Malaysia strives to become primary medical tourism destination for Indonesia

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Malaysia is working to strengthen its appeal as a primary destination for medical tourism for the Indonesian public through the Malaysia Fair 2026, which took place in Jakarta from 4-7 June, stated the Director General of Tourism Malaysia, Mohd Amirul Rizal Abdul Rahim.

“We are collaborating with the Malaysia Health Tourism Council, where this time we will focus on both health and education,” he said during a press conference for Malaysia Fair 2026 in Jakarta on Friday.

According to Amirul, many tourists from Indonesia undergo medical treatments followed by leisure visits or shopping trips in Malaysia. “Once they have received treatment, particularly after undergoing check-ups in Kuala Lumpur, they proceed to go shopping,” Amirul noted.

He continued, stating that they provide various types of travel packages, specifically medical tourism packages, and noted that there are 78 travel agencies in Indonesia offering medical tourism packages to Malaysia. Amirul recommended Penang, Kuala Lumpur, and Malacca for medical tourism visits in Malaysia. “We are also attempting to recommend Sabah and Sarawak, where there is a market for medical tourism plus packages and so on,” said Amirul.

On the same occasion, the Brand Ambassador for the Malaysia Health Travel Council (MHTC) 2026, Dato’ Sri Siti Nurhaliza, shared her experience undergoing an IVF programme in Malaysia. “Good service is required from the hospitals; moral and emotional support must be provided so that we do not give up,” said Siti Nurhaliza, adding that she now has two children from the IVF programme. Siti Nurhaliza also encouraged the Indonesian public to undergo health screenings when visiting Malaysia.

The Malaysia Health Travel Council (MHTC), in collaboration with Tourism Malaysia, is organising the Malaysia Fair 2026 to offer healthcare and tourism services. In support of the Malaysia Year of Medical Tourism (MYMT) 2026, themed “Healing Meets Hospitality”, various stakeholders from the health and tourism sectors are being brought together to expand Indonesian access to Malaysia’s integrated medical tourism ecosystem.

“Through this exhibition, we want to present Malaysia’s trusted healthcare services to the Indonesian people, while simultaneously strengthening Malaysia’s position as a preferred destination for international healthcare, empathetic service, and a comprehensive patient experience,” said MHTC CEO Suriaghandi Suppiah.