New market for private hospitals in Johor

26 August 2010 , By The Star

Private healthcare providers should consider setting up specialist medical centres in southeast Johor following the development of an oil and gas (O&G) hub there.

Mentri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman said when completed in five to seven years, the hub would cover over 5,000ha and create about 10,000 jobs.

“Medical services and facilities are part of the hub’s main components to provide services to the employees and their families,’’ he said.

Ghani said this at the opening of the RM70mil, 82-bedded Columbia Asia Hospital Nusajaya @ Afiathealth Park here recently.

He said Teluk Ramunia and Pengerang, where the hub would be located, would be another growth area apart from Iskandar Malaysia in the southernmost part of Johor.

The hub will have facilities for processing, refinery, storage, fabrication, bunkering, shipyard and marine-related industries.

To date, it had attracted RM16bil and RM30bil investments from Qatar and Iran respectively to set up facilities there before 2013.

Other investments include RM2bil by an Asian-based company for a shipyard and RM500mil by a local company for a fabrication yard covering over 200ha.

“Southeast Johor is an ideal location for the hub due to its deep water. It is also located along one of the world’s busiest shipping routes,’’ said Ghani.