Nazri: Health and medical tourism industry thriving

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.