TEP 2 FRIDAY AUGUST 26, 2016 • THEEDGE FINANCIAL DAILY

tion to the society and the nation. Tropicana Corp Bhd founder and To young homebuyers, the industry Th e 12 eminent Tan Sris in prop- former group executive vice-chair- veterans also provided some advice erty development whom Th eEdge- man Tan Sri Danny Tan. on how to choose a suitable first Property.com spoke to (see pages 4 Many of them have built their home for themselves. to 18) were BCB Bhd founder and companies from scratch and steered But most of all, it is heartening aving somebody one group managing director Tan Sri their businesses through rough times to note that as property developers, can look up to, and Tan Seng Leong; Country Heights only to emerge stronger. Th ey are they all aspire and strive to build whose knowledge Holdings Bhd founder Tan Sri Lee the ones who have and continue to homes, communities and a nation, and experience one Kim Yew; Eco World Development infl uence and chart the way for their rooted in the belief that they can could tap into, is a Group Bhd chairman Tan Sri Liew businesses and the industry to grow improve people’s lives for the better. precious asset for Kee Sin; I-Bhd group executive to greater heights. These visionary leaders are Hthose who strive for growth in all chairman Tan Sri Lim Kim Hong; In the interviews, there was a among those who have laid the aspects of their lives. Iskandar Waterfront Holdings Bhd little reminiscing over what the in- foundations for our country’s de- In conjunction with the coun- founder and director/executive dustry, homebuyers and projects velopment and as in the words of try’s 59th year of independence, vice-chairman Tan Sri Lim Kang were like in the past. And as each one Tan Sri, property developers this issue of TheEdgeProperty. Hoo; LBS Bina Group Bhd man- recalled their most memorable pro- can leave a strong legacy behind in com features 12 industry leaders aging director Tan Sri Lim Hock jects and the lessons learnt in the the projects and communities they with the title Tan Sri who took San; Mah Sing group managing course of their journey as property have built. time off to share with us a few director Tan Sri Leong Hoy Kum; developers, they also stressed the Let’s celebrate Merdeka know- nuggets of wisdom on the evolv- Malaysian Resources Corp Bhd importance of moving ahead with ing that through the almost six ing business of building and sell- (MRCB) managing director Tan Sri the times, to be fl exible in adapting decades that we have been through Th eEdgeProperty.com ing properties, the outlook for the Mohamad Salim Fateh Din; MKH to uncertain market environments, as a nation, we have many peo- Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief property market and the needs Bhd managing director Tan Sri Eddy and to be in touch with the needs ple such as these 12 “gentlemen Au Foong Yee of homebuyers. Chen; OSK Holdings Bhd (OSK) and wants of homebuyers especially builders” to thank and much to EDITORIAL The title Tan Sri is one of the and OSK Property Holdings Bhd the younger generation. be grateful for. Editor Lam Jian Wyn most senior federal titles in the (OSKP) group managing director Th ere was an overall optimism Happy National Day! Contributing Editor Sharon Kam country, second only to Tun. Th e and CEO Tan Sri Ong Leong Huat; over the future of the property in- Deputy Chief Copy Editor James Chong title is bestowed on individuals who Titijaya Land Bhd group managing dustry in Malaysia and that the cur- Sharon Kam is the contributing Senior Copy Editor have made outstanding contribu- director Tan Sri Lim Soon Peng; and rent soft market is only temporary. editor of TheEdgeProperty.com Shanthi Murugiah Writers Rachel Chew, Tan Ai Leng, Natalie Khoo, Shawn Ng, Lum Ka Kay Art Director Sharon Khoh Design Team Nik Edra, Nurul Aida Mohd Noor

