Kuala lumpur: Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC) chief executive officer Suriaghandi Suppiah has been conferred the Darjah Setia Pangkuan Negeri (D.S.P.N.), which carries the title Dato', in conjunction with Yang Dipertua Negeri Pulau Pinang Tun Ramli Ngah Talib's 85th birthday celebration.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the award recognized Suriaghandi's contributions to nation-building over nearly three decades in the healthcare sector, sovereign investment, and institutional leadership. "I receive this honour with deep gratitude to Tuan Yang Terutama and the State of Penang. Recognition of this kind is never carried alone. It belongs to every institution that shaped me, and to the people across Malaysia Healthcare, our member hospitals, our partners in government and the team at MHTC, who do the quiet, disciplined work on which a nation's reputation is built. My response to this honour is a simple one: to keep earning it," he said in the statement.
At MHTC, Suriaghandi has led a marked acceleration of Malaysia Healthcare's international agenda, including the launch and execution of the Malaysia Year of Medical Tourism 2026 (MYMT 2026) under the theme 'Healing Meets Hospitality', as well as expanded market activations across ASEAN, the Middle East, and South Asia. Suriaghandi has also deepened partnerships with financial institutions and government agencies, while strengthening governance and fostering a data-driven decision-making culture within the organization.
"These efforts have reinforced Malaysia's standing as a preferred healthcare destination while raising the standards by which the industry measures itself," according to the statement. Prior to joining MHTC in September 2025, Suriaghandi held senior positions at Khazanah Nasional, KPJ Healthcare, and the Employees Provident Fund, and represented Malaysia in hockey at the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games.
The conferment comes as Malaysia Healthcare continues to strengthen its international presence under MYMT 2026, with the council committed to sustaining the initiative's momentum through the second half of the year and beyond, the statement added.