On 16 August 2024, Northport (Malaysia) Bhd (“Northport”), a member of MMC Group, held a health talk program titled “Heart Disease and Sudden Fatality”. The program, organized by Northport’s ESG Committee (Social & Wellbeing), featured Dr. Malar Santhi, a renowned healthcare professional and social media influencer, as the speaker.

The program saw participation from 160 employees, while other members of TeamNorthport joined the program virtually. The sharing session focused on the importance of early diagnosis and timely medical intervention in significantly reducing the risk of heart disease, which is a leading cause of sudden fatalities. Dr. Malar emphasized the importance of being aware of warning signs, the necessity of regular health screenings and the adoption of a healthy lifestyle as key measures to prevent severe health issues.

The health talk program was part of Northport’s ongoing initiatives to promote employee healthcare and well-being. Other initiatives also include the establishment of the Northport Recharge Centre, which offers employees a dedicated space to take a break from their busy workdays by relaxing and recharging their minds. Northport also provides an in-house physiotherapy service to employees affected by injury or illness, addressing issues such as neck and back pain, joint problems, stiffness and loss of muscle strength. In addition, Northport has been proactively promoting health awareness by organising regular health screening programs in collaboration with Social Security Organisation (“SOCSO”) and the Company’s panel hospitals.

Dr. Malar is a distinguished professional holding a Doctor of Medicine degree from the Crimea State ‘S. I. Georgijevsky’ Medical Institute in Ukraine. She also completed a Master of Business Administration (“MBA”) specializing in Health Care Administration and Management from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Johor Bahru. Dr. Malar gained recognition during the COVID-19 pandemic for sharing information on vaccines and other health-related issues in fluent Bahasa Melayu via videos posted on her social media platforms.