Editor's Choice Awards 2019 Edgeprop Malaysia's Responsible

A PULLOUT EVERY FRIDAY WITH

FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 2019 . ISSUE 2878/2019 . PP19055/06/2016(034530) PRINT + DIGITAL

MISSED OUR PAST ISSUES? Scan this code to visit our digital archive! www.EdgeProp.my

Subscribe to pullout for FREE! The best of 2019

Datuk Wong Tuck Wai Datuk Joseph Lau S P Setia Bhd deputy Perdana ParkCity president and COO Sdn Bhd group CEO

Tan Sri Teo Wee Boon Leong Chiang Kok Tanah Sutera Bandar Utama Development Sdn Bhd City Centre general manager Sdn Bhd director

Tan Sri Dr Jeffrey Cheah AO Sarena Cheah Anwar Syahrin Abdul Ajib Datuk Wira Boo Tang Meng Loon Datuk Hashim Wahir Sunway Group chairman Sunway Property UEM Sunrise Bhd managing Kuang Loon Gamuda Land club, KLCC Property and founder division managing director director and CEO Yong Tai Bhd CEO townships and Holdings Bhd and KLCC REIT property management Management Sdn Bhd CEO director EP T PHOTOGRAPHS BYLOW YENYEING, Managing Director/Editor-in-chief Managing Director/Editor-in-chief by The EdgePropertySdnBhd.Itis outlets intheKlangValley. You can Copy Editor l 0)72 21 Fax:(03)77218280 el: (03)77218211 pullout is published EdgeProp.my pulloutispublished available withThe EdgeFinancial 2 Damansara, 47810PetalingJaya, 200 of condos, medical centres andF&B email: KENNY YAP AND TANAH SUTERA Marketing Support&Ad Traf HARIS HASSAN, SUHAIMIYUSUF, The EdgePropertySdnBhd is also distributed at more than is alsodistributed atmorethan A Executive Editor Senior ManagerEliz Manager NimalenParimalam EDITOR’S NOTE Heidee Ahmad(019)3881880 email: Daily every Friday. The pullout Lim SookChin(012)2055986 Assistant EditorTanAiLeng ADVERTISING & MARKETING ADVERTISING &MARKETING ADVERTISING &MARKETING Associate Account Director, Fong LaiKuan(012)3862831 Lorraine Chan(03)77218001 No. 1JalanPJU 7/6,Mutiara email: ccount ManagerStannlyTan Ayesha Hannah AmerEzani Madeline Tan(03)77218218 Executive Nurfarah Diyana Joanne Mok(018)2720939 BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT Gregory ThuGregory (012)3760614 also download itfor freeat Chris Wong (016)6876577 Editor-in-chief Az For New Launches/Events/ Art Director Publisher and Group CEO Publisher andGroupCEO Chief Commercial Of Deputy Chie Associate OmarNawawi, Sharon Teh (012)313 9056 Senior Account Manager Press Releases/News Tips A Cecilia Too (012)3197666 & CUST Joane Tan(012)3772885 For enquiriesandlistings Natalie Khoo, Shawn Ng, Natalie Khoo,Shawn Ng, Ian Leong(012)3591668 Chief Operating Of Senior DesignerJunKit Senior SalesManagers Th e Edge Malaysia dvertising &Marketing Support &Ad Traf Level 3,Menara KLK, www.EdgeProp.my ˎ Creative Marketing [email protected] Head of Marketing Selangor, Malaysia T ces, shoppingcomplexes, Account Manager General Manager General Manager el: (03)77339000 [email protected] EdgeProp.my Lim Shiew Yuin DEVELOPMENT [email protected] Senior Writer Au FoongYee James Chong Chin Wai Lun Rachel Chew Mohd Firhad CORPORATE EDITORIAL EDITORIAL Ho Kay Tat OMER ADVISORY Vanessa Gnanasurian (1091814-P) (1091814-P) Writers COVER: f Copy Editor Sharon Khoh SharonKam

am Aris abeth Lay

ˎ ˎ ce ˎ c ce r r r ˎ c

The EdgeProp.my editorial team. building, acluster and construction. and development whether ornota of buildings,or fundamentall be managedin managing director In thebuilding and editor-in-chief landscape can a sustainable manner rests Au FoongYee on itsdesign ecosystem, EdgeProp.my y R and sustainability management property Of excellent vest onlyinprojects that are sustainable the marketing hype andclamour, andin- construction. rests fundamentally onitsdesignand be managed inasustainable manner a clusterofbuildings, orlandscapecan ecosystem, whetherornotabuilding, management practices. ed forqualityandsustainable property architectural designsare breathtaking of amenitiesthat Imight notuse? Iconic senseoftheword.in thetruest It isprudentforbuyerstocutthrough In thebuildinganddevelopment Do ask yourself: Do I need a wide array array DoIneedawide Do askyourself: be designedandconstruct- fi creation. excellence promises value eal estate managed with rst, thebuildingshave to For thistobeareality,

TOMORROW! HAPPENING FRIDAY APRIL26, 2019 tate that promises healthy value creation. world-class managed real estate, real es- eff ty andfacilitymanagement practices. passionate aboutbest-in-class proper- stakeholderswhoareestate industry recognised. management must beapplauded and sustainable property development and sponsible andcommittedtoquality and sustainable property management. project isdesignedandbuiltforquality considerations ifthe —todetermine add anothercheck-box inyourlistof ite location,factors, timingandpricing but are thesecostlytoupkeep? and make great conversation pieces— MINISTRY OFHOUSINGAND orts thatorts Malaysia beassured will of Ultimately, itisonlythrough our joint Th To thisend,developerswhoare re- So, inadditiontotheall-timefavour- LOCAL GOVERNMENT ENDORSED BY esamegoes for alltheotherreal FUTURE •

Is yourinvestment THEEDGEFINANCIALDAILY PROOF? 27 April 2019 (Sat) (Sat) 2019 27 April 9AM SHARP –1PM 9AM SHARP One World Hotel World One Citrine ballroom ballroom Citrine Petaling Jaya -

PICTURES BY LOW YEN YEING | EdgeProp.my

EP 4 FRIDAY APRIL 26, 2019 • THEEDGE FINANCIAL DAILY FRI RESULTS

ENDORSED BY

MINISTRY OF HOUSING AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT THE WINNERS AT A GLANCE Editor’s Choice Awards 2019

TAN SRI ENCORE MELAKA DR JEFFREY CHEAH AO SUTERA MALL KUALA LUMPUR CONVENTION CENTRE YONG TAI BERHAD FOUNDER AND CHAIRMAN, SUNWAY GROUP TANAH SUTERA DEVELOPMENT SDN BHD EXEMPLARY REAL ESTATE MALAYSIA’S EXEMPLARY EXEMPLARY EXEMPLARY CONVENTION CONTRIBUTION LEADER OF SUSTAINABLE RETAIL MALL CENTRE TO THE NATION DEVELOPMENT

EdgeProp Malaysia’s Responsible Developer: Building Sustainable Development Award 2019

PERDANA PARKCITY SUNWAY SDN BHD PROPERTY PR FRIDAY APRIL 26, 2019 • THEEDGE FINANCIAL DAILY EP 5 RESULTS

EdgeProp Malaysia’s Best Managed Property Awards 2019

Below 10 years Multi-own strata residential

D’SUITES VERDI DEDAUN NAIM BAHAGIA THE PEARL @ KLCC @ HORIZON HILLS ECO-DOMINIUMS CONDOMINIUM RESIDENCES

BRONZE WINNER GOLD WINNER SILVER WINNER BRONZE WINNER SPECIAL MENTION

10 years and above

Multi-own strata residential Non-strata residential

KUALA MONT’KIARA MONT’KIARA JADE AMAN LUMPUR ASTANA PELANGI HILLS SARI 18 CONVENTION CENTRE GOLD WINNER GOLD WINNER GOLD WINNER BRONZE WINNER GOLD WINNER

Specialised Non-strata ofˎ ce Retail categories

KATO 1 UTAMA KOMPLEKS MENARA SUTERA MANUFACTURING SHOPPING DAYABUMI EXXONMOBIL MALL (MALAYSIA) CENTRE SDN BHD BRONZE WINNER BRONZE WINNER SILVER WINNER GOLD WINNER SPECIAL MENTION

EdgeProp-ILAM Malaysia’s Sustainable Landscape Award 2019

LEPIRONIA THE MANSIONS SRI PENAGA GARDEN, @ PARKCITY VALENCIA CONDOMINIUM SETIA ECO GLADES HEIGHTS SILVER WINNER SILVER WINNER GOLD WINNER GOLD WINNER

PRESENTED BY | PARTNER | SUPPORTING SPONSOR | SUPPORTED BY | EP 6 FRIDAY APRIL 26, 2019 • THEEDGE FINANCIAL DAILY OVERVIEW PICTURES BY LOW YEN YEING, SAM FONG AND KENNY YAP YEN YEING, SAM PICTURES BY LOW

All Gold winners, Responsible Developer Award winners and Editor’s Choice Award winners of EdgeProp Malaysia’s Best Managed Property Awards 2019 in a group photo with Zuraida (centre). Tan Sri Jeffrey Cheah named Malaysia’s Exemplary Leader of Sustainable Development 2019

BY RACHEL CHEW cellence and sustainability. Intro- duced in 2017, the annual Awards PETALING JAYA: Tan Sri Dr Jeff rey is the fi rst of its kind in Malaysia Cheah AO of Sunway Group was and in the region. named Malaysia’s Exemplary Lead- Th e Awards is endorsed by the er of Sustainable Development Housing and Local Government 2019 by editors of EdgeProp.my Ministry and supported by the Real at EdgeProp Malaysia’s Best Man- Estate and Housing Developers’ aged Property Awards 2019 held Association (Rehda), Malaysian on the evening of April 21. Institute of Property and Facility Th e inaugural Editor’s Choice Managers (MIPFM), Building Award — Malaysia’s Exemplary Management Association of Leader of Sustainable Development Malaysia (BMAM), Malaysian REIT was the only personality award of Managers Association (MRMA), the evening which saw the who’s Architect Centre Sdn Bhd, Institute who in the property industry gath- of Landscape Architects Malaysia (From left) EdgeProp.my executive editor Sharon Kam, Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre general manager ered to celebrate excellence in (ILAM) and the Association of Alan Pryor, KLCC Property Holdings Bhd and KLCC REIT Management Sdn Bhd CEO Datuk Hashim Wahir, property management in Malaysia. Property and Facility Managers Yong Tai Bhd CEO Datuk Wira Boo Kuang Loon, Cheah, Zuraida, The Edge Media Group chairman Jeff rey is the founder and chair- Singapore (APFM). Datuk Tong Kooi Ong, Tanah Sutera Development Sdn Bhd assistant general manager of commercial man of the Sunway Group, one of CONTINUES ON PAGE 8 Crystal Soon, Tanah Sutera Development Sdn Bhd general manager Wee Boon Leong and Au. Malaysia’s largest conglomerates with 12 established business divisions spanning 50 locations worldwide. He is also an international icon in championing sustainable devel- “Making sure our buildings are safe” opment over the last four decades, not just in Malaysia but throughout the region. BY CHIN WAI LUN and construction-related “industry” practices Although he could not be pres- that have evolved over the years. ent that night to receive the award dgeProp Malaysia’s Best Managed Property “What if something tragic should happen? from guest-of-honour Housing and Awards 2019 Gala Night on April 21 was Then, presumably, hell would break loose and Local Government Minister Zuraida Emore than just about industry excellence the blame game starts; but that would be too Kamaruddin, a pre-recorded ac- and recognition. late,” Au pointed out. ceptance speech by Jeff rey was aired EdgeProp Malaysia managing director and The panel of judges, Au said, was also while Sunway Bhd managing directi- editor-in-chief Au Foong Yee called on the concerned with whether building and or of property division Sarena Cheah government to address safety and wellness- renovation materials used met safety and accepted the award on his behalf. related issues in both newly-constructed and health standards. “I would rather not take this older buildings as observed during the detailed She asked: “Do we have the standards? If award as a personality award. It is judging process for the Awards. so, do the guidelines need to be reviewed for an eff ort of the entire Sunway Group A letter detailing the fi ndings that centred relevance? How eff ective is our enforcement?” and the shareholders. Building sus- mainly on design, mechanical and electrical The quality of indoor air, one of the criteria tainably is no longer an option but and gas-related issues was handed over to of the Awards, was another area that judges a must and we can’t rely on solely the Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida (centre) with the letter received from have found to be lacking in some buildings. the government. It requires the con- Zuraida Kamaruddin, the guest-of-honour at Au (left). Looking on is Tong. “We do not see what we breathe in. But what tribution of all sectors,” Cheah said the event. we do not see can harm us,” stressed Au, who in his acceptance speech. “EdgeProp hopes the government will look management practices which is now lacking. urged the government to step up its eff orts to Held at a hotel in Petaling Jaya, into the areas identifi ed to make our buildings “Let us not wait for anything untoward to improve the wellness of Malaysians. EdgeProp Malaysia’s Best Managed safer to live, work and play in,” said Au. happen before we do the right thing,” she added. “As the maxim goes, never judge a book by Property Awards 2019 recognises “Malaysia must adopt a proactive culture Au said the Awards judging process has its cover. By the same token, a building should real estate that is managed with ex- and approach towards post-construction revealed, among other things, certain building never be judged by its facade,” Au added. FRIDAY APRIL 26, 2019 • THEEDGE FINANCIAL DAILY EP 7 Congratulations to the winners of

EDITOR’S CHOICE EDGEPROP MALAYSIA’S 10 YEARS AND ABOVE — 10 YEARS AND ABOVE — EDGEPROP-ILAM MALAYSIA’S AWARDS 2019 RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPER: MULTI-OWN STRATA RETAIL SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPE BUILDING SUSTAINABLE RESIDENTIAL AWARD 2019 Malaysia’s Exemplary Leader DEVELOPMENT AWARD 2019 GOLD: 1 Utama Shopping Centre of Sustainable Development: GOLD: Mont’Kiara Astana GOLD: Lepironia Garden, Tan Sri Dr Jeﬀ rey Cheah AO Perdana ParkCity Sdn Bhd SILVER: Sutera Mall Setia Eco Glades Founder and Chairman, GOLD: Mont’Kiara Pelangi Sunway Group Sunway Property GOLD: The Mansions 10 YEARS AND ABOVE — @ ParkCity Heights Exemplary Retail Mall: 10 YEARS AND ABOVE — SPECIALISED CATEGORIES Sutera Mall BELOW 10 YEARS — NON-STRATA RESIDENTIAL SILVER: Sri Penaga Tanah Sutera Development MULTI-OWN STRATA GOLD: Kuala Lumpur Condominium Sdn Bhd RESIDENTIAL GOLD: Jade Hills Convention Centre SILVER: Valencia Exemplary Convention GOLD: D’Suites @ Horizon Hills BRONZE: Aman Sari 18 SPECIAL MENTION: Centre: Kato Manufacturing (Malaysia) Kuala Lumpur SILVER: Verdi Eco-Dominiums Sdn Bhd Convention Centre 10 YEARS AND ABOVE — BRONZE: Dedaun Condominium NON-STRATA OFFICE Exemplary Real Estate Contribution to the Nation: BRONZE: The Pearl @ KLCC BRONZE: Kompleks Dayabumi Encore Melaka Yong Tai Berhad SPECIAL MENTION: BRONZE: Menara ExxonMobil Naim Bahagia Residences EP 8 FRIDAY APRIL 26, 2019 • THEEDGE FINANCIAL DAILY OVERVIEW EdgeProp.my | ‘Quality property management is no longer an option’ YEN YEING PICTURES BY LOW

(From left) Henry Butcher Malaysia (Mont Kiara) Sdn Bhd director Ronny Yong, Sri Penaga management FROM PAGE 6 for putting Malaysia on the world corporation chairman Khaw Chay Tee and committee member Yuen Cheong Swing, Au, S P Setia Berhad “Property is not just about the cultural tourism map. deputy president and COO Datuk Wong Tuck Wai, Zuraida, Tong, Gamuda Land head of landscape structure and facade design. It is The theatre complex features architecture Khariza Abdul Khalid, Gamuda Land executive director of product management unit Eddie Chan, about how easy it will be to up- Southeast Asia’s only state-of-the- Praxcis Design Sdn Bhd director Yap Nga Tuan, Perdana Parkcity Sdn Bhd group CEO Datuk Joseph Lau. keep so that it lasts and stays in art 360 degree rotating audience good shape. High-rise living is in- platform designed and built spe- creasing so it is very important cifically for the Encore Melaka for a project to move beyond just Impression Series show — the only the structure and be liveable and famous Impression Series show comfortable,” Zuraida said in her outside China. speech at the awards night. Another recipient of the Editor’s Meanwhile, EdgeProp.my man- Choice Award is Sutera Mall. The aging director and editor-in-chief retail mall in Johor Bahru was ac- Au Foong Yee in her welcome corded the Editor’s Choice Award speech said quality property man- — Exemplary Retail Mall 2019. agement practices are no longer More than its retail offerings, the an option, but a must in commu- suburban mall was recognised for nal living. its community and green initiatives. Perdana Parkcity Sdn Bhd group CEO Datuk Joseph Sunway Bhd deputy managing director property “Let us not wait for a tragedy to The suburban mall allocated Lau receives EdgeProp Malaysia’s Responsible Developer: development division Lum Tuck Ming receives strike before we do the right thing… 35,000 sq ft of retail space to run a Building Sustainable Development Awards 2019 from EdgeProp Malaysia’s Responsible Developer: Building By raising the bar on the nation’s free-to-use public library stocked Zuraida. Sustainable Development Award from Zuraida. property management practices, with 60,000 books. It also runs the we hope Malaysia will be a global Kuru Kuru Shop where the public Lumpur Convention Centre. The EdgeProp Malaysia’s Responsible home the Gold in the Specialised destination of properties with top can drop off pre-loved items, as 14-year-old convention centre lo- Developer: Building Sustainable category. In the retail category, class management,” Au added. well as a food recycling programme cated in Kuala Lumpur City Centre Development Award 2019. 1 Utama Shopping Centre took the Editors of EdgeProp.my also that turns food waste into organic has contributed RM8 billion in In the sustainable landscape Gold while Sutera Mall received awarded Encore Melaka by Yong fertiliser for its community farm. economic growth to the country. category, winners of EdgeProp- the Silver. Tai Bhd with the Editor’s Choice Meanwhile, the recipient of the Meanwhile, Sunway Property ILAM Malaysia’s Sustainable Bronze winners in this divi- Award — Exemplary Real Estate Editor’s Choice Award — Exemplary and Perdana ParkCity Sdn Bhd Landscape Awards 2019 were sion were Kompleks Dayabumi Contribution to the Nation 2019 Convention Centre was Kuala were accorded the prestigious Gold winners Lepironia Garden and Menara ExxonMobil in the at Setia Eco Glades, Cyberjaya by non-strata office category as well S P Setia Bhd and The Mansions @ as Aman Sari 18, Puchong under Zuraida (left) was interviewed by ParkCity Heights in Desa ParkCity the non-strata residential catego- EdgeProp.my managing director and as well as Silver winners Valencia, ry. Kato Manufacturing, a factory editor-in-chief Au Foong Yee. Sungai Buloh; and Sri Penaga located in Petaling Jaya received Condominium, Bangsar. a Special Mention under the Spe- Meanwhile, for the anchor cialised category. awards, EdgeProp Malaysia’s Best The Awards were organised in Managed Property Awards 2019 partnership with Nippon Paint recognised 15 projects for their Malaysia and supporting sponsor excellent property management. Panasonic Malaysia. Educate the The awards were given in two divisions — properties below 10 people about years and 10 years and above. Among the winners of the CLICK/TAP good property night were properties developed HERE by Gamuda Land, KLCC Property to watch Holdings Bhd, Bandar Utama video of maintenance City Centre Sdn Bhd, Selangor the Awards Dredging Bhd, Naim Holdings night. BY EDGEPROP.MY The education of property maintenance is Bhd, and UEM Sunrise Bhd. especially important for the lower income group D’Suites @ Horizon Hills, evelopers play an important role in building as the property they own could be their only asset Johor won the Gold in the below 10 The judges for this year’s awards houses with aesthetic value but they must and if it is managed well and maintained in good years multi-own strata residen- were Au, Rehda deputy president Dbuild homes which are practical, and designed condition, it could help in value appreciation. tial category while Silver went to Datuk Khor Chap Jen, MIPFM for easy maintenance and sustainability, stressed “The community’s care for their property also Verdi Eco-dominiums, Cyberjaya. president Faizal Fuad, BMAM Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida reflects the mentality of Malaysians. When foreign Taking the Bronze were Dedaun member and research committee Kamaruddin. tourists visit our country and see that our houses Condominium at Jalan Ampang member Lum Youk Lee, MRMA “You can have the most creative architecture and buildings are well-maintained, it will leave a and The Pearl @ KLCC. Naim chairman Datuk Jeffrey Ng, Architect using state-of-the-art building materials and good impression on them,” she added. Bahagia Residences in Miri, Centre accredited architect and facilities, but if they are not easy to maintain, they As more and more people live Sarawak received a Special trainer Anthony Lee Tee, Chur will soon become dilapidated 20 or 30 years later. It in strata buildings, she noted Mention in this category. Associates founder and managing would be a waste then,” she told EdgeProp.my in an that air ventilation in a home In the 10 years and above divi- partner Chris Tan and APFM interview in conjunction with EdgeProp Malaysia’s is important as it will impact CLICK/TAP sion, there were two Gold winners president Dr Lim Lan Yuan. Au was Best Managed Property Awards 2019. the health of the building’s HERE in the multi-own strata residen- also a judge for the EdgeProp-ILAM The minister said that in countries such as Dubai, residents in the long run. to view tial category, namely Mont’Kiara Malaysia’s Sustainable Landscape where high-quality property maintenance was “As much as 75% of the the full Astana and Mont’Kiara Pelangi. Awards 2019 along with ILAM’s practised, buildings were designed in a standardised people in the city are living in interview. Jade Hills in Kajang, Selangor assistant hon secretary Siti Maisarah manner that enables easy maintenance. strata-titled properties and the received Gold in the non-strata res- Salahudin. Purchasers need to be informed and educated number will continue to grow, idential category while the Kuala Results of the awards have been that lifestyle living could entail certain costs and hence it is important to ensure Lumpur Convention Centre took audited by Deloitte Malaysia. the many recreational facilities built within a indoor air quality is considered development would need a lot of money to maintain in the design of the home at the in the long run, said Zuraida. planning stage,” she said. Visit www.EdgeProp.my/awards2019 for results, videos and more stories FRIDAY APRIL 26, 2019 • THEEDGE FINANCIAL DAILY EP 9 Th ank you

YANG BERHORMAT PUAN HAJAH ZURAIDA KAMARUDDIN Minister of Housing and Local Government Malaysia for being the guest of honour at EP 10 FRIDAY APRIL 26, 2019 • THEEDGE FINANCIAL DAILY FRI PHOTO GALLERY

S P Ma

The over 350 guests who attended the Awards gala dinner were entertained by multi-lingual singer Fara Dolhadi.

