KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 17 — Khazanah Nasional Bhd is divesting its 100 per cent interest in Prince Court Medical Centre Sdn Bhd (PCMC), which operates a healthcare facility in Kuala Lumpur’s ‘Golden Triangle’, to IHH Healthcare Bhd for RM1.02 billion in cash.

Its wholly-owned indirect subsidiary, Pulau Memutik Ventures Sdn Bhd, today signed a conditional agreement to sell PCMC to IHH’s indirect unit Pantai Holdings Sdn Bhd.

"Given the recent change in Khazanah’s refreshed mandate, the decision was made to sell PCMC to IHH, Khazanah’s healthcare platform,” the sovereign wealth fund said in a statement today.

Khazanah is IHH’s second largest shareholder—after Mitsui & Co Ltd—with just over a 26 per cent stake held through Pulau Memutik Ventures.

The fund made the strategic acquisition of PCMC in 2018 with the view of building up the healthcare services sector in Malaysia and promoting Kuala Lumpur as a destination of choice for quality healthcare in the region.

The proposed divestment, Khazanah said, would enable PCMC to fully benefit from being integrated into IHH’s Malaysian operations and its broader global network.

Khazanah managing director Datuk Shahril Ridza Ridzuan said the deal would also provide the fund with the liquidity for future investment capital requirements.

"In addition, Khazanah is confident that PCMC will further benefit from IHH’s wealth of experience in providing premium healthcare, while solidifying IHH’s position as a leading Malaysian healthcare operator, where we remain as a substantial shareholder with a 26.04 per cent stake,” he said.

Shahril Ridza said the proposed divestment would strengthen IHH’s overall position in the domestic healthcare services market, with Khazanah’s continued contributions through its involvement in IHH.

The proposed divestment is subject to the approvals of the relevant authorities, including the Health Ministry and the Economic Planning Unit, and the non-interested shareholders of IHH, among others.

Khazanah said the transaction was expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2020.

PCMC owns and operates a 277-licensed bed private healthcare facility, Prince Court Medical Centre, at the intersection of Jalan Tun Razak, Jalan Bukit Bintang and Jalan Kia Peng, Kuala Lumpur.

In a filing with Bursa Malaysia today, IHH said PCMC recorded a profit after tax of RM51.0 million for the financial year ended Dec 31, 2018, while its net assets stood at RM486.1 million as at Dec 31, 2018. — Bernama