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Recognition from the U.S. Green Building Council, Global Forum on Human Settlements, GEO Foundation, and Asia’s Top 100 Golf Courses — and what that recognition proves about the full picture of Forest City Special Financial Zone (SFZ).
JOHOR, MALAYSIA – Media OutReach Newswire – 13 August 2026 — Forest City, the master-planned development in Iskandar Puteri, has achieved nearly 40 international awards and certifications as of August 2026, covering sustainability, green-building design, golf-course environmental management, and hospitality, as well as community contribution.
Aerial view of Forest City in Iskandar Puteri, Johor — more than 60% of the master plan is dedicated to green space, spanning 2.86 million m² of parks, mangrove corridors and landscaped zones.
These include eight awards under the Sustainable Cities and Human Settlements Awards (SCAHSA) series issued by the Global Forum on Human Settlements (GFHS), as well as a 2024 Certificate of Honor from GFHS; LEED for Core and Shell (LEED-CS) Gold pre-certification from the U.S. Green Building Council; GreenRE Gold ratings for Forest City Island and its international school; GEO Certified status for both golf courses from Scotland’s GEO Foundation; and a seven-year consecutive ranking for Forest City Golf Resort’s Classic Course among the Top 100 Golf Courses in Asia. In 2026, the Classic Course was ranked No. 1 in Malaysia and No. 36 in Asia.
The awards and certifications documented here address a specific set of criteria: design quality, sustainability standards, and operational assessments by independent institutions. This release provides a transparent account of the institutions that have assessed Forest City, the areas reviewed, and the limits of what such recognition can reasonably prove.
Sustainability and Green-Building Recognition
LEED-CS Gold pre-certification has been secured from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) for multiple buildings, demonstrating that environmental performance was embedded in project planning from the outset. LEED pre-certification represents verified design intent and a formal commitment to sustainable performance criteria, including energy modelling, water efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality.
This design-stage commitment is reflected across the master plan, which dedicates over 60% of the total land area to non-built space, equivalent to 2.86 million m² of green infrastructure. This includes two golf courses, public parks, landscaped residential zones, and mangrove corridors extending along the Johor coastline — green space that, as of 2026, supports more than 400 officially documented species.
At the national level, Forest City Island and its international school have received GreenRE Gold ratings under Malaysia’s green real-estate framework, reinforcing the project’s alignment with recognised sustainability benchmarks at both international and domestic levels. Beyond building-level certifications, Forest City has received eight awards under the SCAHSA, issued by the GFHS, an international non-profit organisation in special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council. The documented recognition spans planning and design, green-building industrial development, city-industry integration, green smart city development, coastal ecological protection, low-carbon city planning, and green and intelligent construction, with awards recorded from 2016 to 2023. In 2024, Forest City also received a Certificate of Honor at the 19th Global Forum on Human Settlements from GFHS for its contribution to promoting sustainable cities and human settlements for all.
Award / Certification
Issuing Body
What It Certifies
Status as Reported by Forest City
SCAHSA series, including green and intelligent construction recognition
Global Forum on Human Settlements (GFHS, UN ECOSOC consultative status)
Sustainable city planning and green construction
Eight awards and a 2024 Certificate of Honor, with documented recognition from 2016 to 2023
LEED-CS Gold pre-certification
U.S. Green-Building Council
Core and shell sustainable building design
Multiple buildings
GreenRE Gold
GreenRE, Malaysia
Green real-estate design and operation
Forest City Island and international school
GEO Certified
GEO Foundation, Scotland
Sustainable golf-course operations
Both golf courses
Golf and Hospitality Recognition
Forest City’s leisure and hospitality assets have also received external recognition, led by the continued performance of Forest City Golf Resort’s Classic Course in regional rankings. The Classic Course has maintained its position among the Top 100 Golf Courses in Asia for seven consecutive years, ranking No. 1 in Malaysia and No. 36 in Asia in 2026, a rise of 14 places from the previous year. The ranking is assessed by an independent panel co-hosted since 2016 by the Chinese and Korean editions of Golf Travel magazine and was reported by The Star on 26 April 2026 following the awards ceremony at Hillview Golf Club on 14 April 2026.