Pre Nip and ma Zur

From left: Dawn Cheong, The Edge Media Group chairman Datuk Tong Kooi Ong, Amphil Pre Corporation Sdn Bhd CEO Datuk PK Poh and Pan Bandar Utama City Centre Sdn Bhd director ma Gamuda Land club, townships and property management director Tang Meng Loon (front row, eighth from left) with the team. Tan Sri Teo Chiang Kok. Sug

F Mal m D

de an

The Sunway team led by Sunway REIT Management Sdn Bhd CEO Datuk Jeffrey Ng (back row, fourth The Mont’Kiara Astana and Mont’Kiara Pelangi team cheering after they won from left) and Sunway Bhd property division managing director Sarena Cheah (centre). the Gold in the 10 years and above multi-own strata residential category. FRIDAY APRIL 26, 2019 • THEEDGE FINANCIAL DAILY EP 11 PHOTO GALLERY PICTURES BY LOW YEN YEING, SAM FONG AND KENNY YAP FONG AND KENNY YAP YEN YEING, SAM PICTURES BY LOW

S P Setia takes home the Gold for its Lepironia Garden project in the EdgeProp-ILAM Yong Tai’s Encore Melaka was awarded the Editor’s Choice Award 2019 — Exemplary Malaysia’s Sustainable Landscape Award 2019 category. Real Estate Contribution to the Nation.

From left: Tong, Zuraida and Au sharing a light moment.

Presenting a token of appreciation to awards’ event partner, Nippon Paint Malaysia. From left: EdgeProp.my managing director and editor-in-chief Au Foong Yee, Nippon Paint Malaysia general manager Tay Sze Tuck, Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin and Tong.

From left: Former editor-in-chief of Star Media Group Bhd Datuk Leanne Goh, Eco World Development Group Bhd group corporate Presenting a token of appreciation to supporting sponsor, services divisional general manager Wong Sheue Yann, Real Estate Panasonic Malaysia. From left: Au, Panasonic Malaysia Representatives from Sri Penaga and Housing Developers’ Association (Rehda) deputy president managing director (QAFL business promotion ofˎ ce) Ichiro and The Pearl celebrate their success Datuk Khor Chap Jen and S P Setia deputy president and chief Suganuma, Zuraida and Tong. at the awards night. operating ofˎ cer Datuk Wong Tuck Wai.

From left: Nippon Paint Malaysia assistant general manager of marketing Datin Wong Meng Lee, EdgeProp.my senior account manager Ian Leong, EdgeProp.my director of product development Alvin Ong and Panasonic Malaysia head of strategic B2B development general manager Tan Chee Hon.

From left: Chur Associates founder and managing partner Chris Tan taking selˎ e with Henry Butcher Malaysia director and founding partner Lim Eng Chong won and Amphil Corporation Sdn Bhd Datuk PK Poh. The Perdana ParkCity team led by group CEO Datuk Joseph Lau (back row, ˎ fth from left). EP 12 FRIDAY APRIL 26, 2019 • THEEDGE FINANCIAL DAILY FRI THE JUDGES Higher expectations for winners from judges

of them have a system in their organisa- the management of a property instead of it our tion where lessons learnt from issues and being driven by one single party as in many we challenges faced in post-construction are cases currently. for

EdgeProp.my channelled to the pre-construction team. env Th e winners, we noted, were serious in striving to prove excellent property management. For example, some of them utilised state-of-the-art technology and engineering to ensure good security services. To the EdgeProp.my team, Bravo! A lot of thought and eff ort were put into developing the judging process, making it a very robust guiding principle towards selecting ALL PICTURES BY LOW YEN YEING ALL PICTURES BY LOW | well-defi ned winners. I believe the Awards have certainly received the respect and ad- miration of the real estate industry. Moving forward, I hope to see more entries from Grade A offi ces, shopping malls both neighbourhood and regional, as well as factories and hospitals. Au Foong Yee This year, there is an increased number of participants in some categories PATRICK GOH | THE EDGE EdgeProp.my managing director and from other parts of Malaysia beyond and editor-in-chief Kuala Lumpur. It is hoped that this trend Th e judging for EdgeProp Malaysia’s Best will continue with greater participation Managed Property Awards is unique, I dare from Sabah and Sarawak besides Melaka, say. Kuantan and Penang. Anthony Lee Tee For starters, the building size and cost do Aside from giving developers recognition Architect Centre accredited M not necessarily impress. Spectacular archi- for high standards of property management, architect and trainer Ma tectural design and sheer aesthetics could for property managers and for the property Th is year’s winners have defi nitely raised an be a boon or a bane! Th e age of the building itself, the Awards have other useful objec- the bar and benchmark in many aspects of Th i matters little — BUT safety and security are tives, to instil greater awareness of the im- the Awards’ scoring criteria, in particular: sta paramount. portance of good management and its im- compliance with regulatory requirements, no Any physical attributes that are “skin pact on property values, and also to educate quality of maintenance and collection of saf deep”, for the sake of marketing — and for the various stakeholders on best practices service charges. bu this, irresponsible developers must shoulder in property management. Going forward, I commend the winners this year for eff ec- the blame — are a defi nite no go for sustain- the Awards should continue to target these tively planning and carrying out successful sig able management practices. objectives. management and maintenance plans, some and Three years into the awards, and it is in great partnership with their professional sus heartening to see entries coming from not property managers. and only residential, offi ce or shopping malls but I remain truly passionate about this life also from the medical and manufacturing Lum Youk Lee Awards. It has brought to the forefront a sectors from all over the country. Building Management much-needed level of awareness on prop- mi Th is marks a new milestone for the Awards Association of Malaysia member Datuk Khor Chap Jen erty management and maintenance. It rec- or as EdgeProp.my strives to raise the bar on and Malaysia Shopping Malls Real Estate and Housing ognises that the true value of properties lies cha Malaysia’s property management practices, Association research committee Developers’ Association Malaysia beyond the bells and whistles, and skin-deep to m benchmarking it against the global best. Th e member (Rehda) deputy president aesthetics. panel of judges have upped their expecta- Generally, most participants were enthusi- Th e winners have demonstrated well-man- As a result, property players and owners bu tions of winners. astic and tried really hard to win recognition aged and sustainable sites, striking a good have begun to re-think the current approach Each and every award ought to be ap- for their eff orts in their paperwork, thoughts, balance between aesthetics, functionality to design and its execution, to incorporate plauded. Th eir eff ort refl ects a commitment materials and presentations for the award and maintenance costs. Th ere is active par- safety and practical aspects of management to not only achieve best-in-class property submissions. ticipation in the joint management body and and maintenance — i.e. beyond getting management practices but sustainable de- Two common traits of the winners are: management committee by the developers, through the defects liability period. velopment as a whole. humility and professionalism. All winners property managers and the community, al- Essentially, the Awards evaluate and rec- To those who did not succeed this year, carry an attitude of on-going learning and though at varying degrees. ognise the long-term view of future-proofi ng we look forward to hearing from you next do not take challenges and their weaknesses That there are winners from different the lifespan of a property. year as you push the envelope in your en- lightly. Th ey apply as they learn, and many parts of the country, from old and new de- Moving forward, I’d love to see more deavours for sustainability. velopments, indicates that there is aware- diverse entries, especially from industrial For others, on behalf of Malaysian prop- ness of the need for good and well-managed buildings, government facilities like hospi- erty buyers, we challenge you to submit your properties. tals and airports, and educational properties building for a sustainability audit in the true Th e Awards has raised awareness among like colleges and universities. I also welcome sense of the word. stakeholders on the importance of consid- owners from aff ordable housing sectors to ering the sustainability element. Properties submit applications. are big investments and for lifelong enjoy- I also wish to see building management ment, hence buyers should consider the and maintenance as something that is no Dr Lim Lan Yuan sustainability element in their decision to longer an afterthought, to see a radical mind- The Association of Property and purchase any property. set change. Maintenance must be considered Facility Managers (Singapore) Th e Awards is a notable eff ort in recog- from the outset, and prioritised throughout president nising unsung heroes — the people behind the lifespan of a property. EdgeProp Malaysia’s Best Managed the scenes who maintain the smooth oper- Greater emphasis is needed on training, Property Awards is gaining traction. It is ation of buildings for the enjoyment of their educational development programmes and getting diffi cult to win the award unless the residents or occupants, whom we often take certifi cation for facility managers and techni- property is indeed managed well. Th e win- for granted. cians to ensure that all the MEP (mechanical, ners this year would have met the increas- Th e sustainability criteria and features electrical and plumbing) systems in a prop- ingly high standards required in property should be highlighted to refl ect their im- erty are correctly managed and maintained. management. Th ey should be congratulated portance. I also hope to see more active For the industry, I hope to see wider use on their eff ort and initiative. participation by various stakeholders in of technology for security systems to reduce FRIDAY APRIL 26, 2019 • THEEDGE FINANCIAL DAILY EP 13 THE JUDGES

of it our reliance on manned security guards, as aspects of sustainability, safety, transpar- EdgeProp Malaysia’s Best Managed Prop- any well as meaningful sustainable programmes ency and fi nancial management as well as erty Awards is both progressive and timely as for recycling, composting and care for our the ability to communicate eff ectively with Malaysia is edging ever closer to our desired environment. stakeholders. developed nation status. Sustainable main- I hope there will be more entries, and tenance is the key to unlock the true value suggest that a special category be created and potential of any building. Start with the for housing schemes managed entirely by end in mind; build, but be guided by how a joint management body, management you can best maintain it in future. Address committee or the residents’ association, the basics and cut out the frills. without the involvement of a professional Th is Awards can certainly set the bench- property manager. mark on what is good property management moving forward and perhaps share some best practices that we have gathered from all the entries and site visits for the benefi t of the public at large. I hope to see a larger variety of entries and even more from different parts of Malaysia. Maybe a nationwide roadshow should be conducted to spread more awareness to all stakeholders.

tenance programmes into project management at the planning stage. Datuk Jeffrey Ng I am not surprised at this year’s winners, Malaysian REIT Managers especially the well-deserved Gold winners Association chairman in the various categories. Th e scores based The EdgeProp Malaysia’s Best Managed on the criteria set were refl ective of their Mohd Faizal Fuad Property Awards is the fi rst of its kind and performance and consistent with market Malaysian Institute of Property brings together stakeholders in the property expectations from a property management sed and Facility Managers president management services industry with the goal standpoint. s of Th is Awards helps all stakeholders to under- of uplifting professional service standards It is clear that the current panel of judges ar: stand the need to manage buildings well, and recognising best practices performed by has set high standards and expectations on nts, not just prioritising aesthetics but also the the owners, property managers and service the Awards submissions. Questions such as of safety and sustainability of managing the providers. It is in all stakeholders’ interests “How do you diff erentiate yourself?” and building over the long term. Chris Tan to deal with and understand the “what, why, “Why are you the best in the market?” have ec- Th is Awards tells developers that the de- Chur Associates founder and how and when” of property management caused submitters to think deeply and take ful sign should not only be about the concept managing partner standards and fundamentals, and to be action to improve. me and features, but they must also consider the I am happy to see the level of competition able to achieve fi rst class property status in Questions raised by the judges are more nal sustainability of the property’s management this year as it is getting more competitive, the long run. Ultimately, it is about adding detailed, analytical and technical, prompt- and maintenance to ensure the building’s especially with entries from the greater part value to the property and meeting custom- ing a better and stronger understanding of his lifespan is optimised. of Malaysia beyond the urban areas. er satisfaction. the subject matters raised with respect to t a To homebuyers, this Awards is a re- A building is like a living organism that I hope the Awards will continue to recog- property management best practices, gov- op- minder that you must know the property requires a lot of thoughtfulness to keep it nise the “better and best players” and bring ernance and compliance. ec- or building scheme that you want to pur- alive and healthy, and the winners have all greater awareness of doing things right from I hope future entries will raise their de- ies chase well, because you will bear the cost demonstrated this thoughtfulness to link the the start, at the project planning and design livery standards of property management eep to maintain it. building to its intended purpose and serve stage. For example, there is a need to align performance which in turn will improve Winners this year have managed their its users, even as the building condition and property management requirements such the standards of their submissions for this ers buildings excellently by taking into account circumstances evolve. as how to achieve cost effi ciency on main- Awards. ach ate ent ng EdgeProp-ILAM Malaysia’s Sustainable Landscape Award 2019 ec- fing landscape scene evolve. Th e win- and approaches that could also extraordinary talent and commit- THE JUDGES ning projects exemplify how com- achieve distinctive benchmarks in ment towards sustainability. On ore munity living can be improved sustainable living and well-being. the fl ipside, opting for an OTT rial through sustainable landscape (over-the-top) approach will al- pi- Siti Maisarah approaches that cover the aes- most guarantee OTT results but ties Salahudin thetic aspects while still effi ciently at what cost? me ILAM Asst. manipulating limited resources Au Foong Yee On a more positive note, our s to Hon. Secretary and existing site threats to create EdgeProp.my managing search for this year’s winners liveable and vibrant community director and editor-in- has revealed that more and more ent It is an honour to be a judge areas. They have also adopted chief developers have started taking no for this year’s EdgeProp- good practices in managing their cognisance of the need for sus- nd- ILAM Malaysia’s Sustainable landscape assets. It is not about bells and whistles, tainability. Th ese industry lead- red Landscape Awards. Th ank Landscaping has evolved and nor is it just about vast canvases ers, I have no doubt, concur that out you EdgeProp.my for this gone beyond landscape beau- of colours, forms and textures sticking to the ‘good-old’ way of beautiful judging experience. tification. It now offers a plat- put together to take one’s breath doing things is not being very ng, Th e Awards is truly a noble form for property developers and away. As the results of this Awards smart. We all know that buyers nd and remarkable initiative by landscape designers to experi- testify, aesthetics, innovation and these days are well informed ni- EdgeProp.my. ment with new approaches and creativity can co-exist harmoni- and discerning. Don’t attempt cal, Th is year’s submissions were technology. Some have even be- ously to create both unique and to give them something they will op- diverse and each winner has its come trendsetters in landscaping. outstanding landscapes that are hate you for! ed. own strengths. Hence, going forward, I hope to sustainable at the same time. Congratulations to all the win- use It was interesting to see the see more projects with new ideas Of course, such a feat calls for ners! uce EP 14 FRIDAY APRIL 26, 2019 • THEEDGE FINANCIAL DAILY JUDGING CRITERIA

EdgeProp Malaysia’s Best Managed Editor’s Choice EdgeProp-ILAM Property Awards 2019 Awards 2019 Malaysia’s

The Awards recognise buildings that show excellence in property management. Selected by the editors of EdgeProp.my, the Sustainable This is the third year of the Awards. The call for entries began mid-October 2018 Editor’s Choice Award recognises excellence in a and closed on Jan 14, 2019. project, building or company that is committed Landscape to top-quality property management practices. Award 2019 Submissions were open to: There were seven (7) The award is also accorded to any individual who • Any strata and non-strata buildings in main judging criteria: has demonstrated an outstanding contribution Malaysia, managed either in-house or by towards the promotion of sustainable development This Award benchmarks projects any property manager Maintenance in the Malaysian real estate sector. or spaces that are designed, • Properties of any size and type in Malaysia • Quality of M&E / building services built and maintained for • Properties that are fully completed and • Cleanliness and upkeep of facilities sustainability. The winning project have received the Certifi cate of Completion • Special / key features of the building or projects can be indoors or and Compliance or Certifi cate of Fitness for outdoors, and be of all sizes. Occupation Administration EdgeProp Malaysia’s • Properties that fully comply with statutory • Standard operating procedures Submissions were requirements (i.e. renewed licences, permits, • Transparency of accounts (fi nancial Responsible Developer: open to: approvals, etc.) governance, procurement process, etc.) • Entrants who are certifi ed Building Sustainable landscape architects under Properties that have previously won Gold are Collections ILAM (corporate, graduate not entitled to enter for a period of three years • Debtor ageing / billing / collection ratio Development Award 2019 or foreign member) from the year of winning. • Proportion of debtors • Any property developers • Collection procedures — notifi cations, This Award recognises property developers • Projects that have been fully The anchor awards off er a total of nine reminders, warnings, etc. who are committed to building developments completed for no less than categories in two divisions based on the age of that are designed and built for best-in- 12 continuous months and the property. The two divisions are: below 10 Financial sustainability class property management. The winning are located in Malaysia years, and 10 years and above. • Adherence to budget (e.g. budget developer must show commitment to building The categories are: vs. actual expenditure) sustainable* projects moving forward. Judging criteria • Cost optimisation initiatives and innovations • Ecological and • Multi-own strata residential such as energy-saving measures, water Judging criteria environmental values • Non-strata residential harvesting, design features or beautifi cation • Project(s) must be completed with • Designed and built for cost- • Single-own residential in a mixed strata projects and effi cient supervision of Certifi cate of Completion and Compliance eff ective maintenance • Multi-own strata offi ce maintenance work or Certifi cate of Fitness for Occupation • Community-oriented • Non-strata offi ce • Details of the sustainable project(s) — planning and design • Single-own offi ce in a mixed strata Security architecture, design, construction methods, • Functionality • Mixed development (entire) • Use of technology maintenance cost and eff ectiveness • Aesthetics and creativity • Retail • Proactive measures to enhance security • Vision, commitment and eff orts made towards • Placemaking • Specialised category for industrial, heritage the building of sustainable development(s) buildings, parks and public housing Community and communication • How the company promotes the following attributes The judging panel comprised • Community building initiatives demanded of a sustainable development: representatives from The judging panel comprised representatives • Procedures for tenant or occupant liaison - Community living EdgeProp.my and the Institute of from EdgeProp.my and industry experts, who such as booking for facilities and dispute - Communications Landscape Architects Malaysia made site visits to the shortlisted projects resolution - Innovations (ILAM) who, after shortlisting before the fi nal decisions were made. - Respect for nature and environment the entries, made site visits, Development value / yield following which the fi nal decisions The results were audited by Deloitte • Comparative growth in value over time The award is based on submissions and the winners were made. The results were Malaysia and the winning projects were • Comparative rental yield are decided by the editors of EdgeProp.my. audited by Deloitte Malaysia. announced and honoured at the Awards ceremony on April 21, 2019. * A sustainable development is one that meets the needs of the present and future without compromising the building maintenance. Projects submitted were shortlisted based on the judging criteria.

EP 16 FRIDAY APRIL 26, 2019 • THEEDGE FINANCIAL DAILY WINNERS

EDITOR’S CHOICE AWARD 2019 Tan Sri Dr Jeffrey Malaysia’s Exemplary Leader of Sustainable Development Cheah AO

LOW YEN YEING | EdgeProp.my BY TAN AI LENG

ounder and chairman of Sunway Group, Tan Sri Dr Jeffrey Cheah AO grew up in a former mining town called Pusing in Perak. In his memory, the place where Fhe was born and raised was once a picturesque town but its natural beauty was destroyed by aggressive tin mining activities. However, the town folk remained poor as they benefitted little from the mining which was monopolised by one company. “I know what poverty is. Since I was little, I have kept asking myself whether there is any way I can bring the people prosperity,” says the 74-year-old. The worst was when gambling became a problem in the town and many people lost their money, money which could be better CLICK/ spent on their children’s education. TAP HERE “I was really upset when I saw to view his my friends’ parents lose all their acceptance hard-earned money which was speech. supposed to support their family’s needs including my friends’ education. “These were the incidents that made me decide to do the right these ideas at Sunway City KL to things that will benefit the com- achieve our goal of making it a munity, society and the environ- model of a smart sustainable city. ment, not merely chasing money Many initiatives are still works-in- or to do things that will hurt others,” “Start by picking progress. Ideas that are proven are says Cheah. being implemented in Sunway City That was what drove him and his Ipoh and the upcoming Sunway business to where they are today. Iskandar in Johor. Cheah is known as a visionary up rubbish…” The three main pillars of sustain- leader in the property development, able development that guide our construction, health and education smart and sustainable city blue- sectors. Sunway Bhd is today ate healthy and happy communi- 25,000 trees and restored the eco- them when the development is print are economic growth, envi- a listed conglomerate on Bursa ties. For me, a healthy and happy system in this washed out waste- completed. Take Sunway City KL ronmental protection, and social Malaysia with a market capital community means people living land. Today, you can find earth- for example, the land had been de- equality and well-being. of over RM8 billion. Cheah led together where their well-being is worms in the ground and more stroyed by mining activities. Most Under the economic growth Sunway to develop the iconic looked after — accessible, safe and than 150 species of flora and fauna people will just walk away but I pillar, our focus areas are water Sunway City KL, an award-winning comfortable living environment. in the township. By replanting these thought we have the responsibility treatment, mixed and integrated integrated township in Selangor When people are happy, they will 25,000 trees, we could prevent the to put it back in order. developments, diversity of oppor- that was carved out of former tin appreciate the things around them emission of 400 tonnes of carbon In the early days of developing tunities, and innovation. Under the mining land. Beyond the business, and be inspired to give back to the dioxide into the atmosphere. Sunway City KL, people said I was environmental protection pillar, our Cheah is also a philanthropist and community. Hence, together we We also have other green initia- crazy and I even went bankrupt focus areas include water, waste a crusader for sustainability. can build a sustainable community. tives such as recycling programmes twice for this project but I didn’t management, green building and He has been recognised with and our water treatment plant pro- give up; I have proven to them that landscapes. Under the social equal- an impressive list of awards, both How do you share the ject in Sunway South Quay. We this project is a successful model ity pillar, we focus on connectivity, at home and internationally. On message of sustainable target that by 2020, this water treat- which is profitable and yet sus- life-long education, healthcare and April 21, he added another award development? ment plant will be able to supply tainable. wellness as well as safety and se- to his name when he was bestowed I believe in leadership by example, 56% of the annual water consump- There are other things we can do. curity. Hopefully with these efforts, the Editor’s Choice Award 2019 — hence we do it by walking the talk. tion in Sunway-operated buildings For instance, Sunway Resort Hotel we are able to inspire the people: to Malaysia’s Exemplary Leader This could start from simple actions in Sunway City KL. & Spa has worked with the Kechara advance the sustainability agenda of Sustainable Development at like picking up rubbish. What we want to do is to set an Soup Kitchen Society in the Zero in this part of the world. EdgeProp Malaysia’s Best Managed Personally, when I walk around example to inspire others to do Food Wastage project. The hotel Awards 2019. Sunway City KL, I would pick up good and care for the society. I be- has donated surplus food from the What message do Cheah shares his passion for rubbish I see and throw it in the lieve “we have to aspire to inspire buffets to feed the homeless and you have for fellow sustainability and his vision to recycle bin or waste bin. before we expire” — this is my take urban poor. I truly believe we can Malaysians? make Sunway City KL a sustaina- There’s no status differentiation in life. do well by doing good. I have always believed that one ble smart city in an interview with in Sunway, whether you are at man- must live a life of purpose in order EdgeProp.my. agerial level or executives, we pick How can a company What is your vision of a to have a fulfilled life. My message up the trash we see. This is to set or business entity be smart sustainable city? is simple: Always seek to give back Q. What do sustainability an example to the younger genera- profitable and yet be To me, sustainable cities are all to society. This is particularly in- and sustainable develop- tion. It is our responsibility to do so. sustainable? about the quality of life enjoyed cumbent on those of us who are ment mean to you? To raise awareness on sustain- It’s a matter of choice — wheth- by the inhabitants in all aspects — fortunate enough to have benefit- Cheah: Being sustainable to me, ability, we also need to show the er we take the impact in the long economic, environmental, social ted from the resources of nature and simply means doing well by doing efforts taken by the company to- run or ensure that environment is and well-being. the support of our communities. good. This is particularly relevant wards this end. Sunway City KL is a main consideration in our deci- At Sunway, we have a Sustainable Besides, I strongly believe for us who have benefitted by us- the best example to reflect our care sion-making process. Development Blueprint which is a that education is the key that will ing the resources of mother earth. and concern for the environment For instance, in property de- living document that sets groupwide allow many other Sustainable It is also incumbent for us to give and society. velopment, some companies will baselines from which we can Development Goals to be achieved. back to society and the communi- In our journey of rehabilitating choose to cut down all the trees. continue to innovate and explore When people are able to get quality ties that have helped us prosper. the former tin mining land into a But that’s not necessary. We should new ideas for the greater good. We education, they can break from the Sunway is here to build and cre- liveable city, we have transplanted keep some of the trees and replant are continuously implementing cycle of poverty.

