PRESS RELEASE 2
UKM and La Louie Holdings Sign Letter of Intent for Better Health Better Lives 2.0, Paving the Way for MOA Implementation
Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia — 2 January 2026, 11.00 a.m.
A Letter of Intent (LOI) was officially signed today at 11.00 a.m. between Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) and La Louie Holdings Sdn. Bhd., marking the formal commencement of a collaborative framework under the Better Health Better Lives 2.0 initiative.
The LOI was executed through the Institute of Visual Informatics (IVI), UKM, and was signed by Prof. Ir. Dr. Riza Sulaiman, Director of the Institute of Visual Informatics, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.
The signing was witnessed by Associate Prof. Dr. Mohammad Nazir Ahmad, Deputy Director and Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Visual Informatics, and Dr. Mohamed Afiq Hidayat bin Zailani, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.
The Letter of Intent sets out the Parties’ shared intention to collaborate on research-driven, technology-enabled, and immersive initiatives supporting indigenous (Orang Asli) communities, with a strong emphasis on molecular genetics and precision health research, including blood screening, genetic risk profiling, population genomics, and translational applications.
“This collaboration reflects UKM’s commitment to advancing research that delivers real societal impact. By integrating scientific research with immersive and digital technologies, we aim to strengthen how research outcomes are translated into meaningful benefits for underserved communities,” said Prof. Ir. Dr. Riza Sulaiman, Director of the Institute of Visual Informatics, UKM.
The collaboration also explores the use of Smart Reality Artificial Intelligence (SRAI / ImmersaX 720°) to support immersive research visualisation, digital storytelling, and community engagement, enabling research outcomes to be communicated more effectively to stakeholders, students, policymakers, and the public.
The LOI outlines cooperation in areas including joint research and development, establishment of immersive research laboratories and digital platforms, ethical and secure sharing of scientific data and publications, collaborative laboratory and field-based research, and the development of training and capacity-building programmes related to molecular genetics, bioinformatics, and Orang Asli community-based health research.
“Our research has shown that genetic health risks within indigenous populations require targeted, evidence-based approaches. This collaboration allows us to expand scientific understanding while ensuring research findings are translated into improved screening, awareness, and long-term health outcomes,” said Dr. Mohamed Afiq Hidayat bin Zailani, Senior Lecturer, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, UKM.
Following the signing of the LOI, the Parties will proceed towards the formalisation of specific projects and deliverables through a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), which will define implementation scope, roles and responsibilities, funding arrangements, timelines, and outcome review mechanisms under Better Health Better Lives 2.0.
Louie Liu, project sponsor of Better Health Better Lives 2.0, said the signing reflects a shared commitment to translating community engagement into sustainable, research-led impact through close collaboration with academic and scientific institutions.
The signing ceremony represents an important milestone in the continued evolution of Better Health Better Lives 2.0, reinforcing collaboration between academia and industry to advance health equity, scientific research, and long-term outcomes for Malaysia’s indigenous communities.