The hospitality component of the resort has also received platform-based recognition. Forest City Golf Hotel earned the Agoda Gold Circle Award 2025 based on service ratings and operational performance on the booking platform. Forest City regards the award as an encouraging indicator of its commitment to guest experience and service consistency, while noting that it reflects day-to-day hospitality performance rather than a measure of the wider development.
Additionally, both golf courses have earned GEO Certified status from Scotland’s GEO Foundation, which evaluates sustainable golf-course operations. GEO Certified is described by the GEO Foundation as “golf’s most comprehensive and widely recognised eco-label”, and is awarded following successful completion of the OnCourse programme and an independent audit. Collectively, these accolades attest to quality across golfing excellence, hospitality service, and environmental stewardship — recognition reflected in visitor engagement, with the resort welcoming more than 100,000 golfers in 2025.
Economic and Community Contribution
Forest City’s recognition record is supported by reported economic and social contribution figures. Internal records indicate that, as of November 2025, the development had contributed over RM790 million in taxes to the Malaysian government, alongside more than RM50 million in employee-related taxes.
More than RM53 million has been invested in charity and community programmes, including support for local schools and villages, and more than 10,000 direct and indirect jobs have been created.
According to Forest City’s internal records as of November 2025, the development has engaged more than 190 local enterprises, attracted property owners from over 20 countries and territories, and contributed to attracting an estimated 300,000 international visitors to Malaysia.
Green-building certifications relate primarily to design and operational standards; the SCAHSA recognitions focus on planning and sustainability; and golf-course rankings evaluate course quality and related criteria.
For prospective residents and investors, the awards should therefore be treated as evidence of build quality, institutional engagement and assessed sustainability credentials, to be considered alongside current data on occupancy, demand, connectivity and market liquidity. Questions relating to the Special Financial Zone framework and connectivity — including the Johor Bahru–Singapore Rapid Transit System Link scheduled to open for passenger service on 1 January 2027 — should be assessed through dedicated materials, current market data and, where relevant, Forest City’s investment overview.
The Broader Impact of Awards and Recognitions
The relevance of Forest City’s awards and certifications varies by audience. For ESG-minded investors and institutions, the most relevant credentials are Forest City’s LEED-CS Gold pre-certification, GreenRE Gold ratings, and GFHS recognition. These are issuer-named credentials aligned with green-investment screening and can be reviewed alongside Forest City’s broader investment framework. For enterprises operating within the SFZ, this integrated environment — where land and marine ecosystems are carefully preserved — enhances environmental performance and strengthens sustainability credentials.
For prospective residents and families, the GreenRE rating for the international school and the golf and hospitality recognition for the resort may be more directly relevant to daily living than city-planning awards. These credentials point to quality — but prospective residents should also assess schools, amenities, transport, community facilities, and the broader facts about Forest City on the ground.
For Malaysia-market watchers, Forest City’s SCAHSA record and reported RM790 million tax contribution mark the development as a recognised case study in green development and city-industry integration. This recognition is a data point on the development’s institutional standing, not a forecast of its commercial outcome.
Conclusion
What the awards record does establish is something more specific. Forest City reports nearly 40 awards and certifications across named institutions, including the U.S. Green Building Council, the Global Forum on Human Settlements, the GEO Foundation, and the Top 100 Golf Courses in Asia panel. This is accompanied by reported contributions of more than RM790 million in taxes and the creation of more than 10,000 direct and indirect jobs. Prospective residents and investors should also consider Forest City’s position as the financial-services flagship within the Johor–Singapore Special Economic Zone, along with its duty-free island and Malaysia Digital Status.
The strongest claim the awards support is also the most modest one: that Forest City has been built and planned to a standard that named international institutions have repeatedly chosen to certify — which is a starting point for due diligence, not a substitute for it. Hashtag: #ForestCity #SFZ #ForestCityAchievements #Malaysia
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About Forest City Special Financial Zone
Located in Iskandar Puteri, Johor, Forest City Special Financial Zone (FCSFZ) is Malaysia’s first designated special financial zone and a key financial-services component of the Johor–Singapore Special Economic Zone. It is positioned to attract financial institutions, multinational corporations, high-net-worth individuals and businesses operating in wealth management, financial technology and global business services.
Its incentive framework includes a 0% income tax rate for qualifying Single Family Office Vehicles for up to 20 years, a preferential 5% corporate tax rate for approved qualifying activities, and a special 15% personal income tax rate for eligible knowledge workers, subject to the applicable conditions, regulatory approvals and prevailing legislation. Forest City also holds duty-free island status, further strengthening its appeal as a regional investment, business and wealth-management destination near Singapore.
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Experts say a self-contained, service-led residential format built for multigenerational ownership is emerging at the very top of the market — and that demand for it is rising worldwide.
SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 13 August 2026 – Experts in premium residential real estate note that a distinct new category is forming at the top of the market, and that demand for it is rising around the world. Property market specialists describe the emerging tier as the presidence: a self-contained community of private residences bound together by shared infrastructure and anchored by a five-star hotel under an international brand — a format designed to be lived in and passed down across generations, rather than simply owned.
The trend reflects a structural shift in global wealth. According to Knight Frank’s Wealth Report 2026, the number of individuals worth more than US$30 million climbed from 551,435 to 713,626 between 2021 and 2026 — a gain of more than 160,000, equivalent to 89 people crossing that threshold every day. Forbes, meanwhile, records 3,428 billionaires worth a combined US$20.1 trillion.
This wealth is also increasingly mobile. Henley & Partners projects that 165,000 high-net-worth individuals will relocate internationally in 2026 — a 16 per cent rise on the record 142,000 of 2025 — as affluent families build cross-border portfolios of homes and residence rights rather than tying themselves to a single jurisdiction. The appetite for professionally serviced, brand-anchored homes is visible in the development pipeline: Savills reports that the number of branded residential schemes worldwide grew 19 per cent in 2025, to around 910, and is on course to reach 1,747 by 2032, with the Middle East and North Africa the fastest-growing region over the past five years, at 187 per cent.
As the apex of the wealth pyramid rises, specialists say, demand at the very top is moving away from headline price-per-square-foot toward space, privacy, wellbeing, autonomy and a home that can be held and handed down across generations. The case for treating this as a distinct category was set out in a recent column by real estate adviser Ku Swee Yong, CEO of International Property Advisor Pte Ltd and an adjunct faculty member at Singapore Management University, where he teaches Real Estate Investments & Finance.”Luxury residence has a new crown, and it has a name: presidence,” he writes.
According to the expert, a property of this kind should meet several defining criteria: it should occupy an exceptional location among peer residences, be built to the highest standards of quality, provide space, a healthy natural environment, security and self-sufficiency, and create a place where owners and their families can live out every stage of life — building careers, raising children, enjoying leisure, prioritising health and wellbeing, welcoming family and friends, and ultimately passing the home down through generations. Privacy in this case does not mean isolation: rather than retreating behind their own gates, members of the presidence become part of a carefully formed community of peers, surrounded by people with comparable values, interests and ways of life.
These principles are, in practice, being formalised into a fuller set of criteria that distinguish a presidence from a conventional luxury development. At its most complete, the format is defined by:
A five-star hotel operated by an international brand present in at least three countries, located within the development;
A single estate of 200 hectares (around 500 acres) or more;
Full-spectrum infrastructure within one perimeter — indoor and outdoor sport, a central clubhouse, wellness, dining, parks and natural areas, a medical centre, recreation and security, plus a lifestyle anchor such as a golf, equestrian or yacht club;
A clear separation of public and private zones, with residences kept behind their own multi-layered security perimeter and isolated from guest-facing spaces such as the hotel, restaurants and spa;
A 24/7 premium service model featuring a dedicated resident care team, concierge services, standardised service-level agreements (SLAs), and a digital platform for managing every household and lifestyle need;
A unified architectural code governing the style and coherence of every building on the estate;
An equal-neighbour principle, under which a community of like-minded owners who can enjoy privacy while remaining part of an engaging social environment is formed.
Fully integrated examples remain rare worldwide, and demand, specialists say, is running ahead of supply as the number of ultra-wealthy households continues to grow.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Prosvet Communication Studio
Prosvet Communication Studio is a full-cycle communication studio working across PR and communications strategy, media relations and influence, personal branding, digital PR, events and production.
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Food & Drink is now the fastest-growing category among Airbnb Experiences in Indonesia by search demand, with Bali emerging as the top spot for culinary bookings.
BALI, INDONESIA – Media OutReach Newswire – 12 August 2026 – For many travelers, exploring local culinary traditions is the trip itself. New Airbnb data highlights the popularity of culinary Experiences across Indonesia, with both domestic and international travelers seeking out food-led activities for a more authentic taste of the culture.
Left: Chef Arnold Poernomo | Right: Chef Reynold Poernomo (Airbnb)
Since its launch, Food & Drink has become Airbnb Experiences’ third-most-popular category in Indonesia, behind only Nature & Outdoors and History & Culture[1]. Bali sits at the heart of this culinary interest, with over 90% of all culinary Experience bookings in Indonesia taking place on the island1.
Guest feedback backs this up. Indonesia’s culinary Experiences carry a 4.94 average rating, with reviewers most often reaching for words like “authentic,” “traditional,” “hands-on,” “local,” and “family”[2].
The appetite extends beyond Experiences, too: searches for Airbnb homes with kitchen amenities in Indonesia are up over 20% year-on-year[3], suggesting that more guests are choosing stays where they can cook together and recreate the local flavours they discover during their trip.
Amanpreet Bajaj, Airbnb’s Country Head for Southeast Asia & India, said, “Today’s travelers are increasingly looking for experiences that help them connect more deeply with the places they visit, and food has become one of the most meaningful ways to do that. Whether it’s shopping at a neighbourhood market, learning a family recipe, or cooking together in an Airbnb, these moments create lasting memories while supporting local communities. Through Airbnb Experiences, we’re proud to help travelers discover Indonesia in a way that feels more personal, immersive, and connected to local culture.“
To spotlight this growing appetite for culinary travel, Airbnb recently hosted a one-off Culture & Culinary Trail luncheon in Bali with renowned chefs Arnold and Reynold Poernomo — a chef-curated dining moment celebrating Bali’s culinary heritage through local ingredients and stories. The luncheon offered a preview of what travelers can already find on Airbnb Experiences: intimate sessions on local food culture, interactive dining sessions, and meals hosted by local chefs in Bali and beyond.
Arnold Poernomo said, “As chefs, we’ve always believed that some of the most memorable travel memories happen around the dining table. Food has a unique way of bringing people together and telling the story of a place through its ingredients, traditions, and the people behind them. By hosting this luncheon with Airbnb, we wanted to celebrate Bali’s rich culinary heritage and inspire travelers to look beyond the plate, to discover the culture, communities, and local stories.“
For Reynold Poernomo, the most memorable travel experiences often begin with discovering the people behind the food.
“For the more adventurous, go to the markets, and you’ll discover some unique produce that you’ll most likely not find in any other part of the world. That’s part of why we love what Airbnb Experiences does – it connects you directly with local hosts who can take you to those markets and show you ingredients you’d never find wandering on your own.”
The Poernomo brothers recommend three Airbnb Experiences worth booking on a Bali trip:
A guided 15-course tasting menu at Room4Dessert – Join Chef Will Goldfarb, winner of the 2021 World’s Best Pastry Chef award, on a five-stop journey from his kitchen and garden to a fireside dessert finale.
Track fireflies in Bali with a conservationist – Harvest herbs, cook a Balinese feast, and watch Indonesia’s only firefly breeding lab light up the night with conservationist Wayan Wardika.
As travelers continue seeking slower, more meaningful ways to explore destinations, Airbnb Experiences inspire visitors to discover a different side of Bali — through the people, ingredients, and stories shared around the table.
Disclaimer: All Experiences referenced are intended purely to inspire and illustrate. Airbnb does not recommend or endorse specific listings on the Airbnb platform.
