THE health and medical tourism industry has contributed to the increase of tourist arrivals in the country.Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz said this was because health and medical care in the country was competitive and of better quality compared with that in neighbouring countries.He said health and medical tourists had confidence in medical services provided by private hospitals in the country and trusted the doctors.He was replying to a supplementary question from Dr Mansor Abd Rahman (BN-Sik).
“We also offer some of the best after-care services as we have holiday resorts that are good for patients who are recovering after their surgery,” he said.Nazri said Malaysia had received many international awards in terms of health tourism for three years in a row.To another supplementary question on the allegations of bad treatment from a Taiwanese tourist who was held at the Immigration detention centre recently, Nazri said his ministry would get more information from the Immigration Department on the issue.“Firstly, I believe that the overall treatment by Immigration to tourists is good as they understand the importance of being the frontliners.“But if something happened, as a minister, I am concerned about it so we will get the details,” he said.The Taiwanese woman named Yu Ya Chien, 34, claimed she was detained by the Immigration Department at KLIA2 for 35 hours because of a “damaged passport”, during which Immigration officers allegedly ill-treated her and demanded money.The Immigration Department however has since denied the allegation.Source: The Star Online
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Muhammad Rasydan Ma’at
Asst. Manager, Communications
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Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC), established in 2009 under the purview of the Ministry of Health (MOH) Malaysia, is entrusted with developing and nurturing the “Malaysia Healthcare” brand. MHTC enhances, coordinates, and promotes Malaysia’s healthcare travel industry by fostering industry collaborations and building valuable public-private partnerships both domestically and internationally. With 80 member hospitals nationwide, MHTC continues to elevate the healthcare travel ecosystem through strong branding, seamless patient experiences, and strategic market initiatives. In line with these efforts, MHTC is spearheading the Malaysia Year of Medical Tourism (MYMT) 2026, the nation’s first dedicated year to celebrate and advance healthcare travel. MYMT 2026 serves as a milestone initiative to showcase Malaysia’s world-class healthcare offerings, strengthen its position as the premier global healthcare destination, and highlight the industry’s significant contribution to the national economy. More information can be found at https://www.mhtc.org.my/.