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ADVERTISING & MARKETING Head of Marketing and Sales Sharon Chew (012) 316 5628 Senior Account Manager Jayne Law (016) 929 3309 Account Managers Jayremy Sim (011) 1669 6039 Jocelyn Poo (012) 611 5626 Marketing Support & Ad Traffi c Madeline Tan (03) 7721 8218 BY NATALIE KHOO email: [email protected] Email : [email protected] PETALING JAYA: Despite the cur- NEGOTIATOR ADVISORY SERVICE rent property market slowdown, Senior Manager Elizabeth Lay there are still investment opportuni- of Jalan Imbi and Jalan Pudu. It is Senior Associate Stannly Tan Associate Karen Wong ties on the subsale market, especial- being developed by a consortium ly in Kuala Lumpur, that investors comprising UDA Holdings Bhd, Eco For enquiries and listings can ride on, said Th eEdgeProperty. World Development Group Bhd and email: [email protected] GL: (03) 7721 8175/ 8172 com director of business and prod- the Employees Provident Fund in a Email: [email protected] uct development Alvin Ong. 40:40:20 share structure over a peri- “It is important to have an over- od of between 8 to 10 years. view of Kuala Lumpur’s secondary “BBCC is well-poised to fulfi l its TheEdgeProperty.com pullout is published by The Edge Property Sdn market to see how prices are moving role as a gateway to Kuala Lumpur Bhd. It is available with The Edge in the various areas and the diff erent because of its connectivity and ac- Financial Daily every Friday. The characteristics that these areas pos- cessibility. It is important to note pullout is also distributed at more than 200 offi ces, shopping complexes, sess before investors can decide on that BBCC and the HSR have the condos, medical centres, F&B outlets where to place their bets. Of course, potential to benefi t from each oth- and LRT stations in the Klang Valley. it also depends on how we expect er,” said Richard. You can also download it for free at www.TheEdgeProperty.com the market to move,” he added. He will also share information on Alvin, who will be speaking at BBCC’s master plan, which includes Th eEdgeProperty.com’s “Symposium the integration of commercial, res- Th e Edge Malaysia on Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High idential, retail and entertainment EDITORIAL Speed Rail 2016” on Aug 27, will be projects to consider if I am looking in one development. Editor-in-Chief Azam Aris highlighting areas such as Mont’Kiara, for capital gains or good rental yields; In addition, Richard will also be CORPORATE Cheras, Bukit Bintang, Taman Desa and what are some of the upcoming part of a panel discussion entitled Chief Operating Offi cer Lim Shiew Yuin ADVERTISING & MARKETING and KLCC and explaining how the catalytic developments that will help “HSR: Th e Big Idea” to be held at Chief Commercial Offi cer property market in these areas has boost capital appreciation and rental the end of the symposium. Th e other Sharon Teh (012) 313 9056 done well in general, in terms of cap- yields,” Alvin added. panellists will be Ho Chin Soon Re- are KGV International Property Con- General Manager ital appreciation and rental yields. He Meanwhile, Bukit Bintang City search chairman Ho Chin Soon and sultants executive director Samuel Kingston Low (012) 278 5540 Senior Sales Managers will also focus on how these areas have Centre (BBCC) Sdn Bhd CEO Datuk Savills Malaysia executive chairman Tan and Henry Butcher Real Estate Fong Lai Kuan (012) 386 2831 stayed resilient in the current market. Richard Ong will give a presentation Christopher Boyd. Th e session will Sdn Bhd chief operating offi cer Tang Gregory Thu (012) 376 0614 “By the end of the talk, I hope the on the iconic development on the be moderated by Th eEdgeProperty. Chee Meng. Michael Tan (012) 213 0252 Peter Hoe (019) 221 5351 audience will be able to answer the former Pudu Jail site. com managing director and edi- Th e symposium is organised by Creative Marketing following questions — which areas Th e 19.4-acre project with a gross tor-in-chief Au Foong Yee. Th eEdgeProperty.com and support- Chris Wong (016) 687 6577 should I invest in if the market is going development value (GDV) of RM8.7 Other real estate experts who ed by Th e Edge Malaysia. Th e pre- Head of Marketing Support & Ad Traffi c Lorraine Chan (03) 7721 8001 up, down or fl at; what are some of the billion is located at the intersection will be featured at the symposium senting sponsor is BBCC. Email: [email protected]

TEP 4 FRIDAY AUGUST 26, 2016 • THEEDGE FINANCