KOTA KINABALU, Jan 30 — Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor welcomed plans by stem cell scientist Prof Datuk Seri Mike Chan to turn Sabah into a world-class medical wellness tourism hub.

Chan, who is chairman of the European Wellness Biomedical Group, shared his expansion plans and vision in the state during a recent meeting with the Chief Minister.

Chan said he and his Sabah-born wife, Prof Datuk Seri Michelle Wong plan to expand their operations in Sabah to cater for the Asean and BIMP-Eaga market.

He said their expansion plans include the setting up of a biopharmaceutical manufacturing facility using German technology at the Kota Kinabalu Industrial Park (KKIP) and European Wellness Centre Asia Pacific hub at Alam Mesra with a total investment of about USD80 million.

With the facilities in place, he said this will also help Sabah to gain a niche market in the medical wellness education tourism sector as many stem cell researchers from around the world will be coming to the state to do research in the bio-regenerative medicine and sciences.

Chan, renowned in the bio-regenerative medicine industry globally, has written more than 50 books and won several awards including the World Chinese Wellness Entrepreneurship Leadership Award from China last year. European Wellness which was founded in 1991 has 46 hospitals and centres worldwide including in Germany, Switzerland, Santorini Greece and across Asia with a wide range of clientele under its belt. — Borneo Post Online