[1]Based on Airbnb internal data of Experience categories across Indonesia
[2] Based on Airbnb internal data reflecting Q1 2026 average star ratings and 5-star rates for culinary Experiences in Indonesia, as well as the highest-ranking review keywords mentioned for culinary Experiences in Bali
[3]Based on Airbnb internal data of the most searched amenities for listings in Indonesia, comparing February–March 2025 to February–March 2026
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Airbnb
About Airbnb
Airbnb was born in 2007 when two hosts welcomed three guests to their San Francisco home, and has since grown to over 5.5 million hosts who have welcomed 2.5 billion guest arrivals in almost every country across the globe. Every day, hosts offer unique stays and experiences that make it possible for guests to connect with communities in a more authentic way. https://news.airbnb.com
HANOI, VIETNAM – Media OutReach Newswire – 12 August 2026 –Vinpearl has officially been named the strongest hotel brand globally in 2026 by Brand Finance, the world’s leading brand valuation consultancy, with its brand value surging 86% to US$381 million. This marks the first time a Vietnamese brand has claimed the No. 1 position in global hotel brand strength and entered the Top 50 Most Valuable Hotel Brands in the World. Vinpearl’s remarkable breakthrough not only elevates the stature of the company, but also helps establish a new position for Vietnamese tourism on the international stage.
With a Brand Strength Index (BSI) score of 95.4/100 and an AAA+ rating, Vinpearl has surpassed a host of renowned hospitality names to rank No. 1 globally in hotel brand strength.
The Brand Strength Index (BSI) score reflects a brand’s overall strength, encompassing investment performance, customer and partner consideration, and its ability to generate business value.
The AAA+ rating is the highest level in Brand Finance’s brand strength rating system.
Alongside its No. 1 ranking, Vinpearl’s brand value also recorded a record increase of 86% to US$381 million year on year, enabling the company to enter the Top 50 Most Valuable Hotel Brands in the World for the first time.
Vinpearl’s position in brand strength has been driven by accelerated growth across all areas of its operations.
Specifically, in terms of financial strength, in 2026, VPL shares were included in the VN30 Index. Vinpearl also successfully raised US$255 million from SeaTown Holdings, Oman Investment Authority and Vietnam Oman Investment.
In terms of market development, Vinpearl has continued to expand its global connectivity in 2026, signing strategic cooperation agreements with leading international and regional partners, including Agoda, AirAsia MOVE, BeMyGuest, GlobalTix, Klook, CAITO, Thomas Cook India, SOTC Travel, MakeMyTrip, IHG Hotels & Resorts and Marriott International, among others. These partnerships aim to increase international visitor flows and enhance service quality across Vinpearl’s system.
In terms of products and services, Vinpearl has continued to expand its multi-segment tourism, hospitality and entertainment ecosystem in 2026. Key initiatives include the launch of Vinpearl Legendlux, a six-star ultra-luxury hotel brand; the introduction of VinFun, a new-generation hotel brand designed to cater to a broader range of guests; the development of Vin New Horizon, a wellness and senior living offering; the premiere of the spectacular stage production “The Grand Epic of Vietnam”; and the launch of The Vietnam Grand WeddX 2026, a new-generation platform for exhibitions and industry connections in Vietnam’s wedding sector.
The collective efforts of the entire ecosystem in 2026 have driven Vinpearl’s remarkable rise in rankings, from being the leading hotel brand in Southeast Asia to becoming the strongest hotel brand globally .
Beyond Brand Finance, the strength of the Vinpearl ecosystem has also been continuously recognized by leading global tourism organizations and platforms. In 2026, VinWonders Nha Trang became the only representative from Vietnam to be included in the Top 100 Global Best Family-Friendly Attractions; Vinpearl Resort & Golf Nam Hoi An received the ASEAN Green Hotel Award 2026; while Vinpearl’s hotels and resorts and VinWonders properties have continued to receive recognition from Booking.com, Agoda and Trip.com, among others, through rankings and awards.
Recognition from the world’s leading tourism rating organizations serves as an important source of motivation for Vinpearl to further elevate its ecosystem, bringing destinations and experiences imbued with Vietnamese identity closer to domestic and international travelers. The company is moving toward its goal of becoming a leading global tourism and hospitality brand, while contributing to elevating Vietnam’s position on the world tourism map.
Hashtag: #Vinpearl
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About Brand Finance
Brand Finance Plc is the world’s leading brand valuation consultancy, founded in 1996 in London, United Kingdom. It is the only company with a brand valuation methodology that complies with the ISO 10668 international standard for brand valuation, with a presence in more than 20 countries worldwide. Brand Finance reports are used by numerous countries, governments and leading global corporations.
