Greetings and warm welcome from us here in Malaysia. We look forward to your participation in the 9th Asia-Oceanian Conference of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, here in our beautiful island of Penang, Malaysia, in conjunction with the 16th Annual Malaysian Rehabilitation Medicine Conference.

Coming out of the global pandemic, rapid changes had been taking place. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates 1.3 billion or 16% of the global population experiences significant disabilities. The pace of aging is more rapid in the developing countries in the Asia and pacific regions, where by 2050, a quarter of population will be aged 60 years or older. We are reminded of WHOs Rehabilitation 2030, a call for action to deal with the unmet rehabilitation needs.

Technology and artificial intelligence is establishing itself as part of mainstream life as well as in all aspects of medicine and especially rehabilitation. Even as the march of technology drums on, it is also pertinent that the human touch and connection especially the bond between healthcare professionals and their patients are equally important lest we forget that we must be adding life to years and not merely adding years to life.

It is thus so that we have themed our conference; Future Proofing Rehabilitation: Building Solid Foundations, Embracing Change; We need to equip and prepare ourselves for evolving and upcoming practices while enforcing our fundamentals to be sound and solid. We have put up a robust scientific programme encompassing hands on preconference workshops, plenaries and symposium on topics from Technology, Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, as well as the wide range from Neuro to Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation to Fragility and Peadiatric Rehabilitation. We also invite you to submit your research from oral to posters, to enable us to discuss, share and learn from each other.

While you are here, we also invite you to enjoy Malaysia, truly Asia and soak up the many attractions ranging from the natural beauty of lush green equatorial rainforests to pristine warm sandy beaches, diverse mutli-ethnic cultures and its delicious multi-cultural and fusion food. In Penang, whom is known as the Pearl of the Orient, one can taste the diverse attractions in one island. From the UNESCO Heritage awarded city of Georgetown, to the natural beauty of Penang Hill and beaches at Batu Feringgi, and lastly the great cuisine from amazing street food to fine dining.

We look forward to see you here in AOCPRM 2025, to reunite with old friends and make new ones. We are certain that you will enjoy yourselves in this multi disciplinary conference and experience our warm Malaysian hospitality

It is my pleasure to introduce the 9th Asia-Oceanian Conference of Physical & Rehabilitation Medicine (AOCPRM) taking place in beautiful Penang, Malaysia from 21st - 23rd August 2025. This prestigious event, held biennially by the Asia-Oceanian Society of Physical & Rehabilitation Medicine (AOSPRM) serves as a flagship event for our specialty. AOCPRM 2025 will be held alongside the 16th Annual Malaysian Rehabilitation Medicine Conference, promising an enriching experience for all attendees.

The Conference theme is “Future Proofing Rehabilitation: Building Solid Foundations, Embracing Change”. Join us as we embark on a journey to explore and strengthen the very foundations of rehabilitation practices that will prepare us for the challenges and opportunities of tomorrow.

The program will feature exciting topics including: Exploration of cutting-edge technologies such as robotics, virtual reality, and AI in rehabilitation; Precision medicine and personalized rehabilitation care plans; Strategies to prevent disability and promote independence in aging populations; and Access to rehabilitation services through telehealth and remote monitoring technologies. Additionally, we will delve into innovation in rehabilitation education and policy. These topics will spark discussions that will help us build resilient frameworks, embrace technological advancements, and implement forward-thinking strategies aimed at ensuring the sustainability of rehabilitation.

In addition to pre-congress workshops, keynote, plenary, thematic symposium sessions, and abstract presentations, the program will feature special “Collaboration pitching sessions”. In these sessions, aimed at promoting rehabilitation research collaborations which strengthen our specialty in a globalized world, presenters will have the opportunity to pitch their new projects or ideas to potential collaborators and create enhanced research teams. I strongly encourage you not to miss this opportunity to hear the latest in research, discoveries, updates and innovations in the field of rehabilitation medicine presented by excellent international and national speakers. And of course, to catch-up with old and meet new colleagues and friends in the PMR community from Asia-Oceania and around the world.

Thank you for your valuable support, and I am very much looking to welcoming you to AOCPRM in Penang in August 2025.