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COLUMBIA ASIA Hospital Batu Kawan has become the third private hospital to be established on the Prai mainland - marking Penang's hold as a preferred destination for medical tourism and quality healthcare.
It is the first hospital in Bandar Cassia, Batu Kawan, marking another milestone in the master development of the new model township to complement the accession of Batu Kawan as an industrial hub.
Columbia joins eight other private hospitals on the island to meet the local private healthcare needs, as well as foreigners who come here as medical tourists.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, who launched the facility, said that the hospital is set to significantly enhance healthcare access for residents and workers on the mainland, while strengthening Batu Kawan’s position as a fast-growing investment and quality liveable hub.
"Columbia’s presence marks an important milestone for the area, which has undergone rapid transformation over the past decade since the state opened up Batu Kawan as the industrial estate to complement the Bayan Lepas Free Industrial Zone, as well as other production hubs in Prai and Bukit Tengah.
“After more than a decade of developing Batu Kawan as an investment and manufacturing centre with residential, commercial and institutional components, we now finally have a hospital here,” he said.
Chow stressed that modern investors and professionals evaluate more than just industrial ecosystems when choosing where to invest.
“When investors assess any destination, besides the manufacturing ecosystem and supply chain, social facilities are also an important consideration.
“Top management and their families require these facilities. They are not robots who only work; they need accommodation, residences, shopping centres, medical facilities and so on before deciding to invest in a particular location,” he added. – May 19, 2026