World Heart Day 2025 highlights importance of heart health in Sarawak

suppadmin | September 22, 2025

The World Heart Day 2025 celebration serves as a key platform to raise awareness about maintaining heart health and encouraging Sarawakians to adopt a healthy lifestyle.

Sarawak Deputy Premier, Datuk Amar Professor Dr. Sim Kui Hian, said heart disease remains the leading cause of death in Sarawak and Malaysia, and emphasized that everyone in society must be more conscious of their personal health.

“World Heart Day is celebrated worldwide. Even here in the heart of Borneo, Sarawak is part of this global effort because heart health forms an important foundation for nation-building,” he said during the officiation at MBKS Community Hall on Sunday.

Dr. Sim, who also serves as Deputy Chairman of the Sarawak Heart Foundation, highlighted that modern lifestyles have increased the prevalence of heart disease through four main risk factors, referred to as the “3+1”: high blood pressure (1 in 3 people), high cholesterol (1 in 3 people), diabetes (1 in 6 people), and obesity or being overweight (1 in 2 people).

He urged all levels of society to take personal responsibility for their health and consistently practice a healthy lifestyle.

“The number of cardiovascular patients rises each year, which is why the Sarawak Heart Centre has been constantly full since it began operations over two decades ago. Since 2001, more than 200,000 Sarawakians have received treatment here. Without this facility, many lives might not have been saved,” he said, stressing the importance of raising public awareness through World Heart Day.

Also present at the event were Dato Enn Ong Siok Ean, wife of the Deputy Premier, Mayor of Kuching South City Council Dato Wee Hong Seng, and Sarawak Heart Foundation Board Trustee Dato Anne Teng.