‘MALAYSIAN HEALTHCARE BEST IN THE WORLD’
Country tops ‘International Living’ magazine’s list
MALAYSIANS can take pride in International Living
magazine’s recognition of the country’s healthcare system.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said the government’s efforts paid off when Malaysia was rated as having the best healthcare system in the world.
“This recognition from International Living magazine was also published in the CNBC news website.
“The magazine reported that Malaysia had some of the best doctors in Asia and the majority received their training and education from around the world,” he said in a post on his blog, najibrazak.com, yesterday.
In the post, which also displayed a photo of a 1Malaysia Clinic, Najib said Malaysian doctors spoke fluent English and that encouraged patients from foreign countries to seek treatment here.
He said healthcare was an important field because it determined the people’s welfare and country’s harmony.
“Without good and quality healthcare, the people’s lives and country’s administration will be affected.
“Healthy people can maintain productivity and generate national economy.
“That is the reason the government stresses on healthcare, so that Malaysians enjoy high-quality healthcare.”
Every year, Najib said, the government provided a huge subsidy to enable the people to receive the best healthcare service.
“Not only that, the government is always thinking of ways to make sure the service reaches all corners of the country and all walks of life, in urban or rural areas.
“That is why we have the 1Malaysia Mobile Clinic,” he said.
Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) Programme senior assistant director Datin Sharifah Ikhlas said affordable living and harmony in the country were also the main attractions for people who consider retiring here.
She said people mainly looked at four factors, namely, cost of living, climate, culture and facilities when planning their retirement destinations.
She said Malaysia was the preferred retirement destination by Britons, Australians, Danes, Indians, South Koreans and Russians.
“We will use this latest ranking in International Living as a promotional tool for MM2H as it puts us on the world map.”
MM2H programme agency Consensusbiz Sdn Bhd managing director Daisy Ong Danker said the agency received the most interest from Britons, Indonesians and Singaporeans.
“Many retirees experience better quality living in terms of healthcare, climate, cultural diversity and harmonious living environment here,” Danker said.
She said among other things, the currency, friendly nature of Malaysians and healthcare system are magnets for foreigners.