By SHAZNI ONG / pic by MUHD AMIN NAHARUL

INTEGRATED healthcare platform provider TMC Life Sciences Bhd (TMCLS) has allocated RM142 million for its capital expenditure (capex) forthis year.

Its outgoing group CEO Roy Quek Hong Sheng (picture) said70% of the allocation would be for the expansion of Kota DamansaraHospital, 20% for the works that are being done for its new hospital inJohor Baru (JB), while the remaining 10% would be for its existinghospitals.

“The next few years will see significant growth and development forTMCLS as expansion projects in Kota Damansara and JB will be completedby then.

“This, as we continue to seek opportunities for partnerships andacquisitions,” he told a press conference after the company’s AGMyesterday.

Quek added that TMCLS recently embarked on a major expansion acrossits current facilities with an additional of 1,100 beds in the pipeline.

“Our flagship hospital, Thomson Hospital Kota Damansara is expectedto triple its current capacity to 600 beds by 2020, making it one of the largest private hospitals in the region.

“The group has also started construction work on Thomson IskandarMedical Hub in JB, which includes the 500-bed Hospital Iskandariah. Theexpansions of two of our fertility centres — TMC Fertility KotaDamansara and TMC Fertility Puchong — are on track and slated to becompleted by yearend,” he said.

Quek, who will relinquish his role today but retains dual roles asCEO and ED of Thomson Medical Group, the parent company of TMCLS, saidthe group is reviewing certain options on mergers and acquisitions butrefused to divulge further.

However, he said the group is looking to expand further besides inMalaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Myanmar and China, as well as potentiallyin Australia.

Quek said he hoped that a deal could be landed at least by the end of its financial year ending Aug 31, 2019.

Meanwhile, incoming group CEO Wan Nadiah Wan Mohd Abdullah Yaakobsaid the fertility business, which has been part of the medical tourismpromoted by the government, has contributed to 20% of the group’srevenue.

“That is because we have centres in different parts of the countrysuch as in Penang, JB and Kuala Lumpur, which has been helpful in giving tourists the options as to where they want to seek treatment.

“We are also looking at upgrading some of our facilities and tocollaborate with partners to bring up the levels of service,” she said,adding that there is still untapped market which can be explored,particularly in East Malaysia.

TMCLS is currently an industry leader in assisted fertility treatment in the country.

In October last year, it was recognised by the Malaysia Book ofRecords for the highest number of in vitro fertilisation (IVF) babiesproduced by a single IVF practice, with 5,388 babies.

TMCLS also posted an increase of 13% year-on-year for both of itsrevenue (RM47.2 million) and profit (RM7.1 million) in the first quarter of financial year 2019 ended Nov 30, 2018.

TMCLS shares closed 0.68%, or one sen, higher to 73 sen yesterday with a market capitalisation of RM1.28 billion.

Source: Malaysian Reserve

• Mohamad Shahizam Fauzi Item A
• Head, CommunicationsItem B
• +603 8776 6168

shahizam.f@mhtc.org.my
Muhammad Rasydan Ma’at                                                
Asst. Manager, Communications
+603 8776 6168        
rasydan.m@mhtc.org.my