EP 18 FRIDAY APRIL 26, 2019 • THEEDGE FINANCIAL DAILY FRI WINNERS

EDITOR’S CHOICE 10 YEARS AND ABOVE AWARD 2019 Specialised category Kuala Lumpur Exemplary Convention Centre GOLD Convention Centre

The 14-year old Kuala Lumpur Convention NA Centre has boasted 15,000 events and AD 24.5 million visitors since its opening.

DE DE PICTURES BY KL CONVENTION CENTRE PICTURES BY KL CONVENTION PR OP NO

OC NO

AM Aq FA Bu ho ro VI ma EN Va ele au in es AH tin SE CC FIR Fir PA int CO da sp IN A self-sustaining Bi- cle

op and world tw ma

Pry class convention 243 off tw centre na of inc op org BY SHAWN NG Since day one, its income has been suffi cient to cover its operational cost and deliver reasonable glo ocated in the heart of Kuala Lumpur profi ts. con City Centre (KLCC), the Kuala Lumpur At EdgeProp Malaysia’s Best Managed Property cau Convention Centre is often a hive of activ- Awards this year, the KL Convention Centre was the tur ity. Since it opened in June 2005, this con- Gold winner in the 10 years and above Specialised vention centre has hosted about 15,000 category. It was also bestowed the coveted Editor’s de events and around 24.5 million people. Choice Award 2019 — Exemplary Convention effi LFrom an idea conceived by Prime Minister Tun Centre at the Awards. gla Dr Mahathir Mohamad in collaboration with the “We are truly honoured and grateful for these vie late Tun Azizan Zainul Abidin, who was the for- awards which we believe will enhance the centre’s Tow mer Petronas chairman, and the management of national and international recognition,” KLCC all KLCC Group at that time, the convention centre (Holdings) group CEO Datuk Hashim Wahir tells was built to complement the entire KLCC devel- EdgeProp.my. Th opment which also includes the iconic Petronas “It is also a recognition that we are operating Th Twin Towers, KLCC Park, Menara Maxis and Suria a world-standard facility and our commitment to na KLCC Shopping Centre. world class standards at KL Convention Centre (As Th e hard work and professionalism of building and the KLCC precinct. Th e centre has lived up to Wo owner KLCC (Holdings) Sdn Bhd and convention the hopes that we had prior to its opening and we Co manager Convex Malaysia Sdn Bhd has made KL continue to see it playing a key role in the heart of an Convention Centre a world-class convention centre the city centre,” he adds. The management team runs a very strict maintenance regiment to that is able to be self-sustaining in its operations. Th e convention centre is being managed and ensure everything in the building is at tip-top condition. tio FRIDAY APRIL 26, 2019 • THEEDGE FINANCIAL DAILY EP 19 WINNERS

Project quick facts We carry out preventive maintenance and we do health checks to see what needs to be done and NAME Kuala Lumpur Convention when to do it. We don’t wait for things to break down Centre and we try to read into the future as far as possible ADDRESS Kuala Lumpur Convention to see what is going to need attention,” says Pryor. Centre, Kuala Lumpur City “If somebody damages or breaks something in Centre, 50088 Kuala Lumpur the building today, we fi x it straight away. Th e only DEVELOPER KLCC (Holdings) Sdn Bhd delay is when we need to get a spare part. Other- wise, we fi x it immediately. DEVELOPMENT TYPE Conference and exhibition “For major projects, we would probably carry centre them out at year-end or early in the year where PROJECT SIZE 8.9 acres you know it is going to be quieter. But other than OPENING DATE June 2005 that, we just identify pockets of time, such as night NO. OF STOREYS Six including two basement time,” he elaborates. levels Hashim points out that the team does not spare any capital on maintenance to ensure everything GROSS FLOOR AREA 1.54 million sq ft with in the building is in tip-top condition. 243,900 sq ft function space “Maintenance is the most important thing to OCCUPANCY RATE 60% to 70% ensure the building’s pristine condition. So, NO. OF CARPARK BAYS 729 from day one, the convention centre has com- AMENITIES mitted itself to attain world-class management Aquaria KLCC, MyNews.com, money changer, F&B outlets Banquet hall in the convention centre. and sustainability certifications including ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 22000 and OHSAS 18001. FACILITIES Business centre, registration counters, VIP suites, It is also EarthCheck silver-certified and Hazard hospitality lounges, organiser offi ce suites, medical Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) certifi ed,” room, in-house F&B outlets, concierge, parenting room, Hashim adds. VIP and public car parks, air-conditioned walkway, ATM machine Upgrades in the pipeline ENERGY-SAVING FEATURES Several building upgrades are underway and more Variable speed drives for air handling units (AHUs), are expected to come. “We have a planned main- elevators, escalators, motors and pumps; building tenance schedule and we do health checks on automation system; replacements to LED lamps M&E (mechanical and electrical). We have also in stages and lighting control system; on-demand done refurbishments and some replacements on escalators; temperature regulated air-conditioners; an annual basis. Th ere are also repairs and un- AHUs and pumps are fi tted with invertors; facade glass planned maintenance when people damage or tinted with UV absorptive fi lm break things. So these are the three main elements SECURITY FEATURES of maintenance here,” Pryor says. CCTV cameras and card access system Th e convention centre had refurbished its cen- FIRE-SAFETY FEATURES tral access control system and CCTVs, tinted its Fire pump room, ISCADA system, fi re alarm system, windows and completed some work on the air- PA system, fi reman switch, fi re staircase intercom, lift conditioning system to enable it to work more ef- intercom, yearly fi re certifi cation renewal, smoke spill fan, fi ciently. It is currently in the midst of replacing its CO2 panel, wet chemical system, fi re roller shutter, fi re lights with LED lights and upgrading all the toilets. dampers, smoke curtain, fi re hose reel, smoke detectors, can be considered full occupancy because the An artist’s To improve effi ciency, the management also sprinkler system, wet riser, and sounder and strobe light remaining 30% to 40% is used by event organ- impression of the strives to keep abreast with the latest technology. INDOOR AIR QUALITY FEATURES isers either to set up or to clean up. expansion tower. “We are now studying the adoption of a business Bi-yearly indoor air quality and air-conditioning However, according to Pryor, KL Convention control system or building management system. cleaning and monthly servicing for AHUs and fan coil units Centre could “easily end up being a victim of its We are looking at what enhancements we can own success,” as its popularity has resulted in a make and what savings that will give us,” he says. operated by Convex Malaysia, a joint venture be- number of maintenance challenges. On top of that, there are also plans to refresh tween KLCC (Holdings) and international venue “Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre is a great the interior design in some parts of the building management company AEG Ogden Pty Ltd. building with a fl exible event space and we have and inject a Malaysian theme into the convention Convex Malaysia general manager Alan Mark been building its brand over the years, so it is en- centre as well as the food. Pryor attributes the success of the facility to the joying a very high demand. Th is has resulted in high “We are also looking at bringing in digital screens, 243,900 sq ft fl exible function space itself which throughput and it means that the building works and that would be for information and to give our off ers fi ve exhibition halls, three conference halls, really, really hard indeed,” he explains. clients more opportunities for branding and ad- two auditoria, grand ballroom, plenary hall, ple- Th is means that the management team has to We have been vertising,” explains Pryor. nary theatre and 23 meeting rooms. run a very strict maintenance regiment. Th e function space, he says, has high ceilings “We are going to be 15 years old next year so building its Expanding to the new building of between 30ft and 36ft and many of the rooms there is a risk of things getting tired and worn out. brand over next door including the exhibition halls are equipped with As the function space is running at full capacity, operable walls, which off ers fl exibility to event the years, so KL Convention Centre will be extending its func- organisers. it is enjoying tion space with a new building tentatively named “We are very, very fl exible and I’m talking about Lot 91 by mid-2019, says Hashim. globally (by global standards). And that’s why the EdgeProp.my a very high Th e 52-storey building, which consists of a podi- convention centre is able to be so successful be- demand. This um and offi ce spaces, is expected to be completed cause we can be very fl exible and do very quick in sections. Th e podium will be completed by mid turnarounds for clients,” he adds. has resulted this year, and the remaining components by mid- Th e building has also incorporated sustainable in high 2020. It is a joint venture between KLCC (Holdings) design elements which enhances its operational YEN YEING LOW | and Sapura Resources Bhd. effi ciency. For instance, it adopted fl oor-to-ceiling throughput Th e expansion is expected to double the exhi- glass windows which not only gives a spectacular and it means bition space of the convention centre from about view of the KLCC Park and iconic Petronas Twin 100,000 sq ft to more than 200,000 sq ft with the new Towers but also allows plenty of natural light in to that the space spreading over three levels in the podium. all pre-function areas. Th e operable wall design will be adopted for building the front walls of the exhibition halls to allow the The challenges that come with success works really, halls to be opened up into the foyer, giving the The convention centre has hosted many inter- space the fl exibility to be either an exhibition or national conventions such as the ASEAN really hard conference space. (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) meetings, indeed. With the upcoming expansion and refurbish- World Gas Conference, International Olympics ment, coupled with the world-class management Committee meetings, the Asia Oil & Gas Conference — PRYOR team, Hashim expects the convention centre to and World Urban Forum. continue its successful journey and continue play- Averagely, the occupancy rate for the func- ing its key role as a global convention centre in tion space ranges between 60% and 70%, which Pryor (left) with Hashim. the KLCC precinct, in the region and in the world. EP 20 FRIDAY APRIL 26, 2019 • THEEDGE FINANCIAL DAILY FRI WINNERS

10 YEARS AND ABOVE EDITOR’S CHOICE AWARD 2019 Retail Sutera Mall Exemplary Retail Mall SILVER

PICTURES BY TANAH SUTERA MALL DEVELOPMENT AND LOW YEN YEING | EdgeProp.my

Sutera Mall’s main entrance.

Xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxx

Sut ma

So much more fro Ma har Project quick facts Sho than just a mall NAME Sutera Mall ed ADDRESS L1-046, Sutera Mall, No. 1, in Jalan Sutera Tanjung 8/4, hou Taman Sutera Utama, 81300 nee BY NATALIE KHOO Skudai Johor up DEVELOPER Tanah Sutera Development utera Mall is a neighbourhood mall Sdn Bhd Ge in Taman Sutera Utama in Skudai, DEVELOPMENT TYPE Commercial shopping centre Wh Johor. Opened since August 2008, PROJECT SIZE 27.63 acres nan the 1.2 million sq ft mall is devel- wa TENURE Freehold oped and managed by Tanah Sutera Development Sdn Bhd. It is unlike any COMPLETION DATE June 18, 2008 mu Sother mall as the shopping centre offers more than NO. OF UNITS 403 sho the usual retail and F&B, notably its community NO. OF STOREYS Main building has three the building and green initiatives. levels for retail; new block We In recognition of its eff orts, Sutera Mall received (East Wing) has four levels adh the Editor’s Choice Award 2019 — Exemplary with 2-storey car park and Lau Retail Mall and won a Silver in the 10 years and 2-storey retail. in- above retail category at EdgeProp Malaysia’s Best GROSS BUILT-UP SPACE 1.2 mil sq ft with around Managed Property Awards 2019. 687,000 sq ft retail area Located in Sutera Mall is the fi rst full-fl edged mall MAINTENANCE FEES RM1.90 psf library in Johor Bahru. Called My Library, it was OCCUPANCY RATE 85% created to foster the reading habit within the community. My Library is fi lled with 60,000 books and NO. OF CARPARK BAYS 3,983 reading materials. During pre-exam periods, school FACILITIES holidays and weekends, the 35,000 sq ft library is 26m curve length aquarium, hybrid parking, baby packed and to date, it has registered as many as room, concierge, 35,000 sq ft My Library, 18m x 12m Indoor LED screen and stage, Kuru-Kuru Reusable item 10,000 members. collection centre, Behind The Wall Instagram Art Tunnel, “Tanah Sutera Development is a township de- wheelchair service, mobile phone charging stations, veloper and we want our community to be a com- Good Earth Recycle Centre, food waste composting and plete one, hence we introduced diff erent elements car parking guidance system that benefi t the community,” says Lau Teck Ching, Art street — Behind The chines to recycle 500kg of daily food waste from our ENERGY-SAVING FEATURES Tanah Sutera Mall Development Sdn Bhd assis- Wall is 171m in length, tenants at Good Earth Centre which is located in Rainwater harvesting, building management system, LED tant general manager (properties) for property and is an Instagram the mall. Subsequently, to recycle a higher amount lighting, natural skylight, energy-saving programme on management. hotspot where visitors of food waste, we changed our recycling method chiller system, water eﬃ cient taps and cistern, natural It also spearheaded Th e Good Earth Project in can pose for pictures. to natural composting. So in July 2018, we set up ventilation car park and other BCA Green Mark Gold 2014 with a mission to create a zero-waste town- our SuteraFOLO (Sutera Feed Our Loved Ones) Award features ship by eradicating the use-and-throw habit among farm to grow not just vegetables but also benefi - SECURITY FEATURES urbanites. Food waste composting was one of the cial microbes. Today, the SuteraFOLO farm has Panic buttons, security surveillance checkpoints, ladies initiatives under this project. successfully converted 300 tonnes of food waste parking, security watch tower, 24-hour CCTV, camera My “We installed two food waste composting ma- into compost collected mainly from F&B outlets in surveillance and security patrolling and escort service and FRIDAY APRIL 26, 2019 • THEEDGE FINANCIAL DAILY EP 21 WINNERS

Level 4 of Sutera Mall houses the largest indoor LED stage in a Johor shopping mall.

A 485 sq ft freshwater aquarium is located at Level 1.

SuteraFOLO Farm uses composted food waste from Sutera Mall as fertiliser for growing vegetables.

Sutera Mall. All compost will be used for landscape nical team, to understand the issues and resolve maintenance and the community farm,” says Lau. them together. Th e farm is located just fi ve to 10 minutes away However, balancing income and expenditure from the mall. During EdgeProp.my’s visit to Sutera can be a challenge. Mall, we were served fruits and fresh salad leaves “We must be prudent in our expenses and be harvested from the community farm. creative and innovative to reduce expenses. For Another unusual green eff ort is the Kuru Kuru instance, in 2017, we entered into a Chiller System Shop. A retail space in the mall has been dedicat- Energy Saving programme where no capital ex- ed to this “shop” where the public donate items penditure was involved but we shared the amount in usable condition such as books, clothing and of energy saved with the appointed company. We household items to benefi t someone else who may were able to improve the Building Energy Index 00 need them — all for free. Th e benefi ciary can pick (BEI) by 18%. up to three items in a day. “We are planning to install solar panels on our t roof as Sutera Mall has a large fl at roof. Th is is to Getting it right from the start promote renewable energy use and reduce carbon re When it comes to the mall management, mainte- emissions,” says Lau. nance and cost effi ciency, Lau says, the key is to al- As safety is a top priority for the management, ways be mindful that prevention is better than cure. a Company Emergency Response Team (CERT) “A comprehensive maintenance programme was set up in August 2017 comprising 15 members must be carried out. Try to reduce ad hoc trouble- chosen from various departments who are phys- shooting and allocate suffi cient budget to ensure ically fi t and willing to be trained as a member of the equipment and facilities are well maintained. the Fire Fighter and Rescue Team. We have a maintenance service schedule which we “We want our customers and tenants to feel s adhere to for the respective systems in the mall,” safe while they are in Sutera Mall. Every fortnight, Lau explains, adding that they have to work hand- the CERT members will carry out physical fi re- in-hand with operation staff , especially the tech- fi ghting training under a retired Singapore Civil Defence Force member and Fire Prevention Council Malaysia trainer. We hope that the CERT can act as fi rst responders while waiting for the fi re brigade We must be to arrive. Th e CERT is also being trained to assess fi re scenarios and carry out search and rescue of prudent in any missing persons in the event of a fi re outbreak. We also purchased a full set of fi re-fi ghter suits and our expenses equipment for our CERT members,” Lau explains. and be Ultimately, when it comes to property mainte- el, nance, there needs to be continuous improvement creative and and to approach obstacles positively. innovative “We have to continuously adapt to changes especially with the emergence of e-commerce and to reduce steep competition within the retail industry. Cre- ED expenses. ating a conducive and well-maintained shopping n environment will help to increase footfall. A clean, — LAU comfortable and safe mall experience will enhance the intangible value of the mall. “We also have a group of young, energetic and creative members to create excitement for the mall s so that shoppers will not be able to have the same My Library is the ˎ rst full-ː edged mall library in Johor Bahru, housing some 60,000 books experience at other malls, making Sutera Mall their and reading materials. fi rst destination choice.” EP 22 FRIDAY APRIL 26, 2019 • THEEDGE FINANCIAL DAILY WINNERS

EDITOR’S CHOICE AWARD 2019 Exemplary Real Estate Encore Melaka Contribution to the Nation

BY SHAWN NG PICTURES BY LOW YEN YEING AND YONG TAI | EdgeProp.my

any called him crazy when he was The completion of building the first corporate tow- Encore Melaka and ers in Melaka more than a dec- the introduction of the ade ago, doubting the need for Impression Series has put such a development in the state. Melaka and Malaysia on But this native of Melaka went the world tourism map. Mon to build Jaya99 on Jalan Tun Sri Lanang which has seen its 200,000 sq ft space completely leased out today. Extraordinarily, among its tenants are three out of the Big Four accounting firms namely PricewaterhouseCoopers, Ernst & Young and KPMG. But Datuk Wira Boo Kuang Loon, the CEO of Yong Tai Bhd did not stop there. He went on to complete Th e Pines Hotel, off ering the fi rst poolside suites with private access to a saltwater swimming pool in Melaka, the fi rst Marriot Hotel Courtyard by Marriot Melaka and Th e Apple, the fi rst serviced apartment with a four-tier security system in the state. But its latest and most ambitious development to date is ongoing. Th e 138-acre Impression City in Kota Laksamana with an estimated gross development value of RM7 billion. When completed, Im- pression City will feature a theatre, a mega retail mall called Terra Square, a four-star hotel, residential towers, wellness and education components. Th e aim is to create an integrated city where all the action is — art and cultural activities, commercial activities, education, wellness, hotel, shopping and homes. Taking off fi rst at Impression City is a world- class theatre dubbed Encore Melaka which features a 360-degree rotating audience platform Harnessing with a seating capacity of more than 2,000 and a 240-metre long stage. Th e Southeast Asia’s largest theatre opened its doors in July 2018 as the venue for the fi rst Impression Series performances outside China since the Impression Series was co-founded the power by China’s renowned directors Wang Chaoge, Fan Yue and Zhang Yimou in 1998. Th e Impression Series performance in Encore Melaka is a 70-minute visual and auditory expe- of dreams rience taking the audience through six centuries of Melaka’s history using astounding projection mapping and intricate theatre props. Recognising its contribution to the nation’s economy, Encore Melaka has been accorded the Editor’s Choice Award 2019: Exemplary Real Estate Contribution to the Nation at this year’s EdgeProp fi nance the purchase of land to build the theatre. tion, shopping and entertainment. Th ese econom- Malaysia’s Best Managed Property Awards. “Th e banks did not understand the project and ic activities are estimated to inject some RM300 “It is a great honour to us and it serves as a rec- there was no reference for them to calculate the million annually into the local economy. ognition for those who have the vision to develop risk and so they were not willing to loan. Only one More than 200 locals are part of the Impression such a special building,” Boo tells EdgeProp.my. Even though bank was willing to lend — Bank of China,” he re- show at Encore Melaka. Tan Ji Boy, who is a retired “Even though it was challenging to build this it was veals. Bank of China (Malaysia) Bhd had to pres- primary school teacher from Melaka, is the oldest cultural tourism project, we did it with determi- ent the application at the bank’s headquarters in performer at 68. She says she is on a “happy and nation and perseverance. Winning this award is a challenging Beijing to get the fi nal approval. Boo and the bank- fun” journey of enriching her retirement days. fi rst step for Yong Tai to create value not only for to build this ers went to Beijing for their presentation scheduled Meanwhile, 19-year-old Ong Yong Sheng is the this development but for the people of Melaka and for 10am, March 9, 2014. youngest performer. the overall growth of the state,” he adds. cultural Unfortunately, just one day before that, news of “I’m from Kelantan and Encore Melaka was tourism the missing MH370 plane broke. Th ere was wide- interviewing performers in my hometown. So I A tough start spread anger among the Chinese against Malaysia went for the interview and I’m happy that I was Boo had a bumpy start getting Encore Melaka project, we because of the incident which Boo believed led to selected. I can gain experience from here to pave off the ground. Th e fi rst challenge was to get in did it with the rejection of the loan application. my way onto a bigger stage,” he says. touch with the directors of the Impression Series But he refused to give up and fi nally managed Yong Tai is also working with the National in China. determination to gain the trust of Yong Tai’s board of directors Academy of Arts, Culture and Heritage (Aswara) “I have seen the show and found it so amaz- and to allow him to inject his business units into the to off er its graduates opportunities for full-time ing, so I thought it would be great to have it in our company. He was also appointed an executive employment with the theatre. country. Th en I searched for Zhang’s company perseverance. director in October 2015. Meanwhile, the Encore Melaka building has sev- address and wrote a letter to him in 2012. I didn’t “I diversified the company from garment eral sustainable features in its design. One feature — BOO think too much of it,” he recalls. manufacturing to property development and is the ventilation corridor which captures the wind But never underestimate the power of dreams, after I injected all my units into the company, I from the Straits of Melaka and ventilates the entire because two months later, Zhang’s offi ce replied issued new shares to overseas investors which building to maintain a comfortable environment and invited him to Beijing to discuss the proposal. allowed me to raise funds to kick-start the pro- within the theatre even on a hot day. It is used main- Another two months after the meeting, Zhang vis- ject,” he recounts. ly during non-performance hours to save energy. ited Melaka and fell in love with the historic city. Another notable feature is the aluminium exte- “He [Zhang] just said ‘ok, Melaka, do’,”Boo says. Putting Malaysia on the world map rior panels that form the stark white facade of the Th at was a remarkable achievement because over Th e completion of Encore Melaka and the intro- building, which refl ects the sky. Dust hardly clings 150 cities around the world, including Vancouver, duction of the Impression Series has put Melaka to them, making them easy to maintain. Singapore and Dubai have submitted similar pro- and the entire country on the world tourism map. “Sustainability is important to us as it allows posals but all of them were turned down, he adds. Th e theatre was conceived to attract both local Impression City to be here for the long run. It is The next big challenge was funding. At that and foreign visitors to Melaka and in turn create tough but you must fi rst believe and be determined time, Boo was struggling to find a bank to demand for businesses such as F&B, accommoda- enough to get it done,” says Boo.

