The Malaysian Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC) has announced the departure of its chief executive officer Dr Mohamed Ali Abu Bakar.
The council said it bid farewell to Dr Mohamed Ali on May 30.
“Over the past one and a half years, alongside the efforts of our dedicated industry partners, he has helped steer us toward a clearer path in establishing Malaysia as the leading healthcare travel destination,” the council posted on its LinkedIn account.
“We thank Dr Ali for his contributions to the industry and his commitment during his tenure. Wishing you all the best in your next chapter and continued success in the future.”
In March last year, Twentytwo13 reported that trouble seemed to be brewing in MHTC, which sources claimed was linked to a recent change in its top leadership.
In our report titled ‘Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council in serious condition with massive resignations, lack of direction’, Twentytwo13 revealed there had been a slew of resignations, ranging from middle to top management, starting in late 2023.
Sources had then said more employees were expected to leave. Questions were also raised about whether the resignations would affect the Malaysia Year of Medical Tourism 2026 programme.
Established in 2005, MHTC is an agency under the Health Ministry tasked with promoting the country’s healthcare travel industry. It leads efforts to enhance Malaysia’s position globally and supports the sustainability of the sector.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, several former employees previously told Twentytwo13 that they quit because they were left with no other option. They cited a lack of clear direction and a toxic working environment as the main reasons for leaving.
There were also claims that some were made redundant or stopped from executing planned initiatives.
One long-serving former staff said that while changes in top leadership were common, she had no choice but to leave as she and her colleagues could no longer serve in the capacity they were entrusted with.
Following our report, MHTC issued a statement saying it had made significant strides in advancing operational excellence – key to strengthening its foundation and positioning it for the next growth phase.
It added that the agency was evolving to meet the needs of global healthcare travellers and had already set strategies for the Malaysia Year of Medical Tourism 2026. It said it was working with various government agencies and stakeholders to ensure the programme’s success.
However, the council did not list the specific strategies or name the agencies and stakeholders involved. It also did not address the high number of resignations.
When contacted by Twentytwo13, the Health Ministry declined to comment, saying it preferred MHTC to respond first.
It is understood that more than 50 resignations have taken place since our first report last year.
