.

“With the right planning, we can turn Iskandar Malaysia into a medical tourism focused healthcare and medical hub as we are located next to Singapore. Besides of providing healthcare and medicines, services like sterilisation should also be looked into as the costs of such services tend to be higher in Singapore hospitals,” he said after launching the KPJ Healthcare Camp in Kampung Nelayan, Permas Jaya here yesterday.

“KPJ has four hospitals in Iskandar Malaysia and is indirectly linked to the state government. I am sure that with their expertise, KPJ are able to come up with an effective plan for a sustainable healthcare and medical hub for example in the next five years,” Menteri Besar Khaled Nordin said.

“We always talk about developing Iskandar Malaysia and the Johor state but it is not only restricted and focused on new housing developments. There should be a balanced development in the services and healthcare sectors as well,” he added.

Medical tourism has been popular in neighbor countries like Singapore and Thailand. Many Indonesians flight to Singapore every year for healthcare and medical checkup. Iskandar Malaysia should seize the opportunity of its expertise in healthcare and medical, affordable healthcare and strategic location to attracted Indonesian.

Columbia Asia Hospital at Afiat Healthpark

Healthcare and medical tourism

Malaysia Film Industry set to soar with Pinewood Iskandar Malaysia Studios

Nusajaya : Malaysia film industry is set scale to soar to new heights over the next few years with a large inflow of production companies servicing it, which is expected to make Pinewood Iskandar Malaysia Studios as their base.

Iskandar Malaysia Studios Sdn Bhd CEO Michael Peter Lake said the production companies growth is in line with the government’s aspiration to further develop the creative content, digital content and communication media industries.

 “The government is very supportive of the ‘Film in Malaysia’ incentives, which is a big plus and main factor towards attracting production companies and creative content industries to flourish”.

“I am very bullish over the potential of the creative content and communication media industries within Iskandar Malaysia,” he added.

Michael Peter Lake told reporters about this after the signing ceremony between Imagica Corp and Candelon Ventures Sdn Bhd, a wholly-owned special purpose vehicle of Khazanah Nasional Bhd.

The Film in Malaysia incentive offers a 30 per cent rebate to foreign production companies that spend a minimum of RM5 million in Malaysia. Local productions companies that spend at least RM2.5 million entitled to the same benefit.

Japan-based Imagica Corp and Khazanah Nasional Berhad have formed a joint venture JV, Imagica South East Asia Sdn Bhd (Imagica SEA), to establish the first international post-production facility at Pinewood Iskandar Malaysia Studios in Iskandar Malaysia with a RM9 million investment. Imagica Corp will hold 49 per cent equity interest in Imagica SEA with the balance held by Candelon Ventures Sdn Bhd, a wholly-owned special purpose vehicle of Khazanah.

Michael Peter Lake said companies can take advantage of the fully integrated facilities within Pinewood Iskandar Malaysia Studios, which includes 5 film sound stages over 100,000 sq ft, the broadest range of post production facilities under one roof, 2 of 12,000 sq ft High Definition (HD) equipped television studios and other support devices.

Meanwhile, Imagica President Yukihiro Fujikawa said it was an exciting time to be in the region as the film industry was booming, and the company planned to tap the available potential. He said Imagica was offering comprehensive and highly creative digital content post production services as well as jobs for the transfer of technical know-how to create more skilled players in the industry.

Fujikawa said in a statement that they will target major Hollywood feature film companies and TV production companies as their post production clients, along with companies from booming Southeast Asia region. “With Japanese creativity and quality, Imagica SEA will penetrate into world market in collaboration with Pinewood Iskandar Malaysia Studios,” Fujikawa added. “As one of the leaders in Japan, Imagica SEA will promote the digital distribution for digital content holders aiming to venture out to new markets in Southeast Asia.”

Apart from post production activities, Fujikawa said the company would also commence digital distribution services such as Digital Cinema Delivery and Digital Distribution Management, alongside archiving and restoration services from its Pinewood Iskandar Malaysia Studios post production facility.

Opened last May, Pinewood Iskandar Malaysia Studios is a RM120 million joint venture between Khazanah Nasional Berhad and UK based Pinewood Studios, where J.J. Abrams’ Star Wars: Episode VII will be produced.

Pinewood Iskandar Malaysia Studios

Imagica SEA