EP 24 FRIDAY APRIL 26, 2019 • THEEDGE FINANCIAL DAILY WINNERS

EDGEPROP MALAYSIA’S RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPER: Building Sustainable Sunway Property Development Award 2019

People, planet and profit

LOW YEN YEING | EdgeProp.my BY TAN AI LENG For example, it is important to link the people working in the offices to the shopping mall as well profitable property development as providing easy access to other amenities within might not be sustainable, but a the township such as the medical centre and ed- sustainable development will have ucation institutions. Being the capability to bring profit to the responsible developer and create value for all The BOO model stakeholders. Sunway Property adopts the build, own and oper- is making This is the philosophy of Sunway Property, the ate (BOO) model as it allows the developer Sun- a decision Aproperty development arm of the Sunway Group way Property the flexibility to design, manage that is helmed by legendary founder Tan Sri Dr Jeffrey and adopt location-making elements to create Cheah AO who led the group in turning wastelands well-connected sustainable developments. fundamental into vibrant townships including its flagship Sun- A good location is defined by its easy accessi- way City KL in Selangor. bility via various road networks or public trans- and crucial “It’s about the 3Ps: People, Planet and Profit, portation systems, and its proximity to amenities for future these are the pillars that build a successful and within the township. sustainable township. Without the 3Ps, a develop- “We have different components — residen- growth ment will not be sustainable. This is our formula tial components, integrated development and in building Sunway townships in the Klang Valley, standalone development within an area. If all of which will Ipoh and Iskandar Johor,” says Sunway Property these were not owned by one company, it would benefit every managing director Sarena Cheah. be difficult to link all the components together,” Looking at the big picture, every development says Sarena. stakeholder needs people to succeed including the developer’s Being the master developer, it allows Sunway and the staff, contractors, customers, residents, business Property to take a holistic approach in township owners and others. Hence, Sarena says, a devel- planning, from green area allocation and land- environment oper not only needs to bring in the crowd to its scape design, to the planning of road networks in the long township but must be able to enable people to and traffic management. move around within it efficiently. The BOO model also enables the company to run, even As for the planet, a development should be constantly make improvements on the develop- though built in a way that it co-exists with the natural en- ment such as its connectivity, community safety vironment. A property must also have good post and energy consumption reduction or by add- immediate development maintenance in order to maintain ing relevant amenities to create more value to all profit is not its good quality living environment. stakeholders. CLICK/TAP Making profit is important too as it is about “By putting all resources together, we are able to there. HERE being financially sustainable. It makes no sense take it another notch up in many aspects,” she adds. — CHEAH to view to develop an unprofitable township because if The 45-year-old Sunway City KL is today an video. it continues to be unprofitable, it will not be sus- award-winning integrated township with seven tainable for the long term and will not benefit the components — universities, medical centre, shop- community, Sarena elaborates. ping mall, hotel, theme park, offices and residenc- To her, building a sustainable township is more es, which are served by Malaysia’s first Bus Rapid than putting in the infrastructure and green features, Transit (BRT). it is also about the vibrancy flow within the township. The township is well connected by various main FRIDAY APRIL 26, 2019 • THEEDGE FINANCIAL DAILY EP 25 WINNERS

PICTURES BY SUNWAY BHD The 800-acre Sunway City KL is an integrated township with seven components. The canopy walkway enables pedestrians to access the various facilities within the township.

nd proˎ t

.my SUNWAY BHD increased among students, residents and offi ce workers in the township, the master developer had to rethink the overall planning for the location arrangement of the F&B providers in the shopping mall or commercial centres. It had to be done to improve the overall logis- tics and traffi c control in order to smoothen the overall delivery process — from picking up the food at the outlet to the delivery to customers in the shortest time. “Many people see these new trends as challenges but for us, they are exciting. For instance, now people have changed the way they use a space and we see opportunities in space sharing. We will leverage this to see how we can use our spaces in the near future to increase yield,” she adds.

Building greener cities Sunway Property has defi nitely proven its capability as a successful township developer but there is one thing it relentlessly pursues — to do more for the environment. Th e wastewater management and water treatment plant in Sunway South Quay is one of its green initiatives to turn Sunway City KL into a self-sustaining township as well as to reduce water wastage. Meanwhile, to reduce wastage, surplus food from the hotel is given to the needy while a zero roads and highways as well as a 4.8km canopy ers, tourists, business owners and young talents. The water plastic campaign has been introduced to make walkway that enables pedestrians to access vari- “20 years ago, a good developer is the compa- treatment plant in Sunway City KL a greener city. ous facilities within the township. ny which can provide quality housing, but now a Sunway South Quay For Sunway Property, being sustainable is a quality product is a must. Customers today want is one of the green long journey that begins from planning to con- Adapt and evolve more from developers. If any decision made was initiatives to turn struction to after-development, as people’s needs Sunway City KL is undeniably one of the most not based on a long-term basis like 10 to 15 years, Sunway City KL into keep changing in line with technology and devel- vibrant cities in the Klang Valley. Th is 800-acre we would never be able to meet the needs of the a self-sustaining opers will need to take proactive steps to make sure integrated township has a population of 200,000 market,” says Sarena. township. their developments stay relevant and continue to including 60,000 students and enjoyed by 42 mil- According to her, every new trend is related be “wanted” in the market. lion visitors a year. to the community, such as the emerging sharing “Being responsible is making a decision that is To manage such a highly populated township, economy and food delivery services — all these fundamental and crucial for future growth which the master developer takes a proactive approach by trends are related to township planning and re- will benefi t every stakeholder and the environment constantly enhancing Sunway City KL’s liveability quire a developer to react and evolve. in the long run, even though immediate profi t is so that it is one of the top choices for homebuy- For instance, when demand for food delivery not there,” says Sarena. EP 26 FRIDAY APRIL 26, 2019 • THEEDGE FINANCIAL DAILY FRI WINNERS

EDGEPROP MALAYSIA’S RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPER: Perdana Building Sustainable Development Award 2019 ParkCity

see vac Committed to creating act wit of R RM (20 a ‘lovable’ township hav yea

PICTURES BY LOW YEN YEING | EdgeProp.my aro BY TAN AI LENG spaces. It has won numerous awards and received EdgeProp Malaysia’s Responsible Developer: Pl or Perdana ParkCity Sdn Bhd, the master Building Sustainable Development Award 2019 at Pla developer of Desa ParkCity and a subsid- EdgeProp Malaysia’s Best Managed Awards 2019 vel iary of Samling Strategic Group, building on April 21. its a sustainable township is to create a Many are amazed by how a former quarry mine “lovable” township with the human touch. where no plants could grow is now an award-win- an Modern day technology and engineer- ning township with two man-made lakes teeming kic Fing could help build a remarkable looking town- with fi shes and aquatic plants that have become ship with ample amenities, security and beautiful popular recreational areas for its residents and enc surroundings but how does one ensure a township even the public. are remains attractive in the long run? Th ere are a total of 36 residential and commer- oth Th e human touch is what makes the diff erence cial phases in Desa ParkCity. Over the years, the towards creating a township that is sustainable, company has built 3,390 homes and currently an- sto says Tai Choon Seng, Perdana ParkCity Sdn Bhd other 1,672 are under construction. dow chief operating offi cer. Amenities within the township include a 300- act “We have placed family, neighbourhood and bed ParkCity Medical Centre, Th e International community among our top fi ve priorities in our School @ ParkCity and commercial areas — Th e is t brand values followed by connectivity and conven- Waterfront and Plaza Arkadia. We ience. Being a master developer, we want to build “Back in 1999 when the company purchased an a large scale, lively and safe community based on the land, it was an uninhabitable place. If we did live an all-embracing application of the New Urbanist not plan it right from the get-go, we would never and place-making principles,” he stresses. have achieved our objective to build one of the a w Th is unique ParkCity DNA is what makes its Desa most liveable townships in Kuala Lumpur,” says Tai. the ParkCity township in Northwest Kuala Lumpur so With the holistic planning, the company has successful. Th e same DNA has also been injected proven their capabilities in creating value for its sys into its 190-acre master-planned ParkCity Hanoi property purchasers as real estate prices in Desa lak in Vietnam and the 551-acre Marina ParkCity in ParkCity have risen even during a slow property dou Miri, Sarawak. market. geo Desa ParkCity is known for its quality living en- For instance, Plaza Arkadia SoHo units which While serving the needs of the Desa ParkCity residents, The Waterfront is wa vironment, master plan design and urban green were selling at around RM620 psf in 2013, have also becoming apopular place for F&B and outdoor activities for the public. to r FRIDAY APRIL 26, 2019 • THEEDGE FINANCIAL DAILY EP 27 WINNERS

PERDANA PARKCITY Left: Desa ParkCity has transformed from an uninhabitable place to a thriving township.

Right: The Central Park and lake attracts thousands of visitors daily.

CLICK/TAP HERE to view video.

when planning for a development phase so that the new homes will meet current market needs. For instance, some landed homes were designed to avoid direct sunlight so as to reduce indoor temperature. However, some residents prefer to air-dry their clothes and hang them at their car porches, which affects the aesthetics of the housing precinct. Keeping that in mind, the team decided to change the design of the homes in the following housing precinct by adding a nicely concealed mezzanine area for laundry purposes, enabling residents to air-dry their clothes. Perdana ParkCity also believes in encouraging seen prices climb 70% to RM1,060 psf in 2016 after sustainable living. For instance, low emission glass vacant possession. (low-e glass) was used as it could reduce energy Even when the market was flat last year, trans- consumption by 60% to 70% in high-rise residenc- action activities in Desa ParkCity remained vibrant es. Residents could reduce the usage of air-condi- with 57 terraced houses sold at an average price tioning which, in the long-run, could help them of RM1,418 psf or RM2.67 million, compared with save money and reduce their carbon foorprint on RM1,271 psf or RM2.48 million in the previous year the environment. (2017), according to EdgeProp.my data. “All these details add value to the properties and Tai notes that Desa ParkCity’s property prices support the price growth of Desa ParkCity proper- have enjoyed stable price appreciation over the ties. The demand is also reflected in the secondary years with an average home price appreciation of market price performance,” says Tai. around 25% per annum. According to EdgeProp.my data, transaction price for high-rise residences in Desa ParkCity Place-making is the first step averaged RM799 psf in 2018 compared to RM679 Place-making is vital for the overall township de- psf in 2012. For landed houses, average selling velopment to create a sense of belonging among price last year had climbed to RM1,398 psf based its residents. on land area or an average RM2.8 million per unit At Desa ParkCity, the 13.9-acre Central Park Bacteria-treated lava stones from Sumatra, compared with RM972 psf or RM1.88 million. and recreational lake were the features used to Indonesia, were lined at the bottom of the lake to kickstart the 473-acre development. form biological filters. Moving forward Located in the heart of Desa ParkCity, it serves to “Long story short, we have created a lake eco- We want Perdana ParkCity has around 60 acres left to devel- encourage its residents and people in neighbouring system that includes biotic and micro-organisms op in Desa ParkCity, which is expected to last the areas to enjoy the outdoors and interact with each that enable the water purifying and air filtration to build an company another 10 years. This means it will still other and hence create a cohesive community. process to happen naturally without human inter- have that length of time to continue maintaining The lake also serves as a retention pond and for vention,” he explains, adding that there is another environment the township at its pristine level. stormwater management. Besides, it helps to bring lake in West Park, which is a pet-free park. that promotes Nevertheless, the company is preparing for the down the temperature of the entire township and To create a liveable city which is green, safe, handover of common spaces and infrastructure act as a natural air filtration system. walkable and sociable, the township has an in- and nurtures management to the local council through constant “We believe our conviction and commitment tegrated network of roads with access to various values that communication to provide guidance to them on is to go beyond just offering nice looking homes. amenities as well as sidewalks that sports crime ways to maintain the landscape. We want to build an environment that promotes prevention environmental design so as to make create a There are also dialogues held with residents’ and nurtures values that create an equally nice it a safe place for its residents. nice liveable associations in all existing precincts to prepare liveable environment,” stresses Tai. them for the handover process. Unlike a natural lake, man-made lakes do not have Never complacent environment. Not surprisingly, most residents are worried a water-circulating ecosystem in place that prevents Although Desa ParkCity is now one of the most — TAI about the maintenance upon handover to which the water from being contaminated by natural agents. sought-after townships in the country, the man- Tai proposes that residents set up a common fa- This means the developer has to create an eco- agement of Perdana ParkCity knows it cannot rest cilities management committee supported by all system for the water to function like in a natural on its laurels. resident associations to oversee issues related to lake. Hence, the base of the lake was formed by a Its staff is on site and continues to handle defects common space maintenance. double layer High Density Polyethylene (HPDE) rectification requests even though some properties “But we own some properties here as well, so geo-membrane to prevent water from leaking bio- have passed their defects liability period. we will continue to support the residents to ensure waste while two biofiltration systems were installed It also takes feedback from owners and residents Desa ParkCity remains one of the most liveable to regulate the water. seriously and they are taken into consideration cities for years to come,” offers Tai. EP 28 FRIDAY APRIL 26, 2019 • THEEDGE FINANCIAL DAILY WINNERS

BELOW 10 YEARS Multi-own strata residential D’Suites GOLD @ Horizon Hills Focused on the big picture

GAMUDA LAND BY NATALIE KHOO

roperty maintenance is not just about managing a specific parcel of a development. Totality must be looked at including the maintenance of the overall surroundings. At D’Suites @ Horizon Hills (D’Suites), its property manager PHorizon Hills Property Services Sdn Bhd’s philosophy of maintenance is to focus on the entire township as it will eventually contribute to the value of each individual parcel. Th is approach has paid off with D’Suites winning the Gold at EdgeProp Malaysia’s Best Man- aged Property Awards 2019 in the below 10 years multi-own strata residential category. Th e 9.6-acre freehold project comprises 356 condominium units and 24 villas that were completed in October 2016. It is part of the 1,200-acre Horizon Hills township in Iskandar Puteri, Johor which is jointly developed by Gamuda Land (the development arm of Gamuda Bhd) and UEM Sunrise Bhd. D’Suites comprises Horizon Hills was first launched in 2007 and 356 condominium about 70% of the development has been com- units and 24 villas pleted to date. Th e township management team Horizon Hills Property Services is a subsidiary of Gamuda Land. LOW YEN YEING | EdgeProp.my Most of the projects in Horizon Hills are land- Project quick facts ed homes with individual titles. With D’Suites, its developer wanted to see how well the people in NAME D’Suites @ Horizon Hills Johor Bahru would receive a strata development, ADDRESS Jalan Persiaran Selatan, says Horizon Hills general manager Jim Woon. Horizon Hills, 79100 Hence, it was critical to educate the new own- Iskandar Puteri, Johor ers of D’Suites about the laws governing strata DEVELOPER Gamuda Land & UEM developments. Sunrise Bhd Th e developer also works closely with residents DEVELOPMENT TYPE Condominium and villas and owners providing advice and guidance to ensure a smooth handover of the management PROJECT SIZE 9.6 acres in future. Woon stresses that as a responsible de- TENURE Freehold veloper, it will continue to support the Manage- COMPLETION DATE October 2016 ment Corporation (MC) when it is formed later. Even now, vendors who are selected to maintain NO. OF UNITS 356 condos and 24 villas the project were chosen carefully so that they do NO. OF STOREYS 17 and 19 (condominium) not cause problems to the MC when they take wildlife, given the fact that the project is located UNIT BUILT-UP SIZES From 628 sq ft to 2,534 sq ft over in future. next to a forest. “In any case, we are always reachable to the “Other security features we have in place in- VILLA LAND AREA 3,017 sq ft community through our township management We believe clude a guard house and security patrols, restricted MAINTENANCE FEES RM0.38 psf team. On top of that, direct purchasers of Gamuda access via access cards, CCTV and dome cameras OCCUPANCY RATE 45% Land’s developments are members of GL Friends that as a as well as two-way intercom between the guard where they can also stay in touch or send us feed- responsible house and residents,” Woon shares. NO. OF CARPARK BAYS Two per unit back through their assigned relationship associ- FACILITIES ates,” says Woon. town-maker, Budget planning Swimming pool, wading pool, spa pool, playground, reading pavilion, maze garden, yoga deck, sunken lawn, we must Horizon Hills Property Services has set in place a viewing deck, billiard room, karaoke room, reading Towards quality maintenance fi ve-year budget plan for D’Suites to estimate fu- room, chess and foosball room, sauna “To ensure the quality of the maintenance, engi- from the very ture expenses. Such projection allows for better neering and building services, we have in place a planning in order to achieve fi nancial sustaina- ENERGY-SAVING FEATURES beginning, be Rainwater harvesting system robust and consistent standard operating proce- bility. dure (SOP) to govern our mechanical and elec- thoughtful “Procurement is monitored by a centralised SECURITY FEATURES trical (M&E) schedule which the township man- fi nance team to verify and ensure purchases are Two-way video intercom; security guards; anti-climb & in master- electric fencing; CCTV surveillance; Visitor Management agement team adheres closely to. Th is allows us within the approved budget. When managing cost, System (VMS) and access card system to restricted areas to better plan M&E activities to reduce cost and planning each it is important to have a well-defi ned authority limit increase effi ciency,” off ers Woon. chart to curb mismanagement. Formal approval “Gamuda Land has various projects and town- township. is required from key people such as the chairman, in master-planning each township. ship developments in Malaysia. We learn from — WOON secretary, treasurer and another member of the “When we adopt a piece of land, we look at its what we have developed over the years and we Joint Management Body (JMB) based on the au- natural topography, how we can respect nature make improvements as we go along. We also draw thority limit chart to have proper check and bal- and the environment. We study the neighbour- from our experience in managing other premi- ance,” says Woon. ing sites as well to create a symbiotic ecosystem um projects such as Madge Mansions and Th e Among the cost optimisation initiatives put in for the town. Robertson in Kuala Lumpur. place are the use of LED lights and a rainwater “Even though Horizon Hills is almost 12 years “We constantly look at ways we can incorporate harvesting system that lowers water consump- old, it doesn’t feel worn because we are constant- technology to our existing approaches to township tion by 30%. ly striving to meet the needs of the residents and and building management, particularly to reduce At the end of the day, Woon highlights that because we take care of the overall township,” cost and increase effi ciency such as optimising en- property maintenance must be looked at on an says Woon. ergy and water consumption as well as to improve overall scale as the surrounding landscape and D’Suites, he concludes, benefi ts from the work security,” Woon shares. environment play a crucial part in determining the developer puts into the township. Indeed, security is among the management’s the value creation of a project. “At Gamuda Land, we centre our development top priority and D’Suites has put up electrifi ed “We believe that as a responsible town-maker, principles to create value for the community over perimeter fencing to deter intruders including we must from the very beginning, be thoughtful time,” he adds. FRIDAY APRIL 26, 2019 • THEEDGE FINANCIAL DAILY EP 29 EP 30 FRIDAY APRIL 26, 2019 • THEEDGE FINANCIAL DAILY WINNERS

