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The Star
02-05-2025
- Health
- The Star
Dr Mah advocates for regulatory body to oversee private hospital fees
Support for regulating private hospital charges on supplies & services WE strongly support the urgent call for a regulatory body to oversee and standardise charges imposed by private hospitals for supplies and services. Alarming examples—such as RM43.35 for an ice bag or RM18.80 for baby wipes—highlight the extent of unchecked profiteering that is placing an unfair burden on patients. In another case, a private hospital in Kuala Lumpur charged a patient RM1 for a sheet of disposable garbage bag—easily available at RM1.80 for 10 sheets in convenience stores—and RM3 for a yellow plastic bag meant for used syringes. Other items, like a plastic apron supposedly worn by the operating theatre nurse, were also billed. These charges are nearly impossible for patients to challenge, as hospitals often claim such items were used during surgery when patients are unconscious under anaesthetic. Hospital supplies and services (HSS)—including consumables, diagnostic tests, and use of medical equipment—now make up as much as 70% of private hospital bills, according to Bank Negara Malaysia. While professional fees and room charges are regulated or fixed, HSS costs remain largely unchecked. This lack of oversight fuels medical inflation and drives up insurance premiums, making private healthcare increasingly unaffordable. Patients must not be treated as passive recipients of excessive bills. They have a right to clear, upfront information about all charges before treatment. Too often, they are presented with lengthy, itemised bills—without explanation or the ability to make informed choices. This erodes trust in private healthcare. We echo calls for common-sense reforms. Clear regulations must ensure that prices for consumables and services are fair, reasonable, publicly displayed and relayed to patients prior to treatment or surgery. A regulatory body—including the Health Ministry, private healthcare providers, consumer groups, and civil society—should be established to oversee and enforce these standards. Healthcare providers must also adopt cost-effective practices such as using generic medicines and evidence-based diagnostics, without compromising the quality of care. Private hospitals are essential to our health system, but they must operate with fairness, ethics, and accountability. Affordable, transparent healthcare should be a right—not a luxury—for all Malaysians. The time for action is now. The government must introduce decisive policies and take immediate action to curb profiteering and protect patients across the country. Regulation of private hospital charges is not just overdue—it is a matter of public interest and social justice. Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon MCA Deputy President
New Straits Times
01-05-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
AmanahRaya REIT embarks on transformation for long-term growth
KUALA LUMPUR: AmanahRaya Real Estate Investment Trust (ARREIT) is undergoing a comprehensive strategic transformation process to strengthen the foundation for the company's long-term and sustainable growth. In a statement, the company said this reflects its continuous emphasis on strong financial governance, precision in reporting, and alignment with regulatory best practices. It added that over the past year, AmanahRaya-Kenedix REIT Manager Sdn Bhd (AKRM), the manager of ARREIT, has embarked on a strategic transformation journey aimed at building a stronger foundation for sustainable growth. This transformation is guided by five key initiatives focused on enhancing governance, sustainable business growth, people, systems and financial management. ARREIT said while these efforts are already beginning to reshape the organisation positively, the interim transition phase has had an impact on its financial performance for 2024 (FY24) — a necessary step in delivering long-term value to stakeholders. AKRM managing director Mohd Iskandar Dzulkarnain said the company remains focused on enhancing asset performance and driving operational productivity across our portfolio. "Our commitment is to continuously improve value creation for our unitholders through proactive asset management, sustainable initiatives, and operational excellence," he noted. He added that ARREIT remains financially resilient, supported by a diversified portfolio, proactive tenant engagement, and ongoing asset enhancement initiatives aimed at ensuring sustainable returns for its stakeholders. In pursuance of paragraph 9.19(35) of the Main Market Listing Requirements of Bursa Malaysia, the board of directors of AKRM has issued this clarification following a variance of more than 10 per cent between the unaudited and audited profit after tax figures. The deviation arose as part of the audit finalisation process. For the financial year ended Dec 31, 2024, ARREIT reported a profit after tax of RM1.80 million in the audited financial statements, compared to RM4.98 million in the unaudited results announced on Feb 28, 2025. The variance of RM3.18 million arose from technical adjustments identified and applied during the audit finalisation, in keeping with Malaysian Financial Reporting Standards.
New Straits Times
30-04-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
DXN share price up after posting higher net profit
KUALA LUMPUR: DXN Holdings Bhd's share price rose in the morning trading session after it posted higher net profit for the financial year ended Feb 28, 2025 (FY2025). At 10.09 am, the global health-oriented and wellness direct selling company's share price was half-a-sen up to 51 sen, with 2.01 million shares changing hands. DXN Holdings' net profit for FY2025 rose to RM329.03 million compared to RM310.99 million previously while revenue increased 5.8 per cent to RM1.91 billion from RM1.80 billion previously, according to a filing with Bursa Malaysia. In the fourth quarter (4Q) of FY2025, its net profit rose to RM84.72 million compared to RM79.02 million previously, while revenue decreased to RM458.90 million from RM470.64 million previously. RHB Investment Bank Bhd said DXN Holdings' FY2025 results met its expectations with solid growth in key markets and efficiency gains which more than offset the impact of unfavourable foreign exchange. "Valuation is highly attractive considering the effective business model, Brazil's expansion as a medium-term growth driver, and sturdy balance sheet to facilitate a generous dividend payout," it said in a note today. For outlook, it said DXN's earnings growth will be supported by the relentless growth momentum in major markets. "The core strategies of recruiting new members and enhancing their productivity levels will continue to revolve around member engagement, complemented by quality new product launches. "Meanwhile, the recent capacity expansion should help capture the rising demand and roll out new product categories to broaden the addressable markets," it said. On top of that, it look forward to the results of the entry to Brazil, leveraging on DXN's established existing network in the Latin American region.
