International hospital chain to open in Batu Kawan


Batu Kawan’s appeal to international brands has been proven again, this time by Columbia Asia Hospital.

This RM185mil hospital of 150 beds will be joining furniture super brand IKEA in this new mainland township.

Columbia Asia Sdn Bhd chief executive officer (South-East Asia) Kelvin Tan said the hospital would be on a 1.2ha site in Aspen Vision City.

The investment included costs for the building, equipment and land.

“We are in the process of securing approval from the Health Ministry as well as the state, for our building plans.

“We want to move in as quickly as possible,” he told a press conference in E&O Hotel Penang on Wednesday.

Tan and group chief executive officer John Northern signed a purchase and development agreement with Aspen Group chief executive officer Datuk M. Murly and Ikano managing director Christian Rojkjaer.

Witnessing the signing were Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and Aspen Group executive director and chairman Datuk Seri Nazir Ariff.

Columbia Asia is 30% owned by Employees Provident Fund and the remainder is by US-based International Columbia USA LLC.

It has 11 facilities in Malaysia and 17 in India, Indonesia and Vietnam.

The company specialises in full-service hospitals, usually in suburbs rather than central cities.

“We saw great potential in Batu Kawan and Aspen Vision City, with its unparalleled connectivity and accessibility in the region.

“Our focus will be to provide favourable patient outcomes and to serve the middle-income group,” Tan said.

Murly, in his speech, said Aspen Vision City and Columbia Asia Hospital shared the same vision — affordable with quality.

“I believe Columbia Asia can offer excellent medical services at reasonable prices,” he said.

Lim said he was glad to see international brands and big players like IKEA and Columbia Asia going to Bandar Cassia.

“They can visualise the limitless potential of Batu Kawan.

“The state government and Penang Development Corporation are wooing marquee brands to turn Batu Kawan into an intelligent eco-township,” he said.

Aspen Vision City, sitting on 99ha of freehold lease land, is one of the biggest mixed developments in Bandar Cassia.

This joint venture between Aspen Group and Ikano Pte Ltd features residen-tial and commercial properties, complemented with first-class infrastructure and amenities. - By The Star

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