10 YEARS AND ABOVE Multi-own strata residential Mont’Kiara Astana GOLD

PICTURES BY LOW YEN YEING | EdgeProp.my A hidden gem in Mont’Kiara

BY RACHEL CHEW

t is not easy to upkeep a building which is reach- ing its 20th year. To the Management Corporation (MC) and the property manager of Mont’Kiara Astana (MK Astana) however, the most challenging thing was never about the maintenance of this condominium in Mont’Kiara, Kuala Lumpur. To Ithem, it was the effort it took to establish and nurture a close working relationship between the property manager SCM Property Services and the MC. “We are blessed because the committee members in the MC are very committed and supportive. All the past upgrading works would not have been completed without the support from the MC,” says Andrew Tan, assistant building manager at SCM MK Astana is the ˎ fth condominium in Mont’Kiara by UEM Sunrise (formerly known as Sunrise). Property Services Sdn Bhd (SCM) and the onsite property manager of MK Astana. SCM is a subsidiary of property development Th e condominium’s other facilities include ten- Th e good work done by the MC and property company UEM Sunrise Bhd (fornerly known as nis courts, a gym, sauna, multi-purpose hall and manager has contributed to MK Astana’s growth in Sunrise Bhd), the developer of MK Astana. SCM basketball court. value. Th e average transacted price has increased has been managing MK Astana since its comple- If the service Over the years, the MC and SCM have done by 85.7% to RM650 psf in 2018 from RM350 psf in tion. Th e condominium is a low-density project touch-ups and other maintenance works on the 2000, according to data provided by the property situated on a 5.58-acre freehold site at the heart makes common facilities. Bigger projects were carried manager. Meanwhile, the average rental yield has of Mont’Kiara. It won the Gold in the 10 Years and out more recently such as piping replacement and also grown to 5.65% in 2018 from 4.88% in 2014. above category of Edgeprop Malaysia’s Best Man- everyone repainting of the common interior areas including Moving forward, the MC and management aged Property Awards 2019. happy, the the building corridors. team are planning to replace the fl ooring of the “Mont’Kiara Astana is also known as MK 5, “Th e condominium is very well taken care of tennis court and repaint the external walls of the meaning that it is the fi fth condominium in the residents by the residents as 70% of the units are owner-oc- building. area by the developer. But take a look around, do would be more cupied and many have been here since day one. “Mont’Kiara Astana is just like a pearl in Mont’Ki- you feel that this condominium is already step- Th e residents care for the common areas like their ara. It is old but still shining because of the good ping into its 20th year?” asks proud owner and than happy to own homes,” says Tan, adding that about 20% of relationship between the residents and the man- MC chairman Yeoh Beng Hooi as he leans back pay on time the residents are foreigners, mostly from Japan agement team,” Yeoh concludes. on his chair at the residential lounge fronting the and South Korea. because they newly upgraded swimming pool with a new kids’ Th e current maintenance fee collection rate Project quick facts water slide. see the value is almost 100% and it has always been that good, Unlike the majority of its residents, Yeoh only according to Tan. NAME Mont’Kiara Astana moved into MK Astana a few years ago. He says in doing so. ADDRESS Mont’Kiara Astana the resort setting of MK Astana was what attract- “It is all about the service” — PAUL 1, Jalan Kiara 2, ed him the most. SCM general manager Paul Richard believes the 50480 Kuala Lumpur “I went around and found no place like Astana. most eff ective way to raise or maintain the collec- DEVELOPER It off ers spacious common areas, grand drop-off tion rate is to prove to the residents the value of UEM Sunrise Bhd (formerly Sunrise Bhd) area like a hotel and lush landscaping. I love it the property management team. because once you step in here, you will not hear “Property management is a complex, detailed DEVELOPMENT TYPE Condominium the noise from the main road. It is a hidden gem task but above all, it is all about the service. If the PROJECT SIZE 5.58 acres in Mont’Kiara. service makes everyone happy, the residents would TENURE Freehold “I also like the excellent work done by SCM. be more than happy to pay on time because they COMPLETION DATE 1999 Th ey are responsive, committed and professional. (From left) Paul, see the value in doing so. I believe the quality of Th e building’s good condition speaks for the good Yeo, Tan and service is refl ected in the collection rate,” Paul notes. NO. OF UNITS 281 job done by the management team,” says Yeoh. Krishnaraj. Yeoh chips in to say that the quality of service NO. OF STOREYS 27 is the reason the MC continues to work with SCM. UNIT BUILT-UP SIZES 1,180 sq ft – 1,690 sq ft “Th e team has been here since day one. Th ey know the building best and are very committed and profes- MAINTENANCE FEES RM2.94 per share unit (service charge) sional. Our balance sheet is very healthy,” Yeoh shares. RM0.45 per share unit Th e MC and the management team have an open (sinking fund) and transparent working relationship, where both parties can question or suggest anything anytime. OCCUPANCY RATE 81.14% “We are appointed by the residents to maintain NO. OF CARPARK BAYS 426 their place. Suggestions for the property manage- FACILITIES ment may be good but we always go back to the Guard house and arrival square, water feature, residents for approval because this is their property,” swimming pools, gym, sauna, reﬂ exology path, half says SCM senior manager Krishnaraj Perumalu. basketball court, barbecue area, play area, function and For instance, the on-site management team came lounge area, roller blade and skating rink, tennis court, up with the proposal to not allow short-term rent- multi-purpose hall, playground al (under 30 days) even though there was no such ENERGY-SAVING FEATURES prior case. “Th e team made the suggestion to make LED lights at every ﬂ oor lobby and carpark it a by-law and in an AGM in 2018, all residents SECURITY FEATURES supported the agenda. So it is a house-rule now. CCTV at prominent areas, visitor management system “We never had any short-term rental cases in (Graaab JaGa App), perimeter CCTV motion detection Astana but we proposed the by-law to prevent any system, magnetic lock access card system at lobbies and possible risk,” Paul notes. transponder card access for barrier gate

EP 32 FRIDAY APRIL 26, 2019 • THEEDGE FINANCIAL DAILY WINNERS

10 YEARS AND ABOVE Multi-own strata residential Mont’Kiara GOLD Pelangi An MC that puts safety ˎ rst

PICTURES BY LOW YEN YEING | EdgeProp.my BY RACHEL CHEW

was trying to sell a story (to the security guards) so that I can get into (MK Pelangi) to see the place myself. But the guards were doing a very good job, I could not get in at all. That was when I knew that this is the place that I was looking for my “Igrowing family,” says Farouk Zahir, the chairman of Mont’Kiara Pelangi Management Corporation (MC), as he recalls what prompted him to set up home at Mont’Kiara Pelangi (MK Pelangi) in Kuala Lumpur 20 years ago. After renting a unit at MK Pelangi for a few years, Farouk then bought it. “I’m a very particular person especially when it comes to security and safety. What MK Pelangi impressed upon me the most were the tight security and well maintained environment,” he tells EdgeProp.my. One of the fi rst condominiums in the Mont’Kiara enclave, MK Pelangi is 23 this year and is a Gold winner at EdgeProp Malaysia’s Best Managed Property Awards 2019 in the 10 years and above multi-own strata residential category. Sitting on a 4.4-acre freehold site in Jalan Kiara 1, the project features two towers: Apollo Tower and Venus Tower housing 303 units with an average built-up size of 1,390 sq ft. When Farouk fi rst moved in, he says there was mist in the morning and children could play free- ly by the road side because traffi c was light. Th e environment is very diff erent now. Above: MK Pelangi “It is important for us to adapt to changes in is 23 this year. the environment and to changes brought on by technology,” says SCM Property Services senior Left: (From left) Paul, manager Krishnaraj Perumalu, the former on-site Krishnaraj, Farouk and property manager of MK Pelangi. assistant residential “MK Pelangi is aging, but I’m pleased to see it manager Jaisree. aging gracefully, thanks to the hard work of past MC members and the property management team,” says Farouk, praising SCM Property Services Sdn increasing maintenance fees, we decided to collect Bhd, the appointed property management team, a special fund,” he shares. for its commitment in managing the project over However, prior to collection for the special the past 23 years. SCM Property is a subsidiary of fund, the management team held roadshows and UEM Sunrise Bhd, formerly known as Sunrise Bhd, awareness campaigns on the need for the fund to the developer of MK Pelangi. get upgrading projects done. “Property management is not a 9 to 5 job. It is “It was not diffi cult to get the special fund col- not a single skill job. A property manager has to lection resolution passed in the AGM. Th e chal- be responsive to residents and the MC no matter lenge was to deal with those who did not attend what time and day. He or she must have knowl- the meeting. Th e campaign and roadshows were edge of technical and building management,” very helpful in educating them about the benefi ts Farouk shares. Project quick facts of up-keeping the property,” he adds. He cites for example the time when the chil- Krishnaraj also partly attributes the healthy dren’s playground was closed because of a defect. NAME Mont’Kiara Pelangi property price growth that MK Pelangi enjoys to “Th e property manager had the technical knowl- What MK ADDRESS Mont’Kiara Pelangi, 1, the major refurbishment and upgrading works edge to inspect the playground, so he was able to Jalan Kiara 1, Mont’Kiara, done over the past decade. make the correct decision before someone got hurt. Pelangi 50480 Kuala Lumpur Th e average transacted price for MK Pelangi We will never take risks on safety and security. You impressed DEVELOPER Sunrise Bhd (now known is around RM650 to RM700 psf currently. It was as UEM Sunrise Bhd) will not fi nd any safety hazards in our common upon me the around RM400 psf about 10 years ago. areas such as uncovered drains or broken glass DEVELOPMENT TYPE Condominium “When there are more choices in the vicinity, because the management team walks around the it is important to upkeep older condominiums most were the PROJECT SIZE place every day,” off ers Farouk. 4.42 acres like MK Pelangi to attract tenants and to uphold Other upgrading works to enhance safety include tight security TENURE Freehold their value. It is also a way to show them how com- refurbishment of the swimming pool, replacement and well COMPLETION DATE Aug 15, 1997 mitted the MC is to sustaining the value of their of the playground fl ooring and replacement of the property,” he says. NO. OF UNITS car parks’ main pipe to a water tank. As for security, maintained 303 SCM Property Services general manager Paul besides reviewing the in-house security standard environment. UNIT BUILT-UP SIZES Average 1,390 sq ft Richard says one of the most important tips for operating procedure (SOP), the guard house was MAINTENANCE FEES RM3.41 per share unit property managers is to never make decisions for rebuilt with enhanced security features. — FAROUK the residents. OCCUPANCY RATE 70.96% “A professional property manager should be Special fund NO. OF CARPARK BAYS 430 assisting the MC and residents. If the MC wishes Although the collection rate at MK Pelangi is FACILITIES the property to be a family-oriented place, our job maintained at 95% and the MC has a healthy fi - Swimming pools (2), gyms, restaurant, lounge room, is to provide our opinion and guide them, but not nancial account, a decision was made to set up a Jacuzzi, laundry, barbecue pit, children’s playground, to make the decision for them. special fund for major upgrading works such as herb garden, public toilet, car wash, multi-purpose “MK Pelangi is a succesful example of a well court, tennis court the change of old piping in 2009. managed property with residents who have a clear Krishnaraj says the special fund is provided for SECURITY FEATURES vision and assisted by the property management under the then Strata Titles Act 1985. “Instead of CCTV, barrier gate, intercom, access card, security guards team,” Paul shares. FRIDAY APRIL 26, 2019 • THEEDGE FINANCIAL DAILY EP 33 WINNERS

10 YEARS AND ABOVE Non-strata residential Jade Hills GOLD More done with less

Project quick facts Thanks to the good maintenance, the NAME Jade Hills landed homes in ADDRESS Persiaran Jade Hills Utama, the township has Jade Hills, 43000 Kajang, shown decent capital Selangor appreciation. DEVELOPER Gamuda Land DEVELOPMENT TYPE Landed homes PROJECT SIZE 338 acres TENURE Freehold TOTAL RESIDENTIAL Seven completed PRECINCTS COMPLETED UNITS 517 units in the seven precincts UNIT BUILT-UP SIZES 2,510 sq ft – 4,100 sq ft MAINTENANCE FEES From RM277.74 to RM416.60 per unit OCCUPANCY RATE 71% FACILITIES Five lakes with self-cleansing system and a club house named Jade Hills Resort Club with facilities such as Olympic length swimming pool, tennis court, PICTURES BY LOW YEN YEING | EdgeProp.my gym, badminton court, kids’ game room, restaurant, BY SHAWN NG basketball court, table tennis tables and study area SECURITY FEATURES s a 338-acre low density township 24-hour security guard, anti-climb fencing and CCTV that consists of five lakes, more In Jade Hills, than 70 acres of green spaces and a clubhouse offering an array of we have a vast evident in the capital appreciation of the houses facilities, taking care of Jade Hills landscape there. According to Gamuda Land, a terraced home is defi nitely not a piece of cake for in Phase 3B was transacted at RM1.17 million in Aany property manager. area which September 2015, a 53% increase from the devel- Th is township in Kajang, Selangor developed requires a lot oper price of RM776,000 in 2011. by Gamuda Land and managed by Gamuda Land Tay says the team plans to leverage more on Property Services Sdn Bhd is 11 years old but stroll- of manpower technology going forward, especially mobile ap- ing along its pathways and enjoying the breeze by to maintain. So plications and security enhancement technologies. the lakes here, one wouldn’t notice its age as the Gamuda Land Property Services has already roads, walkways, parks and even the trees look one of the ways introduced the Gamuda Land Residence Manage- fresh and new. ment App to enhance security without inconven- Apart from the commercial districts, the ori- that we try to iencing residents. ent-inspired township houses 12 residential pre- make it more “Th e mobile app allows residents to pre-regis- cincts containing terraced houses, link bungalows ter their visitors and this will reduce the amount and bungalows. To date, seven precincts with 517 sustainable of time for security checks to less than two min- homes have been developed of which 92% have is through utes,” he elaborates. been sold and 71% have been occupied. He says the next security enhancement that the With its goal to create an amicable, secure and mechanisation. team is planning would be Perimeter Intrusion tranquil resort-style neighbourhood, the 12-man — TAY Detection Systems (PIDS) and electric fencing in property management team has to ensure all fa- vulnerable areas of the township. cilities and communal spaces are well taken care “To remain sustainable, we must be able to do of. It also has to keep a close eye on security. Th eir more with less — consistently,” he says. eff orts are defi nitely impressive and at EdgeProp Malaysia’s Best Managed Property Awards 2019 age or even encroach into the houses once they recently, Jade Hills achieved Gold in the 10 years become mature. and above non-strata residential category. “But in Jade Hills, we learnt from our expe- The win can be attributed to the develop- rience in our other developments such a Kota er’s thoughtful design which has kept sustaina- Kemuning, Valencia and Horizon Hills, that we ble maintenance in mind from the very start of need to carefully select plants and trees that re- its planning, and the continuous effort by the quire low maintenance,” Tay explains. property management team, says Gamuda Land Th is has not only ensured the sustainability of Property Services township and facilities manage- the greenery but will also make it easier for the lo- ment general manager Victor Tay. cal council to manage when the public spaces and infrastructure are handed over to them, he adds. Lessons-learnt database Furthermore, in order to keep the cost manage- In its pursuit of excellence, Gamuda Land knows able and to minimise workload considering that that it has to constantly strive to be better. Hence more new precincts will be coming up in future, it has created a “lessons learnt” database which Gamuda Land Property Services has introduced captures post-mortem data from its various de- mechanical trimmers for the maintenance of plants. velopments including on-product design, material “In Jade Hills, we have a vast landscape area selection, contractor evaluation, purchasers’ feed- which requires a lot of manpower to maintain. So back and operational issues. one of the ways that we try to make it more sus- Th e data is reviewed on a half-yearly basis and tainable is through mechanisation. Th is is also part shared among all business units within the group of our cost optimisation initiatives,” he says, citing to improve on planning, design and the future trimming of shrubs as an example — the task often maintenance of their township developments. requires two persons over a week to complete but “Take landscaping and planting of trees as an with the trimmers, it only requires one person to example, if these are not done right from the be- do the work in half the time. ginning, the trees would damage roads or drain- How well the township is being managed is The infrastructure in the 11-year-old Jade Hills still looks fresh and new. EP 34 FRIDAY APRIL 26, 2019 • THEEDGE FINANCIAL DAILY WINNERS

10 YEARS AND ABOVE Retail 1 Utama GOLD Shopping Centre

BANDAR UTAMA CITY CENTRE BY SHAWN NG The 24-year-old 1 Utama is Utama Shopping Centre situated in the thriv- still going strong with 100% ing Bandar Utama township in Petaling Jaya occupancy rates and 33 million is one of the most popular shopping malls in footfalls annually. the Klang Valley. Although this regional mall is 24 years old, it has never stopped growing and evolving and seems to be a constant 1work in progress — introducing new tenants, attrac- tions and facilities all the time. 1 Utama has a gross built-up of about 5.59 million sq ft and net lettable area of some 2.19 million sq ft which comprises retail space in the old wing, new wing and the latest extension known as 1 Utama E. It has 713 retailers contributing to 100% occupancy while 33 million visitors come through its doors annually, more than half of whom visit 1 Utama at least once a month for an average four hours per visit. It is therefore an achievement in itself to keep the mall running at a sustainable pace and to ensure that it is safe and comfortable for visitors. In recognition of the mall developer and operator’s commitment to cater to consumers’ ever-changing needs while focusing on enhancing the sustainability of the mall, 1 Utama Shopping Centre was awarded the Gold at EdgeProp Malaysia’s Best Managed Property Awards 2019 in the 10 years and above retail category. Th e meticulous maintenance work carried out on the mall by the property management team is spearheaded by Bandar Utama City Centre Sdn Bhd director Tan Sri Teo Chiang Kok. “Th e formula [for an ideal tenant mix] used to be 5% to 8% F&B while the balance is all shopping. A mall that embraces But now, the ratio of F&B has gone up to more than 20% while there have to be more entertainment elements and less shopping, so you can see the change for growth change,” he tells EdgeProp.my For instance, the mall’s new extension 1 Utama E is largely focused on entertainment, sports and LOW YEN YEING | EdgeProp.my experiential activities targeting millennials. Th e are any bomb threats. Fire audits or inspections fi rst phase of the 4-storey 1 Utama E was launched are also carried out to ensure all fi re prevention in January 2018, featuring FlowRider, a simulated systems or equipment are functional. wave generator for fl owboarding, bodyboarding Maintaining good air quality within the mall and surfi ng; as well as AirRider, an indoor skydiv- is also an aspect of safety and health, especial- ing wind tunnel for simulated sky diving. ly considering the large number of footfalls the Th e second phase which is under construction, mall gets. “We have hundreds of thousands of shoppers Project quick facts visiting the mall a day, we need to refresh the air. So we decided to multi-use the smoke extraction NAME 1 Utama Shopping Centre fans which are installed for fi re-fi ghting purpose. Every few days, we will reverse the fans and extract ADDRESS No. 1, Lebuh Bandar Utama, Bandar Utama City Centre, the air out of the mall at 3am in the morning,” ex- Bandar Utama, plains Teo. 47800 Petaling Jaya And why at 3am? “Because that’s the coolest time of the day for fresh air to come into the mall DEVELOPER Bandar Utama City Centre Sdn Bhd so that the load on the air-conditioning the next morning will be reduced,” he says, adding that this PROJECT SIZE About 39.54 acres also cuts down energy use. OPENING DATE August 1995 Keeping cost down is a major challenge for a GROSS FLOOR AREA 5.59 million sq ft mall operator and at 1 Utama, energy is the largest cost component. Hence, the steps taken by the NET LETTABLE AREA 2.19 million sq ft will feature an avant-garde retail mix of global cui- mall to slash electricity consumption. NO. OF LETTABLE RETAIL LOTS 713 sine, fashion brands, art and culture, entertain- For instance, another way it could reduce the OCCUPANCY RATE 100% ment and night life. It is poised to be unveiled by load on the air-conditioning system is by replac- NO. OF CARPARK BAYS 14,000 this year or next. ing the glass previously used in the building with “We are lucky that we have this 24-year track We are e-glass, which is more effi cient in insulating the FACILITIES Mass rapid transit park-and-ride service, electric vehicle record and we have many loyal customers. How- lucky that interiors from the outside heat. charging stations, concierge, customer service centres, ever, we have to build on their loyalty and cannot we have To reduce cost further, the management has also ONECARD express shuttle, free WiFi, baby rooms and take them for granted,” Teo elaborates. installed a rain harvesting system that stores 2.35 phone charging stations this 24-year million gallons of rainwater which are fi ltered to Safety and security be used for fl ushing the toilets and to irrigate the ENERGY-SAVING FEATURES track record Building automation system, LED lights, water effi cient Safety and security are key areas that the manage- mall’s plants including those on its exotic green fi ttings, green roof, ice and chilled water storage systems ment takes seriously. Th ere are currently close to and we have roof or Secret Garden. and rainwater harvesting system 200 security guards, 30 auxiliary police and four Moving forward, Teo says 1 Utama plans to es- SECURITY FEATURES trained German Shepherd guard dogs working on many loyal tablish a sewage treatment plant to recycle 95% Auxiliary police, security guards, dog unit, two 24-hour a 24/7 basis to maintain a high level of customer customers. of its waste water and reuse them. “Furthermore, control rooms, house detectives, mobile command unit, care and security at the mall. Due to the eff orts of the waste from the sewage plant will be turned guard observation tower, fi re-fi ghting and prevention the security team, the number of security cases in — TEO into fertiliser so that we do not need to discharge systems, automated external defi brillator units, buggy 2018 has been reduced by 3.45% from 2017. them into our rivers or dumpsites. We are also in- escort service, undercarriage scanner, metal detectors, Regular fi re drills and evacuation exercises are stalling a food waste machine to process the food CCTV system, fi re alarm, smoke detectors, cybersecurity held to educate tenants and to prepare the mall waste from the 250 F&B outlets into fi sh feed and and data protection management in the event a fi re breaks out or if there fertiliser,” he says. ls

FRIDAY APRIL 26, 2019 • THEEDGE FINANCIAL DAILY EP 35 WINNERS

BELOW 10 YEARS Multi-own strata residential Verdi Eco-dominiums SILVER Striving for sustainability

PICTURES BY LOW YEN YEING | EdgeProp.my BY SHAWN NG

he popular notion is that the older a building is, the tougher it is to upkeep. For property manager and owners of Verdi Eco-dominiums however, looking after a new building has its own set of challenges and can be just as diffi- Tcult to manage and maintain. Besides rectifying the defects in both the common areas and the individual units, the early days of a new building is a crucial period for both the initial property manager, who is usually the developer, and owners to work together and set things right from the start to ensure the long-term sustainability of the project. Th at was especially true for Verdi Eco-dominiums, the Silver winner in the below 10 years multi-own strata residential category of EdgeProp Malaysia’s The maze garden is one of the unique features Best Managed Property Awards 2019. in the condominium. Located in Cyberjaya, this Green Building Index (GBI) certifi ed condominium was completed in Project quick facts December 2016 by UEM Sunrise Bhd. What makes this two-tower project stand out is NAME Verdi Eco-dominiums that about six acres, or more than 60% of the nine- ADDRESS Verdi Residence, Symphony acre project, are landscaped areas and facility spaces. Hills, Persiaran Bestari, Its wide range of facilities include a maze gar- Cyber 9, 63000 Cyberjaya den, herb garden, cascading water features and DEVELOPER Symphony Hills Sdn Bhd, a an elevated walkway, off ering residents of the 800 subsidiary of UEM Sunrise condominium units a tranquil and contemporary Bhd living environment within a secure compound. DEVELOPMENT TYPE Condominium However, such premium facilities require strong commitment from the property manager and own- PROJECT SIZE 9.16 acres ers to ensure good long-term maintenance and TENURE Freehold sustainability in value. COMPLETION DATE December 2016 Hence, one of the key focus areas for the project’s NO. OF UNITS 800 property manager SCM Property Services Sdn Bhd and its Joint Management Body (JMB) at the NO. OF BLOCKS AND Block 1: 43 storeys moment is to fi nd ways to cut down the mainte- STOREYS Block 2: 44 storeys nance cost without compromising the quality of UNIT BUILT-UP SIZES 700 sq ft – 1,453 sq ft service. SCM Property is a wholly-owned subsidiary MAINTENANCE FEES RM0.34 psf of UEM Sunrise. OCCUPANCY RATE 33.75% According to SCM’s Raja Nurul Adila Raja Verdi Eco-dominiums offers residents a tranquil and contemporary living Dzulkifl i, the on-site property manager at Verdi environment. NO. OF CARPARK BAYS 1,623 Eco-dominiums, some of the cost-cutting meas- FACILITIES ures that the team has taken is to install LED lights Forest garden, elevated walkway, Jacuzzi, centre island, and adopt automation such as the portable sprin- gazebo, cascading water feature, multi-purpose hall, kler system. badminton court, garden wall, children playground, “We have eight gardeners to look after the green maze garden, herb garden, outdoor pavilion, jogging trail, waiting lounge, games room, surau, kids pool, spaces but our JMB proposed to have a portable inﬁ nity pool, barbecue counter and gym sprinkler system, which is especially useful in hot weather,” she says. ENERGY-SAVING FEATURES LED lights and timer for lighting, pumps and facilities “If you look at the entire development, most of it is green. So we have to spend money fertilising SECURITY FEATURES and maintaining it. Other than that, the challenge is Access card system, intercom system, sma rt-home system, CCTV, guard house and control room the hot weather. So we need to water the plants very frequently,” adds SCM general manager Paul Richard. “We had a lot of challenges here at Verdi Continuous collaboration Eco-dominiums including rectifying defects. But Currently, about 75% of the 800 condominiums in we put in a lot of eff ort to solve them. We are happy Verdi Eco-dominiums have been sold while occu- that the residents appreciate what we have done pancy rate stands at about 34%. Th e collection rate and we will be working very closely with them to for service charges in 2018 stood at 90%. make this property a success,” says Paul. “Th e committee is quite happy with the perfor- Verdi Eco-dominiums JMB chairman Gary mance of SCM so far and I hope we can get more Above: (From left) Foong Mun Wah says the JMB and SCM have been savings along the way and build up our funds. We Paul, Foong and working together to identify areas where they can would be constantly looking at ways to reduce the Adila are working reduce cost, such as reviewing the service provid- cost, as long as it doesn’t aff ect the quality of ser- hand-in-hand ers and adopting technology to reduce reliance on vice that we are getting,” he adds. to maintain the human labour. Meanwhile, SCM is committed to serve the condominium “Th e residents here have high expectations and owners of Verdi Eco-dominiums and it is confi dent at top notch hope that their service charges are worth their that with its expertise and experience in managing condition. value. We negotiated with the lift service provider other properties, it will be able to do a good job. to get a better rate and we just ordered a portable Currently, SCM is taking care of about 28 proper- sprinkler system. We will try it out to see how it ties built by UEM Sunrise, including some of the works and if it works fi ne, then we will implement earliest and latest condominiums in Mont’Kiara. Left: The gym in it in all other areas.” Moving forward, SCM plans to introduce a Verdi Eco-dominiums Foong says the owners are looking forward to neighbourhood app that off ers payment gateway, is nestled in lush working more closely with SCM to identify areas virtual concierge and delivery services to better greenery. where they can save cost. serve its clients across all projects by end-2019. ls

