KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 17): Sunsuria Bhd has inked a partnership with Island Hospital Sdn Bhd (IH) to open its first cancer centre in Penang.

In a filing with Bursa Malaysia on Tuesday, the property developer said its 30%-owned Icon Sunsuria Sdn Bhd had entered into a partnership with IH to develop the centre. Notably, the cancer centre is slated to operate early next year.

“Icon Sunsuria aims to provide access to quality cancer care, and improve the well-being of patients and their families, by establishing cancer centres across Malaysia via strategic partnerships with local healthcare operators.

“By partnering with IH's dedicated professionals and cutting-edge medical equipment, this partnership reflects Icon Sunsuria's commitment to providing world-class cancer care and improving access to quality cancer treatment for patients in Malaysia and the greater South Asean region,” it said.

Icon Sunsuria is a joint venture between Sunsuria Healthcare Sdn Bhd, an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Sunsuria, and Icon Asia Holdings Pte Ltd, which is part of the Icon Group, Australia’s largest integrated cancer care provider.

In a press release accompanying the announcement, Serena Wee, the chief executive officer of Icon Asean and Hong Kong, said that Icon Sunsuria’s core mission is to make advanced cancer care accessible with a comprehensive, patient-centred approach.

“Our collaboration with IH is a testament to this mission, combining our extensive oncology expertise with a renowned healthcare institution. Together, we will harness our collective capabilities to help reduce gaps in cancer care access, and address the healthcare burden.

“This partnership is an important step forward in our vision to provide world-class cancer care and greater access to quality cancer treatments for patients in Malaysia and the region. Through this collaboration, we will empower patients and their families with the knowledge and resources in their fight against cancer, and make vital steps towards survivorship,” she said.

As to the reason why Penang was selected as the location for Icon Sunsuria’s first centre, Audrey Ooi, the CEO of Sunsuria Healthcare, cited the state’s strategic location and well-established reputation as a destination for patients seeking advanced medical treatment.

“By establishing our centre here, we’re not only enhancing access to top-quality cancer care for the northern [Peninsular] Malaysian population, but also those in the greater Southeast Asian region. Today, this vision is made possible through our collaboration with IH, one of Malaysia’s leading healthcare institutions," said Ooi.

Meanwhile, Sunsuria highlighted that the partnership is not expected to have a material effect on the financial performance of the group for the financial year ending Sept 30, 2024.

Shares in Sunsuria ended unchanged at 54 sen, gving the group a market capitalisation of RM465.88 million.