Every year, Brand Finance conducts valuations of more than 70,000 brands worldwide. This marks the 10th year that Vietnam has been included among the countries whose brands are valued by Brand Finance, with Brand Finance Asia-Pacific, headquartered in Singapore, responsible for publishing the rankings.
About Vinpearl
Established in 2003, Vinpearl is Vietnam’s leading brand in tourism, hospitality, entertainment and experiential travel. After more than two decades of development, Vinpearl currently operates 62 properties across 20 provinces and cities.
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Nintendo will begin officially selling the Nintendo Switch 2 and original Switch in Indonesia in December, giving the Japanese games company its first direct hardware presence in Southeast Asia’s largest economy while leaving a significant gap in its digital offering.
The December 2026 launch was announced by Nintendo executive officer Juro Takeuchi at a business conference in Jakarta. Distribution will be handled by PT Nusantara Interactive Niaga, part of the Salim Group, with Nintendo’s Singapore operation involved in the market rollout. Prices and a precise sales date have yet to be disclosed.
Nintendo’s move formalises a market that has for years relied heavily on imported consoles and third-party retailers. Switch systems and games have long been available in Indonesia through unofficial distribution channels, but an authorised presence should improve access to locally supported products, warranties and retail partnerships.
The expansion arrives more than a year after Nintendo launched the Switch 2 in its major markets. The successor to the original Switch has become a substantial part of the company’s hardware business, with cumulative shipments reaching 23.68 million units by the end of June. Nintendo shipped another 3.82 million Switch 2 consoles during the April-June quarter, while lifetime shipments of the original Switch exceeded 156 million units.
Indonesia offers Nintendo considerable scale. Estimates of the country’s gaming population vary considerably depending on methodology, platform and definition of an active player. Government-linked figures have previously placed the number above 174 million, while officials this year have cited more than 200 million active gamers. The market is valued at roughly $2 billion annually, although mobile gaming accounts for a large proportion of participation.
That mobile-heavy profile makes Nintendo’s challenge different from simply putting consoles into more shops. Smartphone games have built enormous audiences through free-to-play models, localised payment systems and low barriers to entry. Nintendo must persuade consumers to spend substantially more on dedicated hardware and premium software, while competing for attention with mobile titles, personal computers and rival console ecosystems.
One potential obstacle is the absence of a dedicated Indonesian Nintendo eShop when the hardware goes on sale. Buyers seeking digital games will not initially receive a local storefront alongside the official console launch. Players have commonly used Nintendo Accounts registered in supported territories to gain access to digital purchases, but that workaround is less convenient than a domestic store with local pricing and payment options. Nintendo has not given a timetable for introducing an Indonesian eShop.
The omission is commercially significant because digital distribution has become central to Nintendo’s software business. Digital sales reached 132.7 billion yen in the quarter ended June, up 90% from a year earlier, and represented 61.5% of dedicated video-game platform software revenue. That category includes downloadable packaged titles, download-only software, add-on content and Nintendo Switch Online.
Nintendo nevertheless has an advantage in Indonesia through established brand recognition. Franchises including Mario, Pokémon, The Legend of Zelda and Animal Crossing have maintained large followings even without a formal local hardware operation. Official distribution could also make it easier for major retailers to carry consoles, accessories and physical games with more predictable supplies and after-sales arrangements.
The timing gives Nintendo a new market as Switch 2 enters its second full year. The company is supporting the platform with a widening catalogue of first-party and third-party games while maintaining compatibility with much of the original Switch software library. Nintendo has said regular software releases are important to expanding the installed base, particularly as consumers decide whether to move from the original system.
Indonesia could also provide a test for Nintendo’s broader Southeast Asian strategy. The company already operates official services in markets including Singapore and Malaysia, but the region remains fragmented by differences in income, digital payments, retail infrastructure and consumer preferences. Indonesia’s size makes it attractive, while its dependence on mobile gaming and sensitivity to hardware pricing create a more demanding commercial environment.
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KOTA DAMANSARA, MALAYSIA – Media OutReach Newswire – 12 August 2026 – Thomson Hospital Kota Damansara (“Thomson”) is the first hospital in Malaysia to introduce a next-generation integrated surgical energy platform into its operating theatres. This innovation strengthens its minimally invasive surgical capabilities and enhances patient experience.