EP 36 FRIDAY APRIL 26, 2019 • THEEDGE FINANCIAL DAILY WINNERS

BELOW 10 YEARS Multi-own strata residential Dedaun BRONZE

PICTURES BY LOW YEN YEING | EdgeProp.my Living up to its name

BY RACHEL CHEW

urning off from Kuala Lumpur city’s busy Jalan Ampang, we reach a shady cul-de-sac with a few bungalow houses on both sides of the small road. Right at the end of the street, standing among the detached houses, is the low-rise Tluxury condominium Dedaun. Developed by Selangor Dredging Bhd, it was completed and handed over in early 2014. Th e 1.02- acre freehold project houses only 38 large-sized units which start from 3,240 sq ft (typical unit) to 7,128 sq ft (penthouse). Dedaun has a retro and rustic charm inspired by the 1970s. Dedaun is a luxury condominium with only The project, which received a Bronze at 38 large-sized units EdgeProp Malaysia’s Best Managed Property Awards 2019 in the below 10 years multi-own strata resi- ing very well in the common areas, where there is dential category, has some rather unique design direct sunlight. We then decided to study how we features including a green wall (vertical garden), could make the project’s environment live up to a traditional red clay brickwork courtyard that is its name, Dedaun, which means leaves in Bahasa inlaid with grass and lush trees, a water feature in- Malaysia. We changed the plants and fertiliser — spired by China’s Guilin mountains and Shanghai even the amount of water and timing of watering Plaster exterior wall fi nishing. the plants. All these healthy plants and trees you “It is very rare to fi nd Shanghai Plaster fi nishing see now are the result of all the hard work we put in Kuala Lumpur projects because it is expensive, in,” says Toh, adding that the current plants and but it is very durable and dirt resistant. All you need greenery only need minimum maintenance. to do is touch up the surface when necessary,” Set against its green surroundings are facili- says SDB Properties Sdn Bhd post development ties such as a children’s playground, treehouse, manager Toh Keng Hong. SDB Properties is the swimming pool and children’s pool, open-air property manager of Dedaun and the property multi-function deck and a multi-functional hall management arm of Selangor Dredging. equipped with kitchen facilities. SDB Properties is also proud of the project’s lush For instance, the recent external window facade environment. “It was not that green a few years Caring for its own cleaning (twice a year), upgrading of the barrier gate ago because the selected plants were not grow- SDB Properties head of post development Peter system from access card reader to RFID, as well as Quah says Selangor Dredging decided to set up refurbishment of the swimming pool timber deck. a property management team as the developer Property To ensure the building and its facilities are well Project quick facts wanted to ensure that their projects were well development kept, SDB Properties hires the same suppliers who taken care of even after they were completed and contributed to the construction of the project, for NAME Dedaun handed over. Th e team is currently managing 10 is no longer its maintenance. ADDRESS No 193, Jalan Ampang, of the developer’s completed projects including just about “Th ey are the ones who understand the build- 50450 Kuala Lumpur Dedaun. ing best. Th ey are able to fi gure out any problem DEVELOPER Selangor Dredging Bhd Having a property management team that is building the in a snap. Th eir price is also very competitive as DEVELOPMENT TYPE Condominium related to the developer adds convenience as house, hand Selangor Dredging works with the same suppli- anything that comes up involving the developer ers in its other developments as well,” Quah says. PROJECT SIZE 1.02 acres can be taken care of more easily, says Dedaun it over and On its win at EdgeProp Malaysia’s Best Man- TENURE Freehold Management Corporation (MC) chairman James Tan. walk away. aged Property Awards 2019, Quah and Toh say COMPLETION DATE January 2014 “Our main criteria when choosing a property the awards can help raise the standard of proper- NO. OF UNITS 38 manager are integrity, past experience in the fi eld, It is about ty management in the country. It is also creating trustworthiness and responsibility,” he adds. awareness among developers of the importance NO. OF STOREYS being 10 Dedaun has an occupancy rate of 76%, partly of after sales service. UNIT BUILT-UP SIZES 3,240 sq ft to 7,128 sq ft because about half of the owners are investors responsible “Property development is no longer just about MAINTENANCE FEES RM0.55 psf looking for rental income. Nevertheless, collec- building the house, handing it over and walking tion rate has been maintained at 96% and above and committed away. It is about being responsible and committed OCCUPANCY RATE 76% since day one. to what you to what you have built. NO. OF CARPARK BAYS 171 “Only about 40% of the current residents are “Th is is the one and only award that recognises FACILITIES owner-occupiers, the rest are tenants who are have built. the eff orts of property managers in Malaysia, so it Entrance foyer with sitting area, walking path, children’s mostly British, Australians and Canadians. What — QUAH is an important award to highlight the importance playground, gym, multi-function room and swimming pool we understand is that the tenants are attracted to of property management,” Quah concludes. ENERGY-SAVING FEATURES the low-density and very private living environ- As for Toh, the award also recognises the good LED lighting in common area ment,” Quah notes. relationship between the MC and the property SECURITY FEATURES Th e MC’s healthy balance sheet is also due to smart manager in order to achieve successful mainte- Guard house, CCTV observation room, access card budgeting. Instead of just setting a yearly budget, nance and management of the property. system at private lift lobbies, basement service lift the team also prepares three to fi ve year budgets. “Th e understanding between the property man- lobbies and private lift from carpark to dedicated unit, “By setting a longer term operational budget, we agement team to work hand-in-hand with the MC audio intercom, RFID sticker for main entrance and exit will have a clearer picture about allocating funds to maintain and upkeep the property is the recipe barrier gate for the things we need for this project,” he explains. for success in managing Dedaun.” FRIDAY APRIL 26, 2019 • THEEDGE FINANCIAL DAILY EP 37 WINNERS

BELOW 10 YEARS Multi-own strata residential The Pearl BRONZE Returning the Project quick facts

NAME The Pearl shine to The Pearl ADDRESS No. 2a, Jalan Stonor, 54050 Kuala Lumpur DEVELOPER Ceramic Home Tiles Sdn PICTURES BY LOW YEN YEING | EdgeProp.my Bhd (Malton Bhd) BY RACHEL CHEW DEVELOPMENT TYPE Condominium tanding at the junction of Jalan Stonor and Jalan Kia Peng in the heart of Kuala PROJECT SIZE 1.8 acres Lumpur stands an eye-catching 41-sto- TENURE Freehold rey condominium with a clean and COMPLETION DATE Dec 21, 2011 white façade that lives up to its name, NO. OF UNITS 179 The Pearl. STh e Pearl is one of the fi rst condominium devel- NO. OF STOREYS 41 opments along Jalan Stonor. It is a luxury freehold UNIT BUILT-UP SIZES 3,109 sq ft – 3,973 sq ft condominium with full-fl edge facilities. (typical) “Given its location in the Golden Triangle, most 5,538 sq ft – 7,196 sq ft of the owners are investors. About 70% of our res- (duplex) idents are tenants and most of them are expatri- MAINTENANCE FEES RM0.50 psf ates,” says Th e Pearl Management Corporation OCCUPANCY RATE 72% (MC) chairman Ben Chong. NO. OF CARPARK BAYS Sitting on a 1.8-acre site, the condominium is a 562 stone’s throw from Jalan Bukit Bintang. It houses FACILITIES 179 units with built-up sizes ranging from 3,109 38m salt water swimming pool, gym, café, massage sq ft to 7,196 sq ft. room, sauna room, changing room, barbecue, yoga room, cinema room, golf simulator room, games room, nursery Besides the usual swimming pool, kids’ play- room, children’s playground, drivers’ room, maids’ room, ground and gym, Th e Pearl also boasts other more lobby shop, private lifts, car wash, soccer room, bicycle uncommon facilities such as a massage room, a room, concierge storage room, security control room, cinema room, a golf simulator, a nursery, a driv- library, sky lounge, multi-purpose hall, meeting room, ers’ room, maids’ room and a bicycle room. Such water features, intercom system and pool deck cabana myriad facilities may be aimed at meeting the ENERGY-SAVING FEATURES residents’ lifestyle needs but the question is, can LED light, timer, rainwater harvesting, sensor tap, they be maintained eff ectively and sustainably? sensor light “Some of the facilities have already broken down SECURITY FEATURES before we took over three years ago, such as the Barrier gates, CCTV, access card system, emergency call cinema room and golf simulator room. With the button, external patrolling support of the MC, together, we restored these facilities,” reveals Henry Butcher Malaysia (Mont Kiara) Sdn Bhd building manager Ashvinder Sin- to the residents, we even made appointments to gh, who is also the property manager of Th e Pearl. see some of them to explain the billings and charg- Henry Butcher was the fi fth company appoint- es. Once their doubts were cleared, they willingly ed as property manager at Th e Pearl and it seems Above: The paid what they owed.” like the MC has fi nally found a company that it is 41-storey tower Th e tremendous improvement in the collection happy with and it is no surprise that it emerged a of The Pearl. rate resulted in healthy fi nance for Th e Pearl MC Bronze winner at EdgeProp Malaysia’s Best Managed so much so that it decided to reward owners who Property Awards 2019 in the below 10 years mul- Left: The newly regularly pay their maintenance fees with two ti-own strata residential category. upgraded months fee rebate last year and this year. Th e property manager’s mission when it fi rst grand lobby. “Our fi nancial account is very healthy even after came in three years ago was to increase the con- we have completed several upgrading and main- dominium’s occupancy and collection rates so that tenance projects. Th e team has done a good job the MC can begin some upgrading works. in controlling the budget. Th erefore, we decided to give the two months rebate last year. We will be doing it again this year,” Chong says. To boost occupancy rate, Henry Butcher held town hall meetings with real estate agencies and “We are proud to say that we have achieved the organised roadshows to introduce Th e Pearl and KPIs that were given to us including increasing the what it off ers. occupancy and collection rates. Th e management Th e MC and the management team also upgrad- of Th e Pearl is on the right track now,” says Henry ed Th e Pearl’s website to make it more attractive Property Butcher Malaysia (Mont Kiara) executive director to potential buyers and tenants. management Low Hon Keong. “We had a simple website which was created by The Pearl’s occupancy rate was once as low the developer but it was not fully utilised. Th e own- is not just as 40% and had a debtor aging ratio of up to four ers and residents often get the wrong information about months. Today, the occupancy rate has improved about what’s happening at Th e Pearl from buyers’ to 72%, while the debtor aging ratio has dropped groups on social media, so we decided to expand maintaining to below two months. And how was this achieved? the website use. Besides the basic information the building about Th e Pearl for public view, all residents have Communication is the key their own login accounts for announcements and and Low and Chong attribute it to good communica- to check their bills,” Chong shares. surroundings tion. “Some of our buyers are foreigners who do Moving forward, the MC and property manage- not actually stay here so there were some prob- ment team will focus on creating more value for but also about lems getting through to them. In many cases, the owners by upgrading the “hardware” and “soft- maintaining reason they did not pay (their maintenance fees) ware” of Th e Pearl. was because of miscommunication. “Property management is not just about main- the software. “For example, we could have sent their state- taining the building and surroundings but also ments to outdated mailing addresses or their ques- about maintaining the software — the communi- — CHONG tions on the charges could have gone unanswered cation and engagement between the management (Standing from left) Ashvinder and senior property owing to poor communication,” Chong explains. team, the MC and the residents. manager of Henry Butcher Malaysia (Mont Kiara) Low recalls there were a lot of phone calls and “We are lucky to have an open minded MC who Paris Tan. (Seated from left) Low and Chong. meetings when the team fi rst took over. “We talked are open to discussions and advice,” says Chong. EP 38 FRIDAY APRIL 26, 2019 • THEEDGE FINANCIAL DAILY WINNERS

10 YEARS AND ABOVE Non-strata residential Aman Sari 18 BRONZE Trust that binds a community

PICTURES BY LOW YEN YEING | EdgeProp.my BY TAN AI LENG

ocation could be the main consideration for homebuyers, but as a property gets older, the upkeep and surroundings of the property will be the main factors that impact the value of the property. Home owners of 13-year old Aman Sari L18 in Taman Bukit Kuchai, Puchong, Selangor, have seen their property prices more than double since they were handed over in 2006. A semidee home here sold for around RM730,000 or an average RM200 psf in 2006 but in 2018, similar properties changed hands at an average of RM1.8 million or RM528 psf. Meanwhile, bungalows which were sold for around RM1.05 million or an average of RM260 psf in 2006 have seen transaction prices surge to RM2.7 million or RM800 psf last year, according to its developer Selangor Dredging Bhd (SDB). Aman Sari 18 is a 20-acre leasehold gated- and-guarded community that features142 landed homes comprising 116 semidees and 26 bungalows. It also has a playground and rest area for residents. Th e project won a Bronze award in the 10 years and above non-strata residential category at EdgeProp Malaysia’s Best Managed Property Awards 2019 recently. Aman Sari 18 Homeowners’ Association chair- The 13-year old Aman Sari 18 has seen property prices appreciate more than double since its handover in 2006. man Balbeer Singh Khaira says security and good

accessibility to amenities and major highways SDB Project quick facts such as the Damansara-Puchong Highway, Sungai Besi-Puchong Highway and the Kesas Highway NAME Aman Sari 18 are what attracted home buyers to the develop- ADDRESS Aman Sari 18, ment, especially those looking for spacious homes Taman Bukit Kuchai, in Puchong. Kinrara Seksyen 8, “High perimeter fencing, 24-hour security with 47100 Puchong, Selangor an audio intercom system that links to the securi- DEVELOPER Selangor Dredging Bhd ty guardhouse and CCTV surveillance around the DEVELOPMENT TYPE Gated-and-guarded perimeter and guard patrols make it a very safe semidees and bungalows and secure environment,” he adds. “Another thing is that the development is situ- PROJECT SIZE 20 acres ated on elevated land, which enables residents to TENURE Leasehold enjoy breath taking views of the city skyline and COMPLETION DATE 17 July 2006 because of the lush greenery, it is very cooling and NO. OF UNITS 142 not humid,” he opines. Semidees: 116 Being one of the few luxury landed housing Bungalows: 26 developments in Puchong in the early 2000s, con- UNIT BUILT-UP SIZES Semidees: 3,600 sq ft struction on the hillside plot was a challenge for Bungalows: 4,025 sq ft the developer. SDB has engaged consultants to manage LAND AREA Semidees: 3,198 sq ft the slopes and until today, the company has Bungalows: 4,997 sq ft continued maintaining the slopes and the reten- Quah: Openness and MAINTENANCE FEES Semidees: RM354.40 per unit tion wall to ensure everything is safe, says SDB transparency are important in Bungalows: RM427.90 per unit head of post development Peter Quah, who is building trust with the owners. responsible for the current management of the OCCUPANCY RATE 98% housing precinct. is a need to ensure that it remains in its best con- FACILITIES 24-hour security, He notes that during the early days after hand- dition far into the future. playground and resting area over, there were some minor problems such as “I think it is important for us to take on this re- SECURITY FEATURES Security patrolling and cracks on the partition wall between houses due to As we have sponsibility. I also feel that as we have created the clocking, CCTV, intercom ground movements which took the company three piece of development, we would know how to care system, barrier gate with months to fi x. Th e responsiveness of the develop- created the for it better,” says Teh. access card system and high er towards defects repair at that time helped build SDB had, over the years, opened up the option perimeter wall fencing trust and confi dence among the home owners, piece of for the residents to choose an external property who then engaged SDB’s management services. development, manager but the residents have chosen to retain When he came on board six years after handover, the developer as its property manager. residents had queries on maintenance expenses, The importance of post- we would Balbeer from the Homeowners’ Association says so he engaged external auditors to review the fi - development service know how the SDB management has been very proactive and nancial accounts and drafted future maintenance Although property management wasn’t properly responsive to issues raised by the residents espe- plans to provide better clarity on expenses. Th ese regarded being important back in the early 2000s, to care for it cially those related to community safety. were sent to all residents while the management SDB observed that there was a need for the com- better.” For instance, there were several trespassing at- took all queries. Th is helped the residents under- pany to take up the responsibility to manage the tempts through the perimeter wall in the past. Th e stand where their money went, as well as learn assets to ensure the maintenance of the facilities — TEH property manager took immediate action to prevent the importance of property management and was able to meet standards. any unauthorised trespassers and the project has maintenance. SDB managing director Teh Lip Kim stress- been able to maintain zero break-ins until now. As a result, collection rate of maintenance fee es that Aman Sari 18 was designed and built for In property management, Quah opines that has increased to 97% from 85% six years ago, even three-generational living, which means it is an openness and transparency on the part of the though the fee was increased between 15% and asset that may be passed down to grandchildren. property manager is important to build trust with 20% ,as the residents understand that the money With this in mind, the company realised there the owners. is well-used to preserve the value of their property. FRIDAY APRIL 26, 2019 • THEEDGE FINANCIAL DAILY EP 39 WINNERS

10 YEARS AND ABOVE Non-strata oﬃ ce Kompleks BRONZE Dayabumi

PICTURES BY LOW YEN YEING | EdgeProp.my BY TAN AI LENG Kompleks Dayabumi is the ˎ rst steel frame ong before the Petronas Twin Towers building in Malaysia reached the skies, the 7.25-acre Kompleks inspired by Moorish Dayabumi built in the 1980s was the Kuala and Byzantine Lumpur city landmark that stood out for architecture design. its remarkable architecture. This iconic building remains relevant with loads of Lpotential still waiting to be unleashed. Developed by the Urban Development Authority Project quick facts of Malaysia (UDA), Kompleks Dayabumi is currently managed by KLCC Urusharta Sdn Bhd, a NAME Kompleks Dayabumi facility management company and a subsidiary ADDRESS Jalan Sultan Hishamuddin, of KLCC Property Holdings Bhd. KLCC Urusharta 50050 Kuala Lumpur also manages Petronas Twin Towers, KLCC Park, Menara ExxonMobil and Menara Maxis. DEVELOPER Urban Development Located in the former city centre, Kompleks Authority of Malaysia Dayabumi is an integrated offi ce development DEVELOPMENT TYPE Mixed commercial with a complementary retail podium. It comprises LAND AREA 7.25 acres a 36-storey purpose-built offi ce building (Menara TENURE Leasehold Dayabumi), the Pos Malaysia offi ce and a parcel of contiguous land which was previously the site of COMPLETION DATE 1984 City Point podium (demolished in 2015 to make way PROJECT COMPONENTS Offi ce and retail for the proposed Dayabumi phase 3 development). (FOR MIXED DEVELOPMENT) Menara Dayabumi is one of the properties under NO. OF STOREYS 36 KLCCP Stapled Group. As at December 2018, the GROSS FLOOR AREA 1,059,783 sq ft building is valued at RM773 million. MAINTENANCE FEES Kompleks Dayabumi is also where KLCC RM1.67 psf Property and KLCC REIT Management Sdn Bhd OCCUPANCY RATE 100% group CEO Datuk Hashim Wahir has his offi ce. NO. OF CARPARK BAYS 529 Hashim believes that the 36-year-old develop- FACILITIES ment is one of the most valuable assets in the city, Meeting rooms, recreational area, auditorium, pedestrian not only for its land value but also its sentimental walkway, public toilets, banks, car park, prayer room and historic value. ENERGY-SAVING FEATURES “Th is (Kompleks Dayabumi) was once Petronas’ LED lights in common areas, offi ce and car park, revision headquarters, it has sentimental value for the of schedule and usage of chillers during offi ce hours, country’s oil company. Instead of selling the land replacement of cool water system piping, scheduled to unlock the value, we developed it to fully release and preventive maintenance and part replacement with its potential,” he says of the building complex which latest technology won Bronze at the recent EdgeProp Malaysia’s Best SECURITY FEATURES Managed Property Awards 2019 in the 10 years and CCTVs covering the common areas including the tunnel above non-strata offi ce category. to Masjid Negara, pedestrian walkway to the Pasar Seni Completed in 1984, the fi rst steel frame build- LRT Station and various areas around the precinct, ing in the country inspired by Moorish and card access system, 24-hour security patrolli ng and Byzantine architecture looks good even after three Emergency Response Team decades. Back in the 1980s, it was also one of the few buildings in the city that has a rooftop helipad for emergency evacuations. A new life for Kompleks National Museum and Masjid Nega- Th e building is now fully occupied by Petronas’ Dayabumi Dayabumi ra. Once phase 3 is completed, it will shared services (fi nancial service and human re- On the former site of City Point, connect all these tourist destinations. source department), MISC Bhd, KLCC (Holdings) Hashim says the phase 3 develop- “We also plan to bring in small Sdn Bhd and KLCC Property. ment is being planned and it is ex- medium enterprises to sell authentic Hashim adds that the building has undergone for the pected to create value for Kompleks Malaysian products or handcrafts to several asset enhancements including upgrading Dayabumi and to bring vibrancy to turn Kompleks Dayabumi into another of lift lobbies, washrooms and the auditorium, the older part of KL City. tourist spot,” adds Hashim. replacement of piping system, water tank and fi l- future Th e initial plan is to build a 60-sto- tration system as well as building a new corporate rey building with hotel and offi ce com- Working towards green lobby with a similar architectural concept that ponents as well as a podium which will building certification resonates with the iconic building. be integrated to the historic buildings Meanwhile, KLCC Urusharta has “In 2016, the conversion of atrium spaces into — Menara Dayabumi and the Textile incorporated energy efficiency offi ce areas was completed, marking the end of Museum, and reinvent the riverside measures throughout Kompleks the refurbishment of Kompleks Dayabumi, thus space with cafes and alfresco dining. Dayabumi in order to optimise main- enhancing its positioning as a prime Grade A “We are now working on securing tenance cost. offi ce building,” says Hashim. the tenant for the offi ce space. Once Th ese measures include LED lights we have the tenant, the project will in all common areas, rescheduling start. We are also in talks with in- of existing building control system ternational hospitality operators on and reducing lift operations during possible collaboration for the hotel off -peak times. Instead of component,” he adds. “We are working towards securing Location and easy accessibility are green certification and Malaysian selling the Kompleks Dayabumi’s main advan- Cybercentre status for the building. land to unlock tages. It is easy to access via public Eff orts include reducing energy con- transport and by car. sumption and plans to install solar the value, we “Kompleks Dayabumi is located panels,” says Hashim. developed it to within walking distance to the Pasar He emphasises that without the Seni LRT and MRT stations with a eff orts taken to upkeep the building, fully release covered walkway built by us, making the phase 3 development and green it convenient for people to commute building plans will not be achieved. its potential. to work. Even for myself, I would take KLCC Urusharta’s eff orts in main- — HASHIM the LRT to KL Sentral or KLCC for taining Kompleks Dayabumi’s assets meetings,” says Hashim. in pristine condition have helped to It is also located next to Central enhance the property’s value and Market and within walking distance create a good foundation in meeting to heritage buildings like the old KL current and future needs, concludes Railway Station, Dataran Merdeka, Hashim. EP 40 FRIDAY APRIL 26, 2019 • THEEDGE FINANCIAL DAILY WINNERS

