KUCHING, April 24 — Sarawak aims to develop its plastic and aesthetic surgery sector to a level comparable with South Korea, while maintaining strict standards in training, patient safety and regulatory compliance, said Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian.
He said South Korea’s global reputation in aesthetic medicine demonstrates how a specialised medical field can be transformed into a strong and trusted industry through proper regulation, qualified practitioners and disciplined clinical governance.
“I know that people want to make money. Please make money, but do Malaysia proud. We don’t want to make money and have people say, ‘Oh Malaysia, aesthetic surgery, all the complications — malu (embarrassing).’ Because we want to be like South Korea. Everyone says the best plastic surgery is in South Korea, and we go there. That is the whole rationale,” Dr Sim said when launching the Sarawak Plastic Surgical Update 2026 at the Borneo Cultures Museum here on Friday.
He said plastic surgery is often misunderstood as being limited to cosmetic enhancement, when in fact it consists of two key components, which are reconstructive and aesthetic surgery.
“Plastic surgery is not a new field. It has been around for quite a while but, sadly, it is often misunderstood.”
He explained that reconstructive surgery plays a vital role in restoring function and quality of life for patients affected by trauma, cancer and congenital conditions, noting that Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) performs more than 1,000 reconstructive cases annually.
While acknowledging the rising demand for aesthetic procedures, Dr Sim stressed the need for greater public awareness of risks and stronger professional accountability.
“Everyone likes to be beautiful, but there’s always a risk. It’s your beauty, your choice and your knowledge. So we need to guide people.
“If you still make your choice and later get a complication, that is your own responsibility. Don’t say we never tell you. We tend to tell the nice story, but not the consequences,” he added.
He urged practitioners to uphold the “three Ps” — procedures, practitioners and premises — as the foundation of safe aesthetic practice, stressing that training must not be rushed.
“If the training is four years, you cannot do it in six weeks. There are no shortcuts,” he said.
He added that procedures must only be carried out by certified specialists in properly regulated facilities, warning against unsafe setups such as home-based procedures.
Dr Sim also called for stronger monitoring and reporting mechanisms under the Ministry of Health to safeguard standards and public trust.
He said Sarawak must continue strengthening its healthcare ecosystem while expanding clinical research capacity, noting SGH’s recognition under Clinical Research Malaysia initiatives and growing international collaboration with pharmaceutical companies.
“More importantly, we must ensure this is the Sarawak standard. If Sarawak is doing well, Malaysia will also do well,” he said.
Also present were the Deputy Director of Health (Medical), Sarawak, Dr Azlee Ayub; the Director of Sarawak General Hospital, Dr Ngian Hie Ung; the Organising Chairman and Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeon of Sarawak General Hospital, Dr Chai Koh Siang; the National Head of Service of Plastic Surgery, Hospital Kuala Lumpur, Dr Mohammad Ali Mat Zain; the Sarawak Clinical Plastic Surgeon and Head of Department of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Sarawak General Hospital, Dr Daphne Dewi Stephen Kalong; and the Acting Chief Executive Officer of Business Events Sarawak, Jason Tan Chin Foo. — The Borneo Post
