Aussie PM Pays Tribute To Malaysian Developer

By Neville D'Cruz MELBOURNE, July 11 (Bernama) -- Malaysia-born Maha Sinnathamby's dream of creating a Health City took a step forward when Prime Minister Julia Gillard on Tuesday launched the A$21.4 million cancer centre at Springfield, about 30km from Brisbane. Springfield is an international award-winning master planned city, developed by Maha to provide the best in lifestyle living, with homes, child care centres, schools, university and specialised hubs including a massive IT hub. Health City, masterplanned by Harvard Medical Institute (HMI), will have regional medical facilities including a 1,200-bed hospital, retirement living, aged care, medi-hotels, research and development, homes for doctors and specialists, all within walking distance. It will be linked by open space from lakes to formal sporting fields, all emanating from the 24 hectare Springfield Town Centre Park. The HMI commented that it is the first health campus in the world to be planned to fully integrate health and wellness services for a region. Mater Health Services, Radiation Oncology Queensland and the Springfield Land Corporation are working in partnership to develop the centre. Gillard paid tribute to Maha's vision and deep commitment in developing a unique project. "Maha, you have done a tremendous job here, it's an amazing development and full credit to you," she said. Gillard said the centre would offer radiation oncology and has consultation rooms and a research unit. "I'm pleased to be here today to announce we will commit over A$21 million to build the Springfield Cancer Centre, right here," she said. "I want to acknowlege the generosity of Mater in donating the land to put it on. That's a contribution of about A$2 million," she said. The centre will be built on a vacant parcel of land in Sinnathamby Boulevard, which was donated to the Australian Government by Mater Health Services. Maha, who was born in Rantau, in Malaysia's southern state of Negeri Sembilan, said the project was the first step in developing Springfield he had always envisaged with a thrivingmedical hub with a capacity of up to 12,000 patients. Gillard was accompanied by her entire Cabinet which was meeting in Brisbane. -- BERNAMA