KUALA LUMPUR – Former minister Datuk Seri Idris Jala has been diagnosed with stage three lung cancer after a biopsy confirmed a mass discovered in his left lung.
Idris, 67, who served as Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, said the diagnosis came as a shock after he sought medical attention for a persistent cough and fatigue that had lasted for several months.
“Indeed, it has confirmed that I have now malignant cancer at stage 3C,” he said in a recent interview on his son Leon Jala’s YouTube channel “The Game of Impossible”.
Idris said an initial X-ray at Sunway Medical Centre revealed an abnormality in his lung, prompting doctors to conduct a CT scan, which detected a mass in his left lung about the size of a tennis ball.
He said the scan also indicated a possible infection in some lymph nodes and a smaller mass on the right side, leading doctors to recommend a biopsy.
Idris said doctors had ruled out surgery as a treatment option due to the stage of his lung cancer, with possible treatment involving a combination of chemotherapy, targeted therapy, radiotherapy and immunotherapy.
He said he would undergo further tests, including a PET-CT scan, brain scan and blood tests to determine the type of cancer, whether it had spread to other parts of his body and the appropriate treatment.
“I know it’s going to be a very tough journey, but I’m ready for the fight,” he said, while also announcing that he would be taking a break from public engagements and the podcast to focus on his recovery.
Idris was appointed Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in 2009, becoming the first Orang Ulu to hold a federal ministerial post and served in the role until 2015 while also leading the Performance Management and Delivery Unit (Pemandu). – July 24, 2026