10 YEARS AND ABOVE Non-strata oﬃ ce Menara ExxonMobil BRONZE Loyalty to global standards

PICTURES BY LOW YEN YEING | EdgeProp.my BY RACHEL CHEW

enara ExxonMobil is not just another office building to KLCC Urusharta Sdn Bhd. It holds a We believe special place in the hearts of the facility management arm of by going KLCC Property Holdings Bhd as green, it will Mthe building was planned, designed and built for American multinational oil and gas corporation help us to be ExxonMobil as its Malaysian office. “It was agreed in the early days that ExxonMobil more energy can decide on the building’s safety and security effi cient system as this building was designed and built for them. Th e management team has to comply with and help it their security guidelines and standard operating evolve into a procedure (SOP) as well as the management of the building to meet their standards,” says KLCC sustainable Property Holdings CEO Datuk Hashim Wahir. building. “In the past 20-over years, the building management team and ExxonMobil have been working — HASHIM very closely to manage the building and I am proud to say that Menara ExxonMobil is performing well in terms of occupancy and rental growth today despite the overall economic slowdown,” he says. A Bronze winner in the 10 years and above non-strata offi ce category at EdgeProp Malaysia’s Best Managed Property Awards 2019, Menara ExxonMobil is notably 100% occupied with average rent at RM8.50 psf compared with RM5 psf 23 years ago. Menara ExxonMobil is owned by KLCC REIT Management Sdn Bhd with Maybank Trustee Bhd as the trustee. It is a 29-storey non-strata offi ce building with 395,851 sq ft of net lettable area and 528 carpark bays. ExxonMobil has been its largest tenant ever since the building was handed over. “After 20 years of leasing this place, ExxonMobil did an audit and decided that they wanted to take up less space because they wanted to optimise their operations. It was a great encouragement when bility in maintaining the building at from the façade design, but you can’t they signed another long lease agreement with international standards. “Otherwise, tell when you are in here, because we Menara ExxonMobil about two years ago,” shares ExxonMobil will not want to name make sure the building is up-to-date Hashim, who is also CEO of KLCC REIT. the building as Menara ExxonMobil!” in terms of technology and environ- He adds that having ExxonMobil as a tenant ment-friendly features,” Hashim notes. in the building is a testimony of the team’s capa- Going green KLCC Urusharta has recently up- Situated on the south-eastern por- graded all the washrooms, changed tion of Kuala Lumpur City Centre, the lights to LED tube lighting and Project quick facts Menara ExxonMobil lies next to the installed motion sensors at the car Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre park area and staircases. NAME Menara ExxonMobil and fronts the lush KLCC Park. At Moving forward, there are plans ADDRESS Menara ExxonMobil, Kuala EdgeProp Malaysia’s Best Managed to further enhance the green and Lumpur City Centre, 50088 Property Awards 2019, KL Conven- sustainable features of Menara Kuala Lumpur tion Centre was a Gold winner in ExxonMobil including installing so- DEVELOPER KLCC REIT the 10 years and above specialised lar panels and upgrading the water DEVELOPMENT TYPE Commercial offi ce category as well as the recipient of management system. the Editor’s Choice Award 2019 — “In fact, KLCC Urusharta is moving PROJECT SIZE About 1 acre Exemplary Convention Centre. in the green direction for all the prop- TENURE Freehold “Th e building fronts the park while erties that are managed by us such as COMPLETION DATE 1996 the Petronas Twin Towers lies on Menara 3 and Dayabumi. We are doing NO. OF STOREYS 29 the other side of the park. Th erefore, it in phases, and building by building. Menara ExxonMobil is one of the few “We believe by going green, it will MAINTENANCE FEES RM1.80 psf offi ce buildings in town that gets to en- help us be more energy effi cient and OCCUPANCY RATE 100% joy an uninterrupted view of both the help it evolve into a sustainable build- NO. OF CARPARK BAYS 528 park and the Twin Towers,” Hashim ing,” he shares. FACILITIES shares. Another green move undertaken 24-hour Emergency Response Team, 24-hour Building Safety and security is a priority for by KLCC Urusharta is by making the Control Centre, covered carpark, prayer room, 24-hour the management team because it has entire KLCC walkable and connected Loading Dock Operation been gazetted as a Protected Place for pedestrians. From Menara ENERGY-SAVING FEATURES by the Chief Government Security ExxonMobil, there is a covered pedes- LED tube lighting and motion sensor at car park and Offi ce (CGSO). Menara ExxonMobil trian walkway that leads to the KL staircases, Air Handling Unit (AHU) operation fully features 24-hour security services, 24- Convention Centre where an under- turned off during out-of-offi ce hours, temperature set at hour Emergency Response Team and ground walkway leads to the Petronas 24°C with ±2°C. a 24-hour Building Control Centre. Twin Towers. SECURITY FEATURES Th e building is fully equipped with “And from Twin Towers there is Gazetted as Protected Place by Chief Government Secu- surveillance cameras, CCTV, and se- an elevated walkway to Jalan Bukit rity Offi ce (CGSO), equipped with surveillance cameras curity access management system. Bintang. By connecting buildings and and CCTV, security access management system, 24-hour “Menara ExxonMobil is an old of- walkways, we hope to encourage a security services fi ce building. You may tell it (is old) more walkable city,” says Hashim. FRIDAY APRIL 26, 2019 • THEEDGE FINANCIAL DAILY EP 41 WINNERS

BELOW 10 YEARS Multi-own strata residential Naim Bahagia SPECIAL MENTION Residences

PICTURES BY LOW YEN YEING | EdgeProp.my

Embracing challenges in strata living

NAIM HOLDINGS BY RACHEL CHEW Project quick facts places of worship and education establishments there, says Naim Property Services Sdn Bhd (Naim’s hile strata living has become NAME Naim Bahagia Residences property management arm) manager Clement a norm in major cities in Chin Shoon Choi, also the property manager of ADDRESS Lot 5148, Bahagia Peninsular Malaysia such as Residences, Desa Bahagia, Naim Bahagia Residences. Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Jalan Desa Bahagia, Naim Chin shares that managing Naim Bahagia is Johor, over in Sarawak, strata Bandar Baru Permyjaya, not an easy task as the Strata Management Act residences and community 98000 Miri, Sarawak does not apply in Sarawak. Instead, he adds, it has living are only in their infancy. the Strata Title Ordinance 1995 (Sarawak) which W DEVELOPER Naim Land Sdn Bhd “We developed Naim Bahagia Residences (Naim provides limited guidelines and contains many grey Bahagia) stratifi ed walk-up apartment in Naim DEVELOPMENT TYPE Aﬀ ordable walk-up areas on how common areas are to be managed, Bandar Baru Permyjaya to provide affordable apartment which explains the varied patterns and colours on homes for the mid-income group within a safe and LAUNCH DATE February 2014 the window grilles of some of Naim Bahagia’s units. secure living environment,” says Naim Holdings LAUNCH PRICE From RM195,888 to “We’ve raised this issue during the recent AGM. Bhd deputy managing director Christina Wong. RM277,888 Wong: Property The Joint Management Committee (JMC) sug- Naim Bahagia Residences is one of the first LAND SIZE 11.142 acres management should gested a minimum of two designs to be provided stratified properties in Naim Bandar Baru be the top priority for to the residents and the residents should comply TENURE Leasehold Permyjaya, one of the largest townships in Miri, stratiˎ ed properties with those designs. Sarawak being developed by Naim Group of COMPLETION DATE September 2016 because a property that “A circular will be issued to residents who will Companies since 1995. It is home to more than NO. OF UNITS 288 is not well-managed be given suffi cient time to arrange and comply 20% of Miri’s population today. signals the beginning of with the design,” he says. NO. OF STOREYS Four And with all things new, it took time for the the end. people here to understand and accept strata UNIT BUILT-UP SIZES 775 sq ft – 882 sq ft Building a community living. Hence, when the apartment project was MAINTENANCE FEES RM0.15 psf (10% reserved as Chin believes having a united community is the being marketed, it posed a challenge to the devel- sinking fund) fi rst step towards a successful stratifi ed property. oper to explain to prospective owners, the need for OCCUPANCY RATE 70% In Naim Bahagia’s AGM in March, a pro-tem maintenance fees and house rules. JMC working committee was formed. “Th ere was NO. OF CARPARK BAYS 376 for residents, 25 for Th erein lies the importance of educating res- visitors a good level of participation by the owners who idents on the beauty of strata and community have provided us constructive suggestions on how living, says Wong. FACILITIES to upgrade the standard of living at the develop- Jogging track, children’s playground and landscaped Despite the challenges, Naim Bahagia received garden ment. Th is working committee will meet at least a Special Mention at EdgeProp Malaysia’s Best once a month to discuss issues, fi nd solutions and Managed Property Awards 2019 in the below 10 ENERGY-SAVING FEATURES make decisions for the benefi t of the residents and LED lights controlled by timer years multi-own strata residential category. owners,” says Chin. Wong also believes one has to go back to basics SECURITY FEATURES The committee is already actively planning when managing a strata property and this includes 24-hour security with guardhouse and CCTV monitoring community activities such as Blood Donation Cam- keeping the residents’ interest in mind constant- paign, health talks, Zumba sessions and get-togeth- ly and adopting a culture of inclusiveness, which both honoured and inspired by it,” Wong shares. ers. Th e JMC is also looking to upgrade the chain- means open communication, transparency and Launched in February 2014, Naim Bahagia Chin believes having a link fencing, install a car park shade, construct a engagement are key . was handed over in early 2017. It comprises 288 united community is community hall and plant more trees for shade. “Property management should be the top walk-up apartments spread over nine blocks of the ˎ rst step towards “Th e residents have been made aware that to im- priority for stratifi ed properties because a property four-storeys each. a successful stratiˎ ed plement these improvements, the current sinking that is not well-managed signals the beginning of Th e project has facilities such as a jogging track, property. fund will not be suffi cient. As such, the committee the end,” she stresses. a children’s playground, landscaped gardens and has agreed to organise activities with the help of the “Getting this recognition lays a very good 24-hour security with guardhouse and CCTV developer to raise additional funds,” Chin notes, foundation for our group in our pursuit of monitoring. As the project is part of the Naim adding that it takes continuous eff ort to educate excellence in property management of our exist- Bandar Baru Permyjaya township, residents also owners on the importance of property maintenance ing and upcoming stratified developments. We are get to enjoy amenities such as a community hall, as it will aff ect the property’s value in the long run. EP 42 FRIDAY APRIL 26, 2019 • THEEDGE FINANCIAL DAILY WINNERS

10 YEARS AND ABOVE Specialised category Kato Manufacturing SPECIAL MENTION (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd Lessons in maintenance culture

HENRY BUTCHER MALAYSIA BY SHAWN NG

apanese workers are often admired for their hard work, self-discipline and meticulous attention to detail. At Kato Manufacturing (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd manufacturing facility in Jalan Semangat, Section 19 in Petaling Jaya, JSelangor, it was all these virtues and more that earned it a Special Mention from the judging panel of EdgeProp Malaysia’s Best Managed Property Awards 2019 in the 10 years and above Specialised category. Th e 34-year-old facility which consists of four buildings on a 4.84-acre site, has been leased by the Japanese company since July 2017 to produce soft fl avoured capsules exclusively for British American Tobacco Malaysia. Kato is a subsidiary of Fuji Capsule Co Ltd, the fi rst soft capsule manufacturer in Japan. Its facility in PJ has about 180 production workers in two shifts on seven production lines. According to Kato managing director Koji Suzuki, the company has adopted the maintenance culture that it practises in Japan here in Malaysia and demands its facility manager Henry Butcher The 34-year-old manufacturing facility has been leased by the Japanese company since July 2017.

Malaysia (Mont Kiara) Sdn Bhd to deliver the same LOW YEN YEING | EdgeProp.my standard of service. So what we did was we informed TNB (Tenaga “The maintenance culture in Japan is to be Nasional Bhd) who then arranged for their engi- proactive. In Japan, we have our own in-house neer to look into the issues. Th e chiller also broke maintenance team whose main responsibility is down at one time but we immediately responded to check every aspect of the production facility to and fi xed it,” he adds. ensure that everything is in tip-top condition so Besides the physical maintenance works, which that there will be no quality issues with our prod- include checks on electrical aspects, hot water ucts,” he tells EdgeProp.my. boiler, chiller, water fi ltration and fi re protection Be it cleanliness, security, fire safety, waste system, the onsite team also monitors the indoor management, safety and health of the workers — air quality, temperature and humidity. all are to be well taken care of. It even sent some “Th e production site requires certain humidity of its local maintenance staff to Japan to learn levels and temperature. Our technical team will about how day-to-day maintenance work should take note of the daily reading on the data logger be carried out. installed in the production site. Th ey will inform For Henry Butcher, it is crucial for the ons- Kato should there be any abnormalities. ite team to work closely with Kato to minimise “We are learning new things along the way to potential disruptions to the daily operations. ensure that everything adheres to the specifi ca- Th e property management service provider was tions spelled out by Kato,” says Low. On top of that, the team also conducts regular fi re and emergency drills to ensure everyone at Project quick facts the facility knows how to deal with emergencies. NAME Kato Manufacturing Th e property manager aims to raise its mainte- (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd nance standards in three key areas at the site: safety and security, a healthy working environment, and ADDRESS Lot 102, Jalan Semangat, 46200 Petaling Jaya, waste management. Selangor From left: Henry Butcher Malaysia senior property “Safety and security will be our top priority followed manager Paris Tian, Kato account, human resources by the working environment as we want to ensure OWNER LGB Properties Sdn Bhd and admin general manager Tengku Abdul Halim it is a safe and healthy workplace. Last but not least DEVELOPMENT TYPE Manufacturing facility Tengku Wook, Low, Suzuki, Aizam and Henry Butcher would be waste management, which is very crucial LAND SIZE 4.84 acres Safety and Malaysia assistant facility manager Muhammad to human lives and the environment,” he elaborates. Idham Ramelan. TENURE Freehold security Fulfilling expectations COMPLETION DATE December 1985 will be our Low says the maintenance team has to comply NO. OF BUILDINGS Four appointed as the facility manager in August 2017. with all of its client’s requirements without any GROSS FLOOR AREA 125,281 sq ft top priority “Th is is our fi rst facility management assignment compromise. For example, every fi refi ghting sys- and we are pleased to be given this opportunity tem including sprinklers and hose reels have to NO . OF CARPARK BAYS 85 followed by by Kato to support their operations in Malaysia meet fi re safety standards. ENERGY-SAVING FEATURES the working and also to learn from them,” says Henry Butcher Kato’s pursuit of perfection was truly an LED lights and motion sensors at all staircases Malaysia (Mont Kiara) Sdn Bhd executive director eye-opener for Henry Butcher. “This is a good SECURITY FEATURES environment Low Hon Keong. opportunity for us to learn from them. In Malaysia, Access card system, turnstile gate and barrier gate as we want Currently, there are 18 onsite maintenance staff although we have many fi rst class facilities, we SAFETY FEATURES from Henry Butcher led by facility manager cum still need a lot of improvements when it comes to Safety induction for all contractors, fi rst aid training, to ensure chargeman Aizam Mat Dam. maintenance. Furthermore, the facility maintenance fi re fi ghting training and hazard identifi cation, risk it is a safe Some of the most challenging aspects for the segment has always been neglected as people don’t assessment and determining control training team, says Low, lies in the physical parts such as pay much attention to it,” he notes. FIRE SAFETY FEATURES and healthy electrical and maintenance of equipment. In fact, Nevertheless, Kato’s Suzuki was pleasantly sur- Fire alarm monitoring system, ABC dry powder and CO2 workplace. there were a few past incidents that aff ected pro- prised that Henry Butcher’s services have been fi re extinguisher, break glass, smoke and heat detector, duction and some major equipment. up-to-par considering the fact that this is its fi rst hose reel system, sprinkler system and CO2 and Inergen — LOW “Th ere were several power dips that aff ected facility maintenance contract. gas system the air-conditioning and mechanical ventilation “We are very happy and I hope they will con- INDOOR AIR QUALITY FEATURES system that impacted production. Frequent power tinue to deliver the same level of service going Temperature and humidity device dips will also result in breakdown of equipment. forward,” he added.

EP 44 FRIDAY APRIL 26, 2019 • THEEDGE FINANCIAL DAILY WINNERS

EDGEPROP-ILAM MALAYSIA’S SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPE AWARD 2019 Lepironia GOLD Garden Inspired by a humble plant

PICTURES BY LOW YEN YEING | EdgeProp.my BY NATALIE KHOO The well-manicured epironia Garden sounds like a landscape of mythical place in a fairy tale. In reality, Lepironia Garden. the Lepironia is an aquatic plant and Lepironia Garden is the name of one of the semidee projects in S P Setia Bhd’s Setia Eco Glades township in Cyberjaya. LThe garden was a Gold winner of EdgeProp- ILAM Malaysia’s Sustainable Landscape Award 2019, which is part of EdgeProp Malaysia’s Best Managed Property Awards 2019. “When we visited the site back in 2011, we no- ticed that there were many ponds and growing along those ponds were Lepironia plants. We decided to maintain the original species as part of the landscape. One of the advantages of this plant is that it actually prevents erosion by stabilising the base of the ponds. Not only that, it also absorbs toxins and heavy metals in the water, thus purifying it while providing crucial shelter for small birds as well as fi shes,” says Setia Eco Glades general manager Goh Tzen Sernz. Lepironia Garden is located in one of the housing precincts in the 268-acre Setia Eco Glades. Th e 20.66-acre project comprises 194 semidee homes which were launched in October 2012. About 37% of the project are green spaces with a 2.9-acre central garden, a total of 2.7 acres of streetscape “Th e Lepironia plants are self-sustaining and aeration which also leads to fewer mosquitoes. Th e and a two-acre Orchard Garden. drought-resistant,” Goh explains. plant is only switched on four hours a day to save To reduce the heat and glare from the sun “We also planted fruit trees such as man- electricity. Even when we were doing earthworks while providing effective rain protection, S P Setia go, rambutan, langsat and guava on a two-acre for the lakes, we made sure it is carried out all at has planted groves of predominantly middle Sustainability Orchard Garden in Lepironia Garden. All these once,” Goh shares. to emergent tiered trees. The wetlands in the starts from trees attract birds and squirrels. We did a survey According to him, one of the key factors in en- township have also inspired elements such as and found many of the birds that were originally suring cost sustainability in the landscaping of the Floating Pavilion, bridges above waterways the design living here actually fl ew back after the completion Lepironia Garden was to spend more on the cap- and a stepping stone walkway. Of note are the stage. Always of Lepironia Gardens,” says Goh, adding that about ital expenditure so that operating expenditure can butterfl y feeding stations situated around Lepironia 1,500 trees were transplanted with the help of the be reduced later on. Garden and the whole of Setia Eco Glades. Some think of the Forest Research Institute Malaysia and planted “We utilise LED lights at Lepironia Garden in- 20,000 butterfl y food and nectar plants were prop- long haul and along the fringes of Setia Eco Glades with a success cluding the patio lights, deck lighting and so forth. agated and planted to attract the various species rate of 95%. In fact, we do that for the entire Setia Eco Glades. of butterfl ies. whether it is Meanwhile, in order to keep the water in the LED lighting uses at least 75% less energy and lasts practical and lake in Lepironia Garden clean and fresh, the de- 25 times longer than incandescent lighting. We also Spending more initially veloper introduced a pond liner to act as a separa- installed solar bollard lighting in Lepironia Garden to save cost later sustainable in tor between the soil and water. to illuminate open spaces. Although the cost of To ensure long-term sustainability of the com- the long run. “Th e colour of the lake water can turn brown- one solar bollard lighting can go up to RM6,000 to mon landscaped areas, plants such as the Lepi- ish if there is high mineral content from the soil RM8,000, the lithium battery is encased in polyu- ronia have been chosen for Lepironia Garden as — GOH such as iron and magnesium. We spent about RM4 rethane, and requires no maintenance or changes they are low maintenance and easy to care for in million to build a water fi ltration plant to ensure for up to eight years. Th is will eff ectively translate the long run. a continuous fl ow of water so that the water is not to cost savings for the residents,” he explains. stagnant. When the water moves, it also improves Currently, the residents staying in Lepironia Garden are paying maintenance fee of 15 sen psf, which translates to an average cost of RM550 per month. Most of the initiatives above are the result of S P Setia’s continuous eff ort to improve on the quality of their projects by learning from past projects. At the end of the day, Goh says that as a responsible developer, it is important to set the right foundation for the residents to ensure that sustainability practices can be carried out long after the developer hands over the development to the residents. “We understand that in a stratifi ed development, you need to hand over the management to the residents eventually. Th e Management Corporation members (MC) are not professional [property managers], they are just volunteers who want to Above: RM4 mil was ensure that their property is managed and main- spent to build a water tained well. Th us, we have come up with a template ˎ ltration plant to of procedures and policies which the MC will fi nd ensure a continuous easy to follow, even after we are no longer here. Of ː ow of water. course, the MC is free to decide what works best for them but we are always here to provide support Right: Lepironia and advice whenever necessary. Another thing is Garden is located in to never overbuild. one of the housing “Sustainability starts from the design stage. precincts in the 268- Always think of the long haul and whether it is practi- acre Setia Eco Glades. cal and sustainable in the long run,” Goh concludes. FRIDAY APRIL 26, 2019 • THEEDGE FINANCIAL DAILY EP 45 EP 46 FRIDAY APRIL 26, 2019 • THEEDGE FINANCIAL DAILY WINNERS

EDGEPROP-ILAM MALAYSIA’S SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPE AWARD 2019 The Mansions @ GOLD ParkCity Heights Carving an oasis out of rocks

PICTURES BY LOW YEN YEING | EdgeProp.my BY NATALIE KHOO

t is hard to imagine that what was once ugly, rocky barren land can be transformed into one of the most expensive and exclusive residential precincts in the township of Desa ParkCity in Kepong, Kuala Lumpur. But that was what exactly landscape architecture firm Praxcis IDesign Sdn Bhd did. The site of an old quarry with large rocky outcrops and terrain ended up as a handsome luxury housing project known as The Mansions @ ParkCity Heights (The Mansions). Visitors to Th e Mansions would never suspect how desolate the place was before. Even in the hottest weather, one would be cooled by a constant breeze and the shade from the wide tree canopy. So impressed were they with the landscaping that the judges named Th e Mansions as one of the Gold winners of EdgeProp-ILAM Malaysia’s Sustainable Landscape Award 2019, part of EdgeProp Malaysia’s Best Managed Property Awards 2019.

