Health metropolis to provide 3,000 new jobs

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KUCHING: The proposed Sarawak Health Metropolis will provide up to 3,000 new jobs and generate over RM100 million per year when fully completed.

At a press conference yesterday, Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate for Pending Prof Dr Sim Kui Hian unveiled his master plan for the health metropolis and detailed its role in providing world-class public healthcare, medical research and education in the state.

“The time has come for Sarawak to lessen its dependence on commodity-based natural resources. Our true wealth lies in our people and the talent they possess.

“We must leverage our ‘brain trust’ to move into a knowledge-based economy that innovates and adds value. This approach will help to retain our best and brightest and attract others to come and build careers and lives in Sarawak,” he said. Besides making medical facilities accessible to the people, he hopes it would attract international talent and multinational companies associated with the healthcare industry to partner and invest in Sarawak.

The metropolis would have universities for medical education in traditional medicine and modern medicine practices; healthcare and biotechnology research facilities as well as manufacturing facilities for prescription drugs and medical equipment.

There are also plans for residential and commercial development to support the metropolis as it is expected to be a thriving centre full of economic opportunities.

A core part of the metropolis will be zoned as a green area to enhance its environmental sustainability.

Professor Reinhard Renneberg from Hong Kong University Science and Technology lent his support to the proposal, saying that recruiting international top specialists and advisors as well as using biomedical high-technology would increase not only the quality of life for all Malaysians but also prolong their life expectancy and good health.

“It will put Malaysia into the top of nations with excellent healthcare. I would be happy to help Malaysia to reach this ambitious goal,” said Renneberg.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who announced the Health Metropolis on Sunday night, said the government would be considering it under its National Key Economic Areas (NKEA).

If plans for construction are approved, the Health Metropolis would be the latest addition to the Kuching-Kota Samarahan Corridor, which already consists of two major universities – Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) and University Technology Malaysia (UiTM), the Samajaya Free Industrial Zone, Sarawak General Hospital Heart Centre and new housing estates.