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AMMI recently organised its inaugural
HR Forum & Networking Meeting, exclusively for HR Professionals of Member Companies at E&O Hotel Penang on 12 February 2015. The half day event saw participants from Ambu, Bard, B.Braun, Cardinal Health, Ideal Healthcare, Texchem Life Sciences, Teleflex ,Penchem, St Jude Medical and UWC coming together to share and discuss HR issues. The objectives of the meeting and networking session were ( 1) To share best practices in building strong organisation and filling competent employment in medical device industry ( 2) To f acilitate open discussion on common interest related to human resources (
), talent development, salary scale alignment for common benefits in medical device industry and ( 3) To exchange new ideas on
issues. Mr Joshua Chong (Senior HR Manager from Ambu) shared his ideas in building a strong organisation, while Ms Cynthia Ooi (VP of Human Resource, B.Braun Medical Industries) shared her expertise on topics of “Sharing Best Practisce in Building Strong Organisation” and “Sharing Best Practices in Employee Motivation”. She subsequetly moderated open discussion on both topics. The meeting ended with several action items planned and the formation of a HR Committee from the Northern Region.
AMMI wishes to thank Mr Joshua Chong, Ms Cynthia Ooi as well as all participants for making this event possible – and we look forward to seeing all of you and more, at the next AMMI HR Forum.
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28 Nov 2014: Q4 AMMI Meeting & Networking
| AMMI organised its Q4 Progress Meeting recently at E&O Hotel Penang. Guest Speaker of the day was Y.Bhg. Datuk J.Jayasiri, Senior Director for Strategy and Monitoring at Ministry of International Trade and Industry of Malaysia (MITI) & Chief Negotiator of TPPA. Datuk J. Jayasiri gave an exclusive briefing and engaged in a dialogue with AMMI members on Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) and ASEAN Economic Communicty (AEC). This was followed by the CEOs’ Networking Session and Cocktails. |
| Y.Bhg Datuk J.Jayasiri giving his presentation on TPPA & AEC |
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3 Dec 2014 : AMMI 25th Anniversary Dinner
| AMMI recently held its 25th Anniversary Dinner at Aloft Hotel KL Sentral. It was indeed a memorable night, with over 140 invited guests coming together for industry networking and in celebrating AMMI’s 25th Anniversary.
AMMI wishes to thank Y.B. Datuk Ir Haji Hamim Samuri, Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry (MITI) for graciously accepting our invitation to be the Guest of Honour at our Dinner. A big thank you to B. Braun Medical Industries Sdn Bhd, Bemis Asia Pacific Sdn Bhd, Synergy Sterilisation (M) Sdn Bhd and Top Glove Sdn Bhd for being our event sponsors. Last but not least, thank you to all invited guests from member companies, associations and government agencies. Without all of you, the night would not have been possible! |
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| (Top Left ) Y.B. Datuk Ir Haji Hamim Samuri (Top Right) Lam Chee Hong with Y.Bhg Datuk Allauddin Hj Anuar |
| (Bottom
Left) Y.Bhg Dato’ Wan Hashim Wan Jusoh (Bottom Right ) Andrew McLean |
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| (Left to right ) Lee Kim Meow & Hitendra Joshi |
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| (Left to right) Christophe Marque, Lam Chee Hong, Lim Bee Leong, Y.B. Datuk Ir Haji Hamim Samuri , Hitendra Joshi, Y.Bhg Datuk Allauddn Hj Anuar, Andrew McLean & Balasubramaniam. |
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| Presentation of Appreciation Awards to Past Chairmen by Y.B. Datuk Ir Haji Hamim Samuri |
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| (Left to right) Tuan Haji Yaziz Yunus, Ragubathy Naidu, Y.B. Datuk Ir Haji Hamim Samuri, Hitendra Joshi, Lim Bee Leong & Daniel Lim. |
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| (Left to right) Suwit Tunlayadechanont, John Ward, Hitendra Joshi & Andrew McLean |
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St Jude Medical to expand production, services here.
