SPEECH BY

YAB DATO’ SERI ANWAR IBRAHIM

PERDANA MENTERI

 

FOR

 

CLOSING CEREMONY OF INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL DEVICE EXHIBITION AND CONFERENCE (IMDECC 2024) IN CONJUNCTION WITH MALAYSIA HOSTING THE 28TH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE GLOBAL HARMONIZATION WORKING PARTY (GHWP)

 

THURSDAY, 12 DECEMBER 2024 |11:30 AM |

KUALA LUMPUR CONVENTION CENTRE,

KUALA LUMPUR

Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

Salam sejahtera.

Alhamdulillah nahmaduhu wa nusalli ala rasool kareem

Yang Berhormat Datuk Seri Dr. Haji Dzulkefly bin Ahmad,

Minister of Health Malaysia;

Yang Berhormat Tuan Mohd Rafizi bin Ramli,

Minister of Economy;

Yang Berbahagia Dato’ Sri Suriani binti Dato’ Ahmad,

Secretary General Ministry of Health;

Yang Berbahagia Datuk Dr. Muhammad Radzi bin Abu

Hassan,

Director General of Health;

Yang Berusaha Dr. Muralitharan Paramasua,

Chief Executive of Medical Device Authority (MDA);

Yang Berusaha Dr. Xu Jinghe,

Deputy Commissioner of China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA); and

Excellencies, Ladies, and Gentlemen.

1. Saya mulakan dengan menyatakan penghargaan kepada Kementerian Kesihatan kerana berjaya menganjurkan International Medical Device Exhibition and Conference (IMDEC) 2024. Pagi tadi kebetulan kita baru meluncurkan Pejabat AI Kebangsaan (NAIO). Kita lihat umpamanya penekanan negara ini dalam bidang transformasi digital dan AI adalah secara yang agak bersungguh-sungguh dan memerlukan kesediaan rakan-rakan yang memimpin Kementerian Kesihatan menerima kenyataan dan menuntut perubahan yang agak mendadak. Masalah perolehan yang lebih telus, yang boleh memberi manfaat kepada rakyat dan tidak terikat dengan peraturan, kaedah dan pendekatan lama. Soal jaringan yang tentunya akan dapat diperbaiki dengan kemudahan digital dan AI yang kita perkenalkan termasuk di Kementerian Kesihatan.

 

2. Over the past few days, IMDEC 2024 has not only showcased Malaysia’s capabilities, but also our aspirations to become an important player in medical technology in this region. The cutting-edge solutions and collaborations we have witnessed reaffirm that Malaysia is not merely keeping up with global trends but is actively transforming and advancing health and wellness for the next generation.

 

3. Now, this year’s 28th Global Harmonization Working Party (or GHWP) annual meeting marks a significant milestone for Malaysia as host. We have seen the participation from more than 34 countries, this gathering highlights Malaysia’s strategic role in promoting regulatory excellence and facilitating cross-border collaborations. That’s why I have alluded to the need to ensure that we keep pace with the new developments making a new adjustment and the key players in the ministry must take the lead the position that this paradigm shift must be affected soon as possible. So discussions and agreements reached this week will undoubtedly accelerate the availability of life-saving technologies. Which is of course, something unique and critical as compared to just ordinary AI adventure in many fields.

 

4. My gratitude goes to the GHWP, ASEAN, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and the United Nations (UN); all of which form an interconnected global network that plays a key role in advancing healthcare, and strengthening the foundation for a more equitable and efficient global healthcare system.

 

5. Malaysia is proud to actively contribute to the global effort of harmonising medical device regulations, for which GHWP stands as one of the key platforms. Under ASEAN, various Mutual Recognition Arrangements (MRAs) have been signed, with the latest one signed in 2023 focusing on facilitating trade and customs clearance.

 

6. With the ASEAN Chairmanship looming in 2025, Malaysia is fully committed to advancing MRAs, and leading efforts to create a more efficient and integrated regulatory framework in the region. Our goal is not only to reduce market barriers for manufacturers but also to improve the accessiblity of safe and effective medical devices, ultimately enhancing patient care and strengthening the healthcare system across the region for its 680 million people. As you see the trust of ASEAN chairmanship next year will be firstly the ASEAN Energy Grid and secondly, digitalization and healthcare has been identified as a key pillar for sustainable growth not only under the ASEAN strategy but also under the New Industrial Master Plan.

7. We are positioning ourselves a hub for Hi-Tech medical manufacturing and healthcare innovation. So, there’s a great as a major challenge for the ministry, under Yang Berhormat Datuk Seri Dr. Dzulkefly Ahmad and the key players, and I trust that they would accept this challenge because as I said the paradigm shift is a lot of confusion. When you talk about paradigm shift, if you read Thomas Kuhn’s about paradigm shift theory is may just changing two or three rules or changing two or three officers and it requires systemic change, different attitude and set the policies that really would render the policies we adopt and the changes we demand must take place efficiently now.

8. The ministry has allocated huge amount of money and I told the Secretary General this RM 45 billion ringgit is tough for the treasury and the economics ministry to approve, but we need of course better infrastructure up workforce, up skilling, integration of Ai, IOT and 5G technologies into our healthcare system. But most profoundly all this must be done expeditiously, efficiently and transparently.

9. So, I wish you and the conference, of course, the success in the end of the conference. Thank you very much for your participation and have a safe journey home.

Terima kasih.

Assalamualaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh.

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