Sultan Nazrin: Cancer screening must reach every Malaysian
PETALING JAYA: Sultan of Perak Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah has called for greater emphasis on early cancer detection, stressing that access to health screening should be available to all Malaysians regardless of their social or economic background.
Pahang's Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah has called for widespread access to cancer screening, asserting that all Malaysians, irrespective of their social or economic status, should have the opportunity to receive health check-ups. Speaking at the inauguration of the National Cancer Congress Malaysia 2026, the monarch emphasized that a national screening programme should encompass everyone, calling it an essential investment in the country's well-being.
He stressed that screening should be as accessible to a plantation laborer as it is to a corporate executive.
Sultan Nazrin outlined three key priorities for addressing cancer: bolstering research, formulating policies based on evidence, and increasing public awareness about the disease. He called for scientists and doctors to conduct robust research applicable to patients across all states, not just the major cities. He urged policymakers to heed the evidence and personal narratives presented and incorporate them into the national cancer strategy.
Lastly, he urged everyone to recognize that combating cancer starts with individual choices, workplace environments, and a willingness to openly discuss the disease, which is often shrouded in secrecy.
Sultan Nazrin stressed that no single entity, be it a hospital, ministry, university, or congress, can eradicate cancer alone. He highlighted the importance of collective effort, citing the partnership between the National Cancer Society of Malaysia and Sunway University as a prime example of the collaborative approach Malaysia needs to advance the fight against cancer.
The monarch noted that there was a time when a cancer diagnosis was whispered about, often seen as an almost inevitable end rather than a challenge that could be faced and overcome. However, he expressed optimism that this perception is changing. Survival rates for many cancers have significantly improved over the course of a single generation, and Malaysian researchers and institutions are making genuine, original contributions to this progress, rather than simply adopting foreign research.
Written by urgent.news from New Straits Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
