Iskandar Malaysia aim to be a cosmetic surgery hub

Iskandar Malaysia aim to be a cosmetic surgery hub

PASIR GUDANG: Johorians are out to make Iskandar Malaysia a leading centre for cosmetic and constructive surgeries in the region.

Mentri Besar Datuk Mohamed Khaled Nordin (pic) said the Johor state could emulate the success story of South Korea in the cosmetic surgery / plastic surgery sector.

He said South Korea had been able to attract patients from all over the world to undergo plastic and cosmetic surgery in the country and Iskandar Malaysia could match this.

“Iskandar Malaysia has the ecosystem to transform and develop itself into a new regional player in the healthcare sector including in the cosmetic plastic surgery segment,” he told reporters at the opening of the RM73mil eight-storey KPJ Pasir Gudang Specialist Hospital owned by Johor Corp’s public-listed entity KPJ Healthcare Bhd.

Mohamed Khaled said as Asian society was becoming more affluent, Asians in general including Malaysians were more than willing to spend money to look good.

“We have identified the health sector as one of the main revenue earners for Johor in the long run and we want to establish Iskandar Malaysia as a healthcare hub,” he said.

Mohamed Khaled said this could be achieved as Iskandar Malaysia already have 15 private specialist hospitals now and the figure would increase to 20 within the next few years.

On that note he said, KPJ Healthcare Bhd had conducted a feasibility study to turn Iskandar Malaysia into a healthcare hub and the company had recently submitted its findings to the Johor state government.

Mohamed Khaled said the state economic planning unit would launch an action plan to seize the business opportunity by focusing on six clusters to develop the healthcare sector.

They are healthcare services, support services, caring for the aged, human capital development, manufacturing and research and development activities.

“A concerted effort is needed from the private sector to promote, develop and transform Johor  Iskandar Malaysia into a regional healthcare hub, whereas the government will play its supporting role,” he said.


Source: www.thestar.com.my/