KOTA KINABALU: Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) and Social Security Organisation ( SOCSO) will collaborate in many ways to benefit the community in Sabah. 

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed today to expand rehabilitation facilities in Sabah through the provision of such facilities at UMS Hospital. 

This noble effort is seen to provide benefits not only to Insured Persons (OB) under SOCSO, even to the entire local community to get rehabilitation treatment at the UMS campus.

This MoU was signed by Dato’ Sri Dr. Mohammed Azman bin Dato’ Aziz Mohammed,

SOCSO Chief Executive and Prof. Associate Dr. Raman B. Noordin, Deputy Vice Chancellor Student and Alumni Affairs who also functions as UMS Vice Chancellor. 

It is witnessed and signed by Datuk Dr. Hafez Bin Hussain, Executive Director of the Centre Rehabilitation of SOCSO Tun Abdul Razak and Encik Luqman Ridha Anwar as Registrars UMS.

In addition, the signing of this MoU will also pioneer bilateral collaboration in aspects

teaching, learning, research and innovation in various fields in particular rehabilitation medicine, neurological intervention, mental health, health skills allied, robotic intervention, vocational training, occupational safety and health, disability management as well as SOCSO’s Return to Work (RTW) program.

This strategic cooperation allows UMS and SOCSO to expand further service delivery through their respective fields of expertise. 

According to Prof. Associate Dr. Raman, UMS and SOCSO are committed to promoting, improving awareness and access to quality rehabilitation treatment in particular in this Land Below the Wind.

“The comprehensive scope of this collaboration will have a particularly significant impact in dealing with the main problem of getting rehabilitation treatment which is cost responsibility patient treatment. 

“With the existence of financing through schemes offered by SOCSO, patient access at UMS Hospital will be expanded,” he said.

Meanwhile, Dato’ Sri Dr. Mohammed Azman said the MoU between SOCSO and UMS

will give a new light to SOCSO contributors who have experienced accidents or illnesses especially in Sabah, through rehabilitation programs and comprehensive and dynamic disability management.

“Since the RTW program was introduced in 2007 until September 16, 2022, a total of 49,851 RTW participants have been successfully helped to return to work. 

“We are confident the collaboration with UMS will be able to help more contributors to become independent and return to being productive.”