Their presence drew a warm reception from hundreds of delegates, who viewed the visit as a clear sign of rising national urgency around autism and neurodevelopmental care.
Perlis has recorded a steady increase in autism prevalence among school-aged children, rising from 5.53 per 1,000 in 2018 to 7.65 per 1,000 in 2022, according to education ministry data.
Tuanku Syed Faizuddin, who serves as chancellor of UniMAP, has long championed community-focused initiatives, while Tuanku Lailatul Shahreen, as UniMAP pro-chancellor, has played a central role in shaping the state-run A-HEART Autism Hub, a growing northern centre for training, outreach, early identification, and family support.
Congress organising chairman Professor Mike Chan described the royal attendance as a milestone for the country’s efforts to strengthen early intervention and evidence-based autism care.
“When royalty stands with clinicians, parents and educators, it sends a powerful message: that autism support deserves national priority,” Chan said.
“This partnership of compassion and science is how we bring help to children earlier, and with greater impact.”
The visit follows Chan’s working mission to Perlis with Guna Mahalingam, the Malaysian honorary consul in Zurich, Switzerland, and FMT executive chairman Nelson Fernandez in August, where they toured UniMAP’s A-HEART Autism Hub, met state education officials, and held discussions with royal family members on strengthening Malaysia’s autism care ecosystem.
Chan said those early conversations set the foundation for deeper collaboration.
In his speech, Chan shared his personal philosophy that conditions considered “untreatable”, such as autism, are treatable.
His work focuses on precision medicine, using specialised scoring to identify the exact area of impairment in the brain, and providing the necessary cells for repair.
He said he was particularly surprised and impressed to learn that work related to the autism project had already been initiated in Perlis.
He also revealed that his team is laying the groundwork for a non-profit foundation dedicated to autistic children and neurodevelopmental health.
The initiative will expand cross-border clinician training, share treatment protocols, support underserved families, and link international expertise with Malaysian practitioners.
“Our goal is simple: no child should be left behind. We want to strengthen Malaysia’s autism support system so every family has access to proper care, regardless of where they come from,” he said.
The two-day congress was attended by about 200 physicians, complementary medicine practitioners, researchers, and educators worldwide, seeking practical advances in autism care, neurodevelopmental disorders, and neurodegenerative diseases.