From left: Dr Savitha Dharan, CEO of Thomson Hospital Kota Damansara, Dr Wong Sze Ming, Consultant General & Colorectal Surgeon, Jo-Ann Gan, Commercial Lead (Surgery) Malaysia & Brunei, J&J MedTech, Prof Dr Prasanna Supramaniam, Consultant in O&G, Fertility Specialist, Subspecialist in Reproductive Medicine, Minimal Invasive Gynaecological Surgeon & Ng Yee Voon, Senior General Manager, Thomson Fertility.
Multidisciplinary Tertiary Hospital with Comprehensive Surgical Capabilities
As a multidisciplinary tertiary hospital, Thomson offers minimally invasive surgery across a broad range of specialties through laparoscopic, thoracoscopic (VATS), endoscopic, arthroscopic, and microsurgical approaches.
Thomson has also further expanded to its wide range of surgical offerings with two advanced procedures: the Transoral Endoscopic Thyroidectomy Vestibular Approach (TOETVA), a scarless thyroid surgery performed through the mouth that eliminates visible neck incisions, and laparoscopic surgery for endometriosis, a keyhole procedure that enables the diagnosis and treatment of endometriosis through small incisions. Together, these procedures provide patients with more treatment options while supporting faster recovery where clinically appropriate.
Dr Savitha Dharan, Chief Executive Officer of Thomson Hospital Kota Damansara, explains, “Our aim is to provide patients with access to comprehensive, outcome driven surgical care under one roof. By continuously expanding our minimally invasive surgical capabilities, we empower our multidisciplinary teams to tailor the most appropriate treatment for every patient while delivering care that prioritises safety, precision and better patient outcomes.”
Advancing Surgical Care Through Technology
This next-generation integrated surgical energy platform brings multiple surgical energy technologies together on one platform, equipping surgeons with advanced technology that supports greater surgical precision and shorten overall procedure times. By combining tissue dissection and vessel sealing on a single platform, it enables more efficient surgical workflows targeted in reducing operating times, tissue trauma and recovery time where clinically appropriate.
“When investing in technology, Thomson’s main priority is delivering value-based care; we want better patient outcomes, operational efficiency and long-term value for both patients and our clinical team. This platform allows us to do just that – perform precise minimally invasive procedures and help deliver safe, effective care tailored to each patient’s clinical needs,” Dr Savitha expanded further.
Supported by experienced multidisciplinary teams and modern operating theatres, Thomson continues to invest in technologies that enhance surgical capabilities and improve the overall patient journey.
Supporting Sustainable Healthcare
Beyond its clinical benefits, this advanced integrated surgical energy platform aligns with Thomson’s Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) commitments by reducing equipment redundancy and improving operating theatre efficiency. This enables the hospital to optimise resource utilisation while continuing to deliver high-quality patient care.
The introduction of the advanced integrated surgical energy platform marks another milestone in Thomson’s ongoing investment in advanced medical technologies, reinforcing its position as one of Malaysia’s leading private hospitals committed to innovation, clinical excellence and patient-centred care.
KKLIU 3218 / EXP 31.12.2028
Hashtag: #ThomsonHospital
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About Thomson Hospital Kota Damansara
Thomson Hospital Kota Damansara (“Thomson”), the flagship hospital of TMC Life Sciences Berhad, is a multi-disciplinary tertiary care centre strategically located in the prime alcove of Kota Damansara, Selangor, established in 2008. Thomson holds a capacity for 554-beds including 25 critical care beds, and houses more than 160 consultant specialists across over 60 specialties and sub-specialties.
An award-winning institution, Thomson’s regional accolades include recognition by Newsweek and Statista as one of Asia’s Top Private Hospitals and Clinics 2026, awarded the Specialist Hospital of the Year, and Specialty Hospital of the Year – Malaysia in 2024 for paediatric services and in 2025 for pulmonology services.
Guided by its vision to be the “Premier Provider of Outstanding Value-Based Medical Services in Southeast Asia”, Thomson remains committed to clinical excellence and is poised for continued growth to meet evolving healthcare needs.
For more information, please visit thomsonhospitals.com or follow THKD on social media platforms @thomsonhospitalKD.
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