KUCHING: Senior consultant cardiothoracic surgeon at Sarawak Heart Centre, Dr Soon Sing Yang, has been elected as the secretary-general of the Asia Thoracic Academy (ATA).
In a Facebook post, Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian congratulated Dr Soon on his prestigious appointment.
Additionally, Dr Soon has also been appointed as Adjunct Professor (Cardiothoracic Surgery) at Universiti Malaya (UM) in Kuala Lumpur.
Dr Sim highlighted Dr Soon dedication, noting that he returned to Sarawak from the United Kingdom 12 years ago to serve at Sarawak Heart Centre.
党Thank you for your infectious enthusiasm in sharing the same passions, visions, and missions in Sarawak痴 nation-building efforts,・he said.
Dr Sim also expressed pride in the increasing number of Sarawakian senior medical specialists who have been recognised as leading experts in their fields, not just in Malaysia, but across the Asean region.
We used to learn from them, but now we contribute, share our expertise, and they learn from us.
This is Sarawak in 2025,・he added.
Dr Sim also highlighted the challenge of sustainability in Sarawak healthcare system.
Malaysia has seen a 50% drop in new doctor registrations over the past five years.
“For Sarawak, the situation is even more critical, as 50% of our doctors are non-Sarawakians.
To address this, he reaffirmed Sarawak commitment to pursuing health autonomy under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
I am confident that Sarawak can be an alternative model for advancing healthcare in Malaysia,・he added.
Founded by leading thoracic surgeons in Asia, the ATA aims to enhance, enable and ensure quality thoracic surgery training and certification in Asia.
