By Rishav Chatterjee

Australia's Macquarie and Malaysian hospital chain Columbia Asia are among the bidders for the acquisition of a healthcare joint venture between Ramsay Health Care and Sime Darby, according to sources familiar with the matter.

Ramsay Health Care and Malaysian conglomerate Sime Darby in June announced their plan to sell Ramsay Sime Darby Health Care (RSD) in a deal that could value the Asia-focused joint venture at 6 billion ringgit ($1.28 billion).

An earlier effort to sell RSD to IHH Healthcare fell through last September, after a KKR & Co Inc-led consortium withdrew their near $15 billion offer for Ramsay.

The results of the bidding process will be disclosed in October, sources said.

Macquarie has been investing in the healthcare sector since 2005 and has been operating in Malaysia for over 24 years, while Columbia Asia has been running medical facilities across Southeast Asia with significant presence in Malaysia.

Bloomberg had earlier reported that a unit of Kuala Lumpur- listed Sunway Bhd was also among the shortlisted bidders along with Columbia Asia and Macquarie.

Columbia Asia, Macquarie, Sunway, Ramsay and Sime Darby did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

($1 = 4.6770 ringgit)

(Reporting by Rishav Chatterjee in Bengaluru and Yantoultra Ngui in Singapore; Editing by Saumyadeb Chakrabarty)