Revolutionary: Dzulkefly (left) and Entreprenuer and Cooperatives Minister Datuk Ewon Benedick (third from right) at the official launch of IMDEC 2026 and MedTechPreneur 1.0. — AZHAR MAHFOF/The Star
PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia’s medical device industry is surging ahead, contributing RM1.8bil annually to the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP) and creating over 130,000 high-skilled jobs, says Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad.
He said the sector’s exports jumped 31% in 2024 to RM37bil, buoyed by RM20bil in domestic and foreign investments between 2021 and 2024 – a sign of Malaysia’s growing stature as Asean’s emerging MedTech hub.
“Malaysia’s medical device industry continues to demonstrate remarkable growth and resilience. In 2024 alone, medical device exports surged by 31%, reaching RM37bil.
“Between 2021 and 2024, the sector attracted RM20bil in domestic and foreign investments,” he said during the pre-launch of the International Medical Device Exhibition and Conference (IMDEC) 2026 and the MedTechPreneur 1.0 Programme here yesterday.
Dzulkefly also announced the biennial event, IMDEC 2026, will be held from Aug 26-28 next year with the theme “Revolutionising Medical Technology: Powering Tomorrow’s Era of Healthcare” at the KL Convention Centre.
He said the previous IMDEC held in 2024 recorded RM550mil in investments, featured 89 exhibitors and showcased 245 innovations.
“IMDEC 2026 will once again serve as a premier global platform for knowledge exchange, innovation and collaboration,” he added.
IMDEC 2025 is also organised in partnership with local and international stakeholders including Universiti Malaya, Clinical Research Malaysia and the Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council.
Dzulkefly said these partnerships embody Malaysia’s strategic ambition to become the MedTech hub of Asean, catalysing innovation and investment while strengthening regional collaboration.
He also said the Medical Device Authority (MDA) continues to exemplify progressive and effective regulatory leadership.
Through the Regulatory Reliance Programme with China and Singapore, Dzulkefly said devices approved by MDA can now be registered through an abridged pathway in those countries, and vice versa.
“This milestone signifies a new era of regional collaboration and mutual recognition, reducing duplication and accelerating market access across borders,” he added.
The MDA has also streamlined approval processes for medical devices based on classifications, Dzulkefly highlighted.
For Class A devices, the approval will take 14 days from 30 days, and 21 days for Classes B, C and D instead of 90 days.
“This demonstrates our commitment to efficiency, transparency and innovation in public service. It forms part of a broader transformation toward a more agile, responsive and digitally enabled health governance system,” he added
Medical devices are classified as Class A (low risk), Class B (low to moderate risk), Class C (moderate to high risk) and Class D (highest risk).
Meanwhile, Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development Minister Datuk Ewon Benedick said the MedTechPreneur 1.0 programme was a platform that will open opportunities for local entrepreneurs to venture into the medical device industry.
“Through this industry, the local entrepreneurs are able to position themselves within the global value chain and not merely as manufacturers, but as creators of future medical technologies,” he said in his speech at the pre-launch of the programme.
Ewon added that through the MedTechPreneur 1.0 programme, more entrepreneurs will likely emerge in the medical device sector, paving new pathways for local small and medium entrepreneurs (SMEs) to enhance production capacity, technological expertise and access to international markets.
“The ministry and its agencies remain committed to supporting and assisting entrepreneurs nurtured by the Medical Device Authority,” he added.
