Medical tourism's illegal hotels

FOR the last few years, residents of several private apartment complexes in Penang have been forced to bear with thousands of strange “guests” who come and go with their loads of baggage. These people, mostly Indonesians, are part of the relatively new economic wave brought about by what has come to be known as the “medical tourism” draw of Malaysia.

Preferring medical services in our country, they come in droves for treatment. The demand has grown so huge that it has spawned a new industry, with private hospitals hiring marketing agents in Indonesia, and even basing their expansion plans on their targets for more foreign patients.

There has however been one particular repercussion from all this, with the emergence of syndicates that provide illegal “hotel” lodging for these medical tourists.

With many foreign patients unable to afford ordinary hotel rates for lengthy stays here, and most hospitals not having residential facilities for relatives who accompany patients, syndicates have come in to lease to them rooms or whole apartments in private condominium complexes.

This has generated substantial resentment and concern among locals dwelling in the apartment buildings, because this “hotel” industry is illegal. Unit owners in private apartment complexes are not allowed by law to have commercial leasing arrangements of this nature.

Added to this is of course the great security risk posed by transient foreigners freely moving about in private residential complexes. The throngs of foreign customers and their bags frequently clog the corridors and lifts, raising the annoyance of other residents.

This matter has become so blatant that there are complexes here that have syndicates defiantly running serviced apartments and hotels with maids and other “room service” workers moving between the many units that they use for their illegal business.

Despite calls from residents associations, the government has done little to assuage concerns. The police point out that it is an issue that comes under the purview of the local authorities as it involves the use of housing units. The municipal and city councils say they can do little as the syndicates use covert modus operandi, without evidence in writing when leasing their units.

One may wonder how strong and influential these syndicates are – for the foreign patients and their families are also victims in this case. The syndicates are known to openly advertise their “hotels” in Indonesia (even featuring facilities like swimming pools and tennis courts), without letting the people who take up the cheap offers know that the whole arrangement is illegitimate.

Some months back, a state executive councillor who visited one of these apartment complexes in Penang suggested to concerned residents that a large signboard be erected at the entrance to inform visitors and the public that the complex is not meant for serviced apartments. But until today, the management has refrained from doing so.

The big question now is also the role played by the government, which is actively working to make the medical tourism industry even bigger. As it is, there are already moves to expand the market base beyond Indonesia. A National Health Tourism Council has identified burgeoning middle-class markets like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and China to bring in added revenue.

Realistically, the country does not have adequate legal residential facilities to cater for the massive volumes of patients and their families expected in the near future. This scenario will mean that syndicates will spawn even more illegal operations, which pose inconveniences and risks to the locals, until the authorities make a drastic move to finally take cognisance of the problem.

Source - thesundaily.my