PETALING JAYA, March 6 — TMC Life Sciences Berhad (TMCLS) has announced plans for Thomson Iskandariah Hospital, a multi-specialty facility in the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ).
The new hospital is aimed at addressing the rising health care needs in southern Malaysia, focusing on serving an ageing population and expanding medical tourism in Johor.
The facility will offer general medical services while building on Thomson Medical Group’s strengths in women’s and children’s health. Key specialties will include orthopaedics, oncology, high-risk surgeries, and advanced diagnostics. The hospital’s services will be shaped by demand, available resources, and staffing.
“With an ageing population in Malaysia and across the region, we expect to see more knee and hip replacements, along with mobility-related treatments. Oncology will also be in high demand,” Thomson Medical Group CEO Dr Melvin Heng Jun Li said in an interview with CodeBlue here on Monday.
“Ophthalmology will be another focus, particularly cataracts and diabetic retinopathy, given the high metabolic disease rate. We have to align these needs with the doctors we can bring on board and build the right team.”
Building A Medical Hub
Thomson Iskandariah Hospital will occupy 1.5 hectares within the 11-hectare Thomson Iskandar development, located near the Causeway linking Johor and Singapore. The project includes 400 medical suites, training institutes, research facilities, and a 33-story commercial block.
Construction of the multi-specialty hospital is set to begin in early 2026, with the first phase expected to open alongside the Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link, a cross-border rail service scheduled to start in January 2027. The RTS will cut travel time between Singapore’s Woodlands North and Johor Bahru’s Bukit Chagar to six minutes.
The Thomson Iskandar development is expected to be completed by 2030.
The company plans to prioritise health care-related facilities, including training centres for nurses, radiologists, and intensivists, over commercial or residential projects in developing Thomson Iskandar.
“Even if we have the right doctors, we also need support staff. Good radiologists need radiographers. Good surgeons need well-trained scrub nurses. It takes years to build a strong team,” Dr Heng said.
“For highly specialised procedures like cardiothoracic or liver transplant surgeries, you need a skilled support system, including ICU nurses and intensivists. As demand grows in Johor, there will be a lag in expertise, so working with hospitals and training centers to develop these skills is crucial.”
Dr Heng said Singapore’s expertise could help bridge that gap. “We would love to see more structured training with Singapore,” he said.
“Rather than just working with individual doctors, we could collaborate with groups, like we do at Thomson Hospital Kota Damansara with OncoCare and orthopedic specialists. When you find a strong team that works well together, it creates a multiplier effect where we can build sustainable centers of excellence and attract more talent and services to Johor.”
Special Economic Zone Offers Opportunities For New Treatments
Dr Heng said the JS-SEZ could offer earlier access to such treatments, particularly in oncology, where it could make the difference between “no hope and some hope.”
The zone could also serve as a testbed for new treatments awaiting full approval, similar to models in the Hong Kong-Shenzhen region, where universities, startups, and industries collaborate on medical innovations.
“It is actually prohibitively expensive for some companies to bring in medication. They may be critical drugs, like those used in oncology, or life-saving devices,” Dr Heng said. “The SEZ presents an opportunity to introduce them earlier, potentially creating a sandbox where these treatments can be used within the population while awaiting formal local approval.
“The SEZ presents an opportunity to introduce them earlier, potentially creating a sandbox where these treatments can be used within the population while awaiting formal local approval.
“In oncology, we’ve seen significant advances in areas like immunology and CAR T-cell therapy. These are just some examples, and for certain patients, they could mean the difference between having no hope and having some hope. But of course, we need a strong framework to properly assess their efficacy.”
Balancing Local Demand And Medical Tourism
Thomson Iskandariah Hospital expects 60 to 80 per cent of its patients to be locals, with the rest coming from Singapore and medical tourists from the region, including Indonesia’s Riau Islands.
“I think hospitals must focus on the local population,” Dr Heng said. “Foreign residents may seek treatment, but in my experience, they rarely exceed 35 per cent of a hospital’s patients. The majority of services will cater to Malaysians.”
He said Johor’s growing population and rising demand for complex medical procedures present opportunities for expansion.
“The south of Peninsular Malaysia is a huge market. Our patients in Johor or even in Melaka should not have to travel to Kuala Lumpur or Singapore for complex cases. They should have access closer to home,” Dr Heng said.
Even without medical tourists, demand is already high and will continue to grow with an ageing population, he added.
Dr Heng cited Gleneagles Medini Johor and Regency Hospital as examples of hospitals expanding due to strong demand. He said a growing network of hospitals would only strengthen Johor’s position in the health care sector.
“I don’t think it will be cannibalistic. The network of good hospitals in the area will only increase the value proposition of Johor as a serious health care player,” he said. “Health care demand also fuels growth in supporting industries like medical devices, diagnostics, lab reagents, and manufacturing. We’re already seeing increasing demand in these sectors.”
Johor’s proximity to Singapore’s Changi Airport also makes it attractive for multinational firms seeking infrastructure while benefiting from lower costs, he said.
“Companies looking for the best of both worlds—good infrastructure, affordable human capital, and space—will find Johor a unique opportunity worth capitalising on,” Dr Heng added.
A ‘Premium Economy’ Approach
Thomson Iskandariah Hospital aims to offer a “premium economy” experience—high-quality care without lavish luxury, making it accessible to the middle class while maintaining a comfortable private hospital setting.
“We don’t need extravagant luxury, but we must be capable of handling high-intensity medical work,” Dr Heng said. He added that while the hospital aims to provide premium treatment, it will not position itself as an ultra-luxury facility.
“It will have to align with the case mix and complexity of the surgeries, but at the same time, we need to cater to the middle class and above.
“We definitely want to provide premium treatment and a comfortable private hospital experience, but we’re not aiming for first-class luxury. Instead, we’re targeting a premium economy to business-class experience to reach the widest segment of our target market.”
