ISKANDAR PUTERI (Sept 18): Sunway Medical Group broke ground for the RM800 million Sunway Medical Centre Iskandar Puteri in Johor on Friday, further completing the 2,000-acre Sunway City Iskandar Puteri township development. 

As part of the RM30 billion gross development value Sunway City Iskandar Puteri by Sunway Group, the investment of a 410-bed medical centre, which is targeted to open in 2030, forms part of the medical group’s expansion plan to establish a network of 10 hospitals with more than 4,000 beds nationwide by 2030. 

“We are putting different types of businesses in Sunway City Iskandar Puteri — hotel, schools and shopping mall. I think it's timely to set up the medical centre now. Upon the completion of the medical centre, we will be able to contribute to the residents… We committed to our tagline, which is improving the lives we touch,” said Sunway Group founder and chairman Tan Sri Jeffrey Cheah in the press conference after the ground-breaking ceremony held in Johor on Friday. 

First launched in 2014, more than 30% of Sunway City Iskandar Puteri has been developed, with approximately 7,000 residents and 2,000 residential units sold. 

In his keynote speech, chairman of the Johor State Investment, Trade, Consumer Affairs and Human Resources Committee Lee Ting Han said the establishment of a new medical centre is timely to further enhance the liveability of the area, as well as unlocking the next phase of economic growth in Johor.

“Johor is strong in manufacturing, data centre, petrochemical, logistics, warehousing and infrastructure. Our next phase [of economic growth] must also expand high-value, knowledge-intensive services such as the healthcare industry,” said Lee. 

He added that Sunway Medical Centre Iskandar Puteri is expected to bring more investment and talents to strategic locations within the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ).

“In fact, healthcare is one of the 11 promoter sectors within the JS-SEZ with specialised incentives, as well as one of the eight key promoter sectors under the Johor Economics Transformation Plan. By the end of this year, we will be launching a blueprint on how to further promote these key sectors … We believe building a sustainable township is more than just a collection of factories, companies, offices and investment projects. It must be a complete economic ecosystem where businesses can operate efficiently, talents can build rewarding careers, and families can enjoy a high quality of life. And reliable healthcare is essential to that ecosystem,” he said. 

The medical centre also marks Sunway Healthcare’s first expansion into the southern Malaysia market. 

“The first [Sunway] hospital opened in 1999, and the second hospital in 2019. For 20 years, the group did not expand into healthcare, but over the last seven eight years, we have then expanded very rapidly, adding on another four hospitals with close to 2,000 beds. And by the time we finish with another five hospitals in 2030, including this first one in the southern region, we'll have over 4,000 beds,” Sunway Healthcare Group Datuk Lau Beng Long told the press.

He explained that the group has been focusing on perfecting the operating model of private hospitals before expanding its footprint. 

“As we don't get any funding from the government. It [the operating model] has to be a sustainable model, and it's very important that we are financially viable. And we have done that well over the period, where our Ebita and PAT growth over a short period of time compared to other similar hospitals. I believe now we are ready to expand the business now,” Lau said. 

He added that the Sunway Medical Centre Iskandar Puteri will strengthen access to quality healthcare for communities across Johor and the southern region, while supporting the state’s growing position as a medical tourism destination for patients from neighbouring Singapore and Indonesia.