JOHOR BAHRU: Johor Corporation (JCorp) has identified the state’s growing strength in healthcare as the cornerstone for establishing a future regional innovation hub, aimed at meeting the expanding clinical and medical talent demands across ASEAN.
JCorp President and Chief Executive, Datuk Syed Mohamed Syed Ibrahim, said Johor possesses the institutional capability and strategic infrastructure to enhance its leadership in healthcare, with JCorp poised to leverage these assets to scale quality and reach.
He highlighted that KPJ Healthcare Berhad — JCorp’s healthcare arm — is spearheading Malaysia’s first Academic Health System, which brings together clinical care, education, and research under a unified model.
“This system is anchored on three key pillars: KPJ hospitals, KPJ Healthcare University (KPJU), and the KPJ Research and Innovation Centre,” said Syed Mohamed in a recent interview with Bernama.
He added that the integrated model is designed to set a gold standard in healthcare by embedding global best practices into medical treatment, professional training, and innovation.
KPJU, he noted, plays a vital role in nurturing medical, nursing, and allied health professionals who are both regionally adept and globally relevant.
Further strengthening this vision, KPJ’s strategic partnership with the Mayo Clinic Care Network and the development of Centres of Excellence in oncology, cardiology, orthopaedics, and robotic surgery are expected to enhance Malaysia’s positioning as a premier international healthcare destination.
On the investment front, Syed Mohamed also indicated that JCorp is open to co-funding strategic infrastructure projects with long-term institutional investors such as Kumpulan Wang Persaraan (Diperbadankan), Khazanah Nasional Berhad, and Singapore’s Temasek Holdings Ltd.
“We are building investment pathways aligned with long-term capital priorities. Strategic infrastructure succeeds when supported by shared governance, risk transparency, and measurable outcomes,” he stated.
JCorp is currently developing co-investment platforms focused on catalytic zones such as the Ibrahim Technopolis (IBTEC) and logistics corridors integrated with the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ).
“These platforms are designed to deliver financial returns alongside ESG-aligned performance and regional economic spillover for Johor,” he said, noting that engagement with institutional partners prioritises capital stewardship, sectoral expertise, and co-design capacity across energy, digital, and logistics infrastructure.
-Bernama