A bumpy and hot beginning Spanning 9.3ha, Th e Mansions is located at the highest peak of Desa ParkCity which off ers exclu- The site of an old quarry with large rocky outcrops and terrain ended up as a handsome luxury housing project known as The sive panoramic views of the Kuala Lumpur city Mansions @ ParkCity Heights. skyline and of the entire Desa ParkCity. Developed by Perdana ParkCity Sdn Bhd, it comprises 127 stratifi ed super link terraced houses which were completed in April 2014. According to Praxcis Design director Yap Nga Tuan, the main challenge in landscaping the area was dealing with its pure granite rock foundation which covers over 80% of the site. Th e hard surface posed hurdles for tree planting as the root ball of a tree can grow up to 1m but because of the pres- ence of rocks, the foundation could only go up to a depth of 450mm. “Th e other parts of Desa ParkCity are also rocky but earth is present in those areas. Over here, the surface is totally bare. On top of that, when you plant Above: For the intimate pathways among the trees into a rock pit, water will gather at the root houses, the trees planted do not shed leaves often of the trees because the water cannot go through so not much sweeping is required. the rock surface below. So, we have to undertake the process of cutting and trenching into the rock Left: Lee and Yap (right) were part of the team who surface to plant in between the gaps as well as to brought the landscape at The Mansions to life. facilitate the drainage of the water at the roots, otherwise the trees will suff ocate. We also had to make sure we chose the right species of plants that rekindle the link to nature and to inspire the resi- suit the ecology of the area,” Yap shares. dents to explore the outdoors. Th is reconnection Furthermore, a rocky hilltop when left totally is important to us in our design philosophy,” she bare acts as a heat storage area. During the day, heat houses, we made sure that the trees planted do emphasises. is absorbed by the rocks and is released at night. not shed leaves often so that not much sweeping “So if you build houses on rock surfaces, it is ac- is required,” she adds. Beautiful but is it sustainable? tually very hot. Hence, a lush landscape is needed Lee says the beauty of a stratifi ed development is to give thermal comfort to the residences. Th e thing With a good A well-designed landscape brings that the development has to be passed on to the about rock surfaces is that the moment you cover it landscape the community together residents eventually, thus they understand the with earth, part of the heat will be absorbed by the An interesting feature of Th e Mansions’ landscape importance of creating a sustainable and stable earth, making the rock naturally cooler. Not only design, we is its very own fruit orchard. Called the Forest “template”. that, when you plant trees on the a rock surface, hope to Gully, the residents tend to the fruit trees and get “Even after fi ve years, our maintenance fee is the heat is partly taken up by the trees and leaves to enjoy organic fruits such as durians, mangoes 20 sen psf. Initially we had 10 gardeners managing which leads to less heat being absorbed by the foster good and cikus. Th e Mansions, but we managed to cut it down to earth and rock. Th is will achieve a cooling eff ect communal “Th e orchard idea actually came from our chair- eight with a total expenditure of RM21,000 each to the immediate surroundings by an average of man himself because our shareholders are from month. We have to work hand-in-hand with cost. 2 to 4 degrees lower,” says Yap. kinship and Sarawak and they are very into nature and forests. For example, for the selection of trees for the slopes, Th e loose and non-regimented layout, togeth- activities We have to educate the residents that when every- we chose self-sustaining trees that do not require er with the shady trees, allow natural wind fl ow one contributes to the orchard, it will be sustainable a lot of maintenance. Th ey only need some trim- throughout the development. Th is has increased to connect and they can enjoy the harvest together. We wanted ming when the tree trunks overgrow,” Lee explains. the rate of heat exchange, thus creating greater people. the residents to know that without togetherness, Yap stresses that a landscape which is high thermal comfort. A total of 2,373 new trees were you cannot sustain anything. It is important that maintenance may not be sustainable in the long planted, removing a total of 53 tons of carbon di- — YAP the landscape provides an avenue for residents run. At the end of the day, both Yap and Lee share oxide yearly while releasing 237 tons of oxygen. to build close relationships with one another,” that it was a joint eff ort by both teams to bring out “We observed to see the original species of Perdana ParkCity township manager deputy di- the best of the landform. plants that are already present there and we picked rector Matthew Lee shares. “We worked very closely with Perdana ParkCity up similar types of species to be planted. We also Yap concurs: “We now live in a world that is fast who was very knowledgeable about the entire area found that the water underneath the soil channels moving, digitalised and individualistic in nature. and the concept they wanted to put in. We worked towards the gully, so in a way it is self-watering. With a good landscape design, we hope to foster to come up with the best design approach in land- We also chose canopy type of trees, so they pro- good communal kinship and activities to connect scaping Th e Mansions, the u ltimate hilltop retreat,” vide shade. For the intimate pathways among the people. Be it family or neighbourhood, we want to Yap concludes.

EP 48 FRIDAY APRIL 26, 2019 • THEEDGE FINANCIAL DAILY FRI WINNERS

EDGEPROP-ILAM MALAYSIA’S SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPE AWARD 2019 Valencia SILVER

PICTURES BY LOW YEN YEING | EdgeProp.my BY NATALIE KHOO L ntering the township of Valencia, we were immediately greeted by majestic trees towering above us. It seems like we were entering into a forest. Located in Sungai Buloh, Selangor, the 278-acre de- Evelopment with a golf course has 916 homes. It is developed by Gamuda Land. Complet- ed in 2012, the township located in Sungai Buloh is currently managed by Gamuda Land Property Services Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Gamuda Land — the property arm of Gamuda Bhd. Of Valencia’s 278 acres, 28 are open spaces while the golf course covers 54 acres. Th e landscaping within Valencia has been seamlessly blended together — the trees, the streams, the lakes, the rolling fi elds and the golf course all exist in harmony with one another. Valencia’s beautiful landscapes were rewarded by a Silver in the EdgeProp-ILAM Malaysia’s Sustainable Landscape Award 2019 which is part of EdgeProp Malaysia’s Best Managed Property Awards 2019. Two years earlier, the township was a Gold winner in the non-strata residential category at the inaugural Th eEdgeProperty.com Malay- sia’s Best Managed Property Awards 2017. Gamuda Parks chief operations offi cer Valencia’s 9-hole private golf course Khariza Khalid who is also Gamuda Land is for residents’ use only and they also head of landscape architecture shares that get to enjoy a 6km jogging path which Valencia’s landscaping was very much deter- meanders around the course. mined by the land’s natural attributes such as how the land rises and falls. “Th e types of trees in Valencia are very similar to those found at the adjacent forest reserve where the Forest Research Institute Harnessing of Malaysia (FRIM) is. We wanted to form BY a dynamic spectacle which integrates our green spaces in the foreground and the for- nature’s bounty est reserve in the background. By working with nature, we embed our homes and town centre into the undulating terrain that this land is blessed with. As time passes, our initial curation was taken over by nature that continues to turn Valencia into a lush wil- audit is part of Gamuda Parks’ initiative to “When you manage a township with a MMa derness,” Khariza explains. promote sustainable landscapes. golf course, you need to take into consider- de “About 35% of the land is dedicated to ation fl ying golf balls and weed control. Th e we Soaked with biodiversity greenery with 80% native species planted matured trees in Valencia act as a golf ball 24- With more than 100 types of trees and here. Th is contributes to the regeneration screen while salt is used as a natural weed- shrubs, this “wilderness” has become a of the environment and its biodiversity. ing agent to eliminate nut grass as opposed ber habitat for various fl ora and fauna and is Among some of the trees planted here are to using expensive chemicals. Th e minimal ter the home to at least 20 bird species as re- the Kapur, African Tulips and Cannonball use of chemicals in maintenance practices of S corded in the landscaping team’s most re- Khariza: Ultimately, a beautiful landscape while some of the wildlife we have here in- enhances the natural aspect and sustaina- pro cent biodiversity audit where they scien- must also be sustainable in the long-run clude the white-throated kingfi sher, magpie bility of a development. Th ere is defi nitely tifi cally document and monitor the health and this includes having efˎ cient cost robin and the black-crowned night heron. more cost saving though the eff ective time Co of the environment from time to time. Th e management. We are planning to create a nature sanctu- may be longer,” explains Khariza. of ary where residents can experience and get Th e cost of maintaining the landscape of Lu a closer view of the animals. Th is also helps Valencia was reduced from RM30,000 a month hou to educate the younger generation to care to RM15,000 currently with a staff of 10. 7-s for the environment,” Khariza says. “Ultimately, a beautiful landscape must Apart from the golf course, Valencia is also be sustainable in the long-run and this em divided into four housing precincts with includes having effi cient cost management. sid each individual precinct having its own We adopt a lot of technology and machinery pla pocket gardens. to improve day-to-day landscaping preci- fam “Th ese pocket gardens support recrea- sion and effi ciency so that we can reduce to tional activities with their amenities such manpower dependency. Some of our ef- up as playground, exercise station, refl exolo- forts include using LED light bulbs to re- Ed gy path, BBQ area and others to encour- duce electric consumption, using a blower age community-centric activities. Th is is to replace manual sweeping and utilising a ou how we draw people to come out of their mechanical mower to replace grass cutters the homes, to get to know each other, live and in bigger spaces,” Khariza explains. con play together and ultimately form a tight- Ultimately, she says, with Valencia, it is Ma knit community that will look out for one not just about creating a beautiful master 201 another,” Khariza adds. plan but it’s about a place that people love Be Th e verdant landscape in Valencia also to call home. yea acts as a cooling agent, helping to reduce “Gamuda Land’s focus of listening to what in t excess urban heat. the land has to say allows us to seamlessly res Meanwhile, Valencia’s 9-hole private golf integrate the natural with the manmade. course is for residents’ use only and they With that, we managed to build Valencia led also get to enjoy a 6km jogging path which into a town like no other, a town with its lan Of Valencia’s 278 acres, 28 acres are open spaces while the golf course covers 54 acres. meanders around the course. ow n unique identity.” Yu FRIDAY APRIL 26, 2019 • THEEDGE FINANCIAL DAILY EP 49 WINNERS

EDGEPROP-ILAM MALAYSIA’S SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPE AWARD 2019 Sri Penaga SILVER p.my Landscaped with love

PICTURES BY LOW YEN YEING | EdgeProp.my Always open to new ideas Yuen highlights that it is important for the landscape committee to always be open to new and fresh ideas and perspectives. “I often off er to take our landscape gar- dener and building manager to diff erent projects to see their landscaping because they usually have bigger budgets [and can do more things] than what we have [in Sri Penaga]. It doesn’t hurt to look at other people’s ideas and adapt them at our own development if we want to. “In many sophisticated landscaping, the people do not utilise them because it’s too hot, too humid or it has too many mosquitoes. But you can see at Sri Penaga, parents with young children enjoy the swimming pool, exercise, take a stroll and enjoy the greenery. It encourages a lot of community building and interaction,” Yuen shares. She also notices that people are becoming more health-conscious these days and hence the MC plans to incorporate an outdoor gym for the adults to use near the children’s playground. “We are also working on composting initiatives. Initially, when we fi rst started composting, the smell was so off-putting. But nowadays, through experience, we are getting compost which is much better,” she adds. Sri Penaga also has a herb garden and there is a duty roster of volunteers to manage the herb garden. “When we fi rst started the herb garden, BY NATALIE KHOO Above: The we ran into some problems because people manicured came and took home the entire plant. On any people think that landscape of Sri hindsight, I think having the herb garden is beautiful landscaping can Penaga. a lesson in civics for many of the residents,” only be achieved when Yuen shares. you have a big budget for Right: (Clockwise it. This certainly holds from top left) Low, Sustaining beauty with cost no truth with Sri Penaga Sri Penaga MC management h a MManagement Corporation’s (MC) small but chairman Khaw Currently, Sri Penaga has four gardeners who er- dedicated sub-committee managing the Chay Tee, Henry are hired at a cost of about RM8,000 a month. Th e well-manicured landscaped gardens of the Butcher Malaysia “When you have fi nancial constraints, you ball 24-year-old condominium. (Mont Kiara) senior need to be careful with what you spend on. ed- Th e MC’s landscape sub-committee mem- manager Jessie Koh, It is not just the landscaping, the beautiful sed ber Yuen Cheong Swing shares that even af- Yuen and Sri Penaga child who gets all the money. Everything in mal ter two dozen years, the landscaping works building manager this condo needs money, we are 24 years ces of Sri Penaga are still very much a work in Razidah Hamzah. old! At the end of the day, there needs to na- progress and constantly evolving. be a balance on how you spend the money. ely Located opposite Bangsar Shopping Of course, when the need arises for certain me Complex at the junction of Jalan Maar- things, we can always call for a meeting to of and Jalan Penaga in Bangsar, Kuala vote on it,” says Yuen. e of Lumpur, Sri Penaga comprises 304 units She adds that expensive mistakes have nth housed within two 22-storey blocks and one been made such as when they bought plants 7-storey block. that were not easy to manage and sustain. ust “Originally, this condo was designed for what the team has done. Interestingly, some er without constant pruning. On top of that, “We always learn. I wanted to plant a his empty nesters, so there was not much con- of her team members are unit owners who they also provide shade at the swimming fl ower once and our technician told us that nt. sideration for facilities such as children’s do not live there but spend time and eff ort pool area,” she shares. it will be very messy [when it grows]. You ery playground. Over the years, more young to contribute to the landscaping works and Th e committee also came up with the have to give respect to him for his opinion ci- families began to live here and we decided maintenance. idea to plant curtain creepers called Lee because it could be too much work for him uce to increase the playground area by taking Kuan Yew creepers to cover about 200m of to clean later,” she says. ef- up a whole fl ower bed,” Yuen shares with Safety is always first the concrete wall at the edge of the building Meanwhile Sri Penaga’s appointed prop- re- EdgeProp.my. Stepping into Sri Penaga is like entering a along Jalan Maarof. erty management company Henry Butcher wer It is this commitment to ensure that the tropical garden. Moving along its mean- “We chose this plant because it does not Malaysia (Mont Kiara)’s executive director g a outdoor environment of Sri Penaga meets dering pathways, one is surrounded by ma- grow its roots into the wall. Th is was a ma- Low Hon Keong shares that the MC com- ers the needs of its residents that has given the tured royal palm trees, staghorn ferns, bou- jor concern for the management team as mittee in Sri Penaga works closely with the condominium a Silver at the EdgeProp-ILAM gainvillea, frangipani, spider lilies, garden we needed to conduct periodic safety in- property management team and that they t is Malaysia’s Sustainable Landscape Award ferns and other plants. Th ere are also three spection on the wall and slope. Th is creeper often give clear directions to the property ter 2019 which is part of EdgeProp Malaysia’s water fountains that make up the land- beautifi es the place yet allows the wall to be managers, which make the decision-mak- ove Best Managed Property Awards 2019. Last scaped areas spanning a total of 1.5 acres. accessible for inspections,” Yuen explains. ing process easy. year, the condominium was a Gold winner Yuen shares that some of the plants have However in 2016, the MC had no choice “This is especially needed in the new hat in the 10 years and above multi-own strata existed since the condominium was com- but to cut down some old trees near the Jalan era of strata living. Sri Penaga’s landscape sly residential category of the anchor awards. pleted, such as the royal palm trees. Medang Serai slope area after a consulta- is very well maintained compared to many de. Members of the landscape sub-committee “Th e palm trees give the place a resort-like tion with a certifi ed arborist as they posed newer developments. Th ey may put in very cia led by Yuen were eager to show off the lush feel. One advantage of having these royal a danger to residents and members of the complicated design just to attract people to its landscaped areas of the condominium and palms is that they are self-cleaning so the public who parked their vehicles along Jalan buy but after one to two years, there is no Yuen’s passion can be felt as she explained old fronds can be monitored by the garden- Medang Serai. maintenance,” says Low. EP 50 FRIDAY APRIL 26, 2019 • THEEDGE FINANCIAL DAILY

Left: The high-rise oﬀ ers eye-soothing views like those facing the swimming pool.

Below: Residents here get to enjoy contemporary lifestyle facilities such as the gym with pool view.

strong sense of belonging – that’s Paramount Property is building a mixed devel- of the Sri KDU International School, both primary includes round-the-clock, gated-and-guarded what Klangites have. That’s not sur- opment to cater to upgraders and those keen to and secondary. The world-class education facility entrance and access card system. prising, because it has been the born- move to Klang to enjoy the conveniences of this will have a capacity for 1,500 students by 2021. “Our mission has always been to enrich the Aand-bred place for generations of long-established amenity-rich area. “We hope the businesses and activities will community, provide a better living environment families. With a strategic commercial bring back the crowd. We want to play our part and be innovative,” Beh stresses. port pushing its growth, Klang has drawn set- NEW VITALITY INFUSED in the urban rejuvenation programme and to be tlers even before the 15th century. Named Berkeley Uptown, the newfangled proj- involved in building a better community,” says CENTRALLY LOCATED While many old towns have become home- ect spans 33 acres. For a feel of the anticipated Paramount Property CEO of property division, Berkeley Uptown is adjacent to the Klang cen- towns that one returns to only during festive vibrancy, its three-acre sales village will come Beh Chun Chong. tral business district through one of the main seasons, Klang has remained a well-populat- with retail shops offering lifestyle services and To ensure the best impact, Paramount has arteries of Klang, Jalan Goh Hock Huat, which is ed district with its own socio-economic sus- start-ups, plus a variety of trendy F&B joints. engaged building architect BEP Akitek Sdn linked to Jalan Tanjung Shawal by a third bridge. tainability. Its comfortable distance to Petaling Based on the live-work-play concept, the Bhd and landscape architect Praxcis Design for Residents here will find that their daily, ed- Jaya and Kuala Lumpur has not only allowed its development will incorporate office blocks and the project. “They are award-winning compa- ucational and medical needs are all within con- denizens easy commute to the economic hubs, double-storey shops, as well as a 210,000 sq ft nies and we hope to bring modern city living to venient distance, surrounded by hundreds of but also beckoned many visitors to its historical retail space to be sited on a 3.73-acre commer- the residents… like the kind in Mont’Kiara and shops, as well as a number of malls, including sites and multi-cultural gastronomical delights. cial zone. For unwinding, a two-acre public park Bangsar,” Beh adds. the huge Aeon Bukit Tinggi. The development While the Klang town centre is a popular will provide facilities such as gazebos, exercise For upgraders looking to enjoy the advan- neighbours the well-known Pin Hwa High foodie haven, it is surrounded by decades-old stations and sitting areas. tages of vertical living such as heightened se- School, and there are six hospitals within a 6km landed houses and shops. Recognising a Notably, Paramount Corp Bhd is allocating curity, cooler temperatures, broadened views, radius. need for the next era of community living, five acres here to set up the second instalment easy-to-manage housekeeping and lifestyle Connections to Jalan Kapar and Jalan Meru, facilities – all on freehold land – the reputed Shah Alam and Petaling Jaya new town centre developer is launching the first phase of its ser- are within 10km and 27km respectively, via the viced apartments on 5.17 acres called Uptown Federal Highway or NKVE. Alternatively, Kua- Residences, comprising 736 units in five types la Lumpur city centre can be easily reached by of layouts. rail, as the Klang KTM station is merely 3km Housed in two 30-storey blocks and one away and the future LRT 3 Klang station is just 32-storey block, singles can opt for the 551 sq 2km away, with direct link to Bandar Utama sta- ft units priced at RM270,000, while the 859 sq tion, which is integrated to the MRT Sungai Bu- ft are suitable for couples (young or retired). loh-Kajang line. Meanwhile, the 1,093 sq ft serviced apartments tagged at RM528,400 fit a small family com- For further enquiries, fortably. please contact: Multi-generational families can opt for the more spacious units dubbed villas. Housed in a (03) 3358 2747 seven-storey block, they come with four door- or visit: step car parks. Limited to only 14 units in the www.paramountproperty.my first phase, the 1,572 sq ft and 1,588 sq ft villas are priced from RM726,600. Recreation facilities here include an Olym- pic-length pool, wading pool, gym, reading room, games room, herb garden, siesta lounge Like landed residences, the 1,572 sq ft units come with spaciousness and doorstep car parks. and multi-purpose hall. The three-tier security

3XEOLVKHGE\7KH(GJH3URSHUW\6GQ%KG 3 /HYHO0HQDUD./.1R-DODQ3-80XWLDUD'DPDQVDUD3HWDOLQJ-D\D6HODQJRU0DOD\VLD 3ULQWHGE\8OWLPDWH3ULQW6GQ%KG + /RW-DODQ6HSDQD2II3HUVLDUDQ6HODQJRU6HNV\HQ6KDK$ODP6HODQJRU0DOD\VLD