BRIDGING INNOVATION: AMDI HOSTS INDUSTRY GIANTS TO PIONEER ROBOTIC SURGERY IN MALAYSIA

The Advanced Medical and Dental Institute (AMDI), Universiti Sains Malaysia, proudly hosted a high-level industry-academic meeting on 18 June 2025, marking a significant step toward transforming Malaysia into a regional hub for robotic-assisted surgery and intelligent medical systems.

Photo By NORIZAN ISHAK
BRIDGING INNOVATION: AMDI HOSTS INDUSTRY GIANTS TO PIONEER ROBOTIC SURGERY IN MALAYSIA

Our Director, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bakiah Binti Shaharuddin, warmly welcomed Mr. Raymond Goh of 3D Instrumentation Sdn. Bhd. Mr. Gary Wong, Founding Partner of SpringWood Med, Mr. MJ Fu, CEO of VostroMed, and Dr. YJ Zhang, CEO of Medophir Medical Technology, to the AMDI campus. This marks their second visit to the institute—a testament to their continued interest in forging long-term collaboration. Dr. Bakiah acknowledged their dedication and emphasized that, with the rise of AI and robotic technology in medicine, their presence is both timely and highly relevant. AMDI looks forward to embracing such partnerships to foster impactful innovations in patient care.

Photo By NORIZAN ISHAK
BRIDGING INNOVATION: AMDI HOSTS INDUSTRY GIANTS TO PIONEER ROBOTIC SURGERY IN MALAYSIA

The forum began with a compelling presentation by Mr. Gary Wong, who walked participants through the evolution of robotic-assisted surgery. Tracing its origins to the 1960s, he described how NASA’s vision of “telepresence” gave rise to the first concepts of remote-controlled surgical systems. This concept matured with the Stanford Research Institute’s Green Telepresence Surgery System in 1987, and later, with the founding of Intuitive Surgical Systems in 1995 by Prof. Fredrick Moll, which eventually led to the creation of the now-renowned da Vinci Surgical System.

Photo By NORIZAN ISHAK
BRIDGING INNOVATION: AMDI HOSTS INDUSTRY GIANTS TO PIONEER ROBOTIC SURGERY IN MALAYSIA

Mr. Wong stressed Malaysia’s strong potential to lead the ASEAN region in robotic-assisted surgery—with AMDI positioned at the forefront. He highlighted AMDI’s strengths: a robust clinical and research ecosystem, excellent testing infrastructure, and a growing pool of postgraduate medical and research talents. These, he noted, are essential foundations for supporting innovation and clinical adoption of robotic systems in the region.
Also spotlighted during the meeting was Mr. Raymond Goh, a local medical device entrepreneur. Through 3D Instrumentation Sdn. Bhd. Mr. Goh manufactures titanium-based orthopedic implants and surgical instruments that are already exported to countries including the USA, Taiwan, Australia, and Japan. His company’s ISO 13485:2016 certification ensures compliance with international medical device standards. Now, he is turning his sights homeward—eager to localize robotic system manufacturing in Malaysia and support the national healthcare innovation agenda.

With Mr. Fu and Dr. Zhang also lending their expertise in the design and production of minimally invasive surgical systems, the meeting set the stage for a promising multi-party collaboration. All parties expressed optimism about future joint ventures that will combine research, regulatory advancement, and technical know-how to potentially develop fully autonomous robotic surgical systems.
The productive meeting concluded with a plaque presentation ceremony by AMDI Director Dr. Bakiah to each visiting delegate, symbolizing AMDI’s appreciation and commitment to fostering international collaboration. A follow-up meeting is already in the pipeline, which will include broader stakeholders, such as engineers and regulatory experts, to deepen technical and strategic discussions.
With this momentum, AMDI is poised to play a leading role in the robotic revolution in healthcare, positioning Malaysia at the heart of medical innovation in the region.
Also present during the meeting session was Assoc. Prof. Dr. Noor Khairiah A. Karim, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Muhamad Yusri Musa, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Leow Voon Meng, Dr. Ahmad Fakrurrozi Mohamad, Dr. Mohd Faizal Jalil, Dr. Ooi Jer Ping and Ts. Dr. Syamimi Shamsuddin. 

Text provided by : Dr. Ooi Jer Ping
Text edited by   : Assoc. Prof. Dr. Noor Khairiah A. Karim & Nur Aqilah Tajul Ashikin
Photo: Norizan Ishak
Media and Public Relation Center
Advanced Medical and Dental Institute
Universiti Sains Malaysia
18 June 2025