(From left) Fiona, Erni, Desnita and Ida at Penang International Airport. — Photos: CHAN BOON KAI/The Star (From right) A driver assisting Irwan and Melda as they arrive at the airport.
LANDING in Penang brought a sigh of relief for flight passenger Erni Wati from Jakarta.
The direct flight may have taken only a few hours, yet for Erni, it meant that the medical treatment she has been waiting for was finally within reach.
She was among Indonesia’s growing stream of healthcare travellers.
The hour-and-a-half journey from Jakarta to Penang, covering a distance of over 1,500km, to seek medical care was worth the travel for the 52-year-old.
“In Jakarta, waiting time for a check-up could take months, so I decided Penang would be the destination for my treatment,” she said.
Erni said she has been unwell for a long time, but specialists back home could not find the cause.
Friends who had sought care in Penang urged her to make the trip.
She said the services provided in Penang to healthcare travellers made the journey far more convenient.
“Here, they provide us accommodation and transport to and from the airport at an affordable price.
“It feels worth the money here,” she said.
Her daughter, Fiona Aravinda, 22, travelled with her to provide care and hoped to see some of Penang’s attractions and try the local food after her mother’s check-up.
A driver helping Irwan and Melda as they arrive at the airport.
For cancer patient Desnita Putri, 27, the journey is now routine, having made more than 20 trips to Penang.
“It was not just tip-top treatment; the doctors here are highly trained and educated,” she said.
Travelling with her mother, Ida Wahyuni, Desnita said she usually found a bit of time to explore Penang after her sessions.
Businessman Irwan Samudera, 53, who came for his heart treatment accompanied by his wife Melda Koesuma, 49, said clear treatment plans mattered most to him.
“The doctors here explain everything step by step,” he said.
He said the doctor took time to go through scans, costs and options, and he felt confident and not rushed.
The Indonesian travellers were part of the first group on TransNusa’s inaugural Jakarta–Penang flight.
They were welcomed by state tourism committee chairman Wong Hon Wai, Tourism Malaysia deputy director-general (Promotion II) Lee Thai Hung, TransNusa Group chief executive officer Datuk Bernard Francis and Indonesia’s consul-general in Penang Wanton Seragih Sid.
Wong said the new route supported national plans to develop healthcare travel.
“Next year is not only Visit Malaysia 2026 but also Malaysia Year of Medical Tourism 2026.
“Indonesia is the most important healthcare travel market for Penang, making up nearly 90% of the state’s healthcare travel revenue,” he said.
Currently, there are several Jakarta-Penang direct flights available.
