RM120m Johor hospital to open in June

The Mahkota Medical Group will open a RM120 million hospital in Bandar Seri Alam, Johor, in June.

The 218-bed Regency Specialist Hospital expects to tap medical tourism in a big way. It projects contribution from domestic and foreign patients to be split equally within the next three years.

It will be the group's second hospital.

"The building is completed. The certificate of occupancy has been issued. We are waiting for the operating licence. The hospital should be operational mid-2008," Mahkota Medical Centre Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Francis Lim told Business Times.

The RM120 million investment includes land, building and equipment.

"We expect to break even in three years and be profitable from the fourth," Lim said.

"We are targeting patients, particularly from Singapore, and generally from Indonesia. We anticipate that we will have 50 per cent local patients and 50 per cent foreign in three years."

Lim said that Johor's potential for medical tourism is good as it has an international airport.

Health Management International Ltd of Singapore holds 48.95 per cent of the Mahkota Medical Group. Bumiputera-owned Maju Medik Sdn Bhd owns 38.42 per cent, while 12.36 per cent are held by doctors located all over Malaysia.

By New Straits Times