GEORGE TOWN: St Jude Medical Inc (SJM) is looking to expand its production and services activities in Malaysia by enhancing its product offering and developing a local vendor eco-system.
The Minnesota-headquartered company, which develops medical technology and services for those treating cardiac, neurological and chronic pain patients globally, has an investment presence in Penang since 2011 with cumulative investments totalling RM2.1 billion.
St Jude Medical Operations (M) Sdn Bhd managing director Tobjorn Andersson said owing to the very stringent requirements placed on its suppliers, the company only has one United States-based vendor, which has followed it to Malaysia to support its operations since 2011.
“We are looking at local sourcing and creating a supply chain because up till now, we have been slightly conservative and not too eager.
“However, we think many vendors, here, can do things for us although our requirements are very stringent,” he said in an interview.
SJM has previously gone on record to say that as much as the company would like to get its manufacturing components from local companies, but it still has to obtain supplies from its foreign suppliers due to the uncertainties over quality and rigid regulations such as a processing and waiting period of more than one year.
In Malaysia, SJM manufactures and exports items such as cardiac pacemakers, leads and defibrillators. It has recently added neuro-modulation products (such as pacemakers for the brain) to its portfolio.
Malaysia is one of SJM’s major manufacturers of the pacemakers with the United States and Puerto Rico hosting the company’s other facilities for the product.
“We are willing to make investments in developing a local vendor eco-system, but the suppliers must be able to do likewise in meeting our quality control and stringent documentation requirements,” Andersson added, saying that SJM is seeking bigger companies as suppliers.
“We hope the government can assist in developing our vendor base by creating a cluster of suppliers as this will help in getting other companies similar to ours to invest here.
“This will turn Penang and Malaysia into a strategic hub for the medical devices industry with benefits all around,” he added.
Meanwhile, Andersson said SJM is expanding its services segment and has set up a regional information technology centre.
The centre, whose operations are similar to that of a call centre, has been providing remote care operations to both international and Asia-Pacific patients, and physicians who can call in.
“The Asia Pacific is growing for this business and we are now able to provide time-zone support and a follow-the-sun global workflow from here,” Andersson noted.
As seen in New Straits Times.
(13 November 2014)
By Marina Emmanuel
Budget 2015: MMA wants GST removal on medical indemnity insurance
PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) has expressed concern that doctors may have to pay more in premiums for their medical indemnity insurance once the Goods and Services Tax (GST) comes into effect.
Its president Dr H Krishna Kumar said the association called on the Government to remove the GST imposed on medical indemnity insurance, both in premiums and payouts.
“Doctors will be burdened by the increased cost of medical indemnity insurance as a result of it being subjected to GST,” he said.
Dr Krishna said while insurance would be subjected to GST, doctors could not pass it down to patients as healthcare had been exempted from it.
Doctors, he said, would have to bear the burden as doctors’ fees were fixed and governed by the Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Act 1998.
Citing an example, he said, the premium cost for obstetrics and gynaecology could be as high as RM80,000 per annum and the additional RM4,800 for GST would increase the cost of healthcare.
“Doctors will then start charging for other services that are currently not charged and, eventually, patients will end up paying for it, increasing the cost of healthcare,” he said.
Meanwhile, Association of Malaysian Medical Industries chairman Hitendra Joshi urged the Government to put medical devices in the same GST zero-rated category as pharmaceutical drugs.
He said medical devices should be categorised “zero-rated” on the GST because they save, improve and prolong lives.
“If a medical device is zero-rated, retailer or hospital will claim back GST (as output tax) and will not charge it to the consumer,” he said.
On the other hand, “GST exempted” would mean retailer or hospital would have to “absorb” the GST and while there was no GST in the final bill to consumer, there could be a possibility that businesses might increase the price to cover the GST they paid, he said.
As seen in the Star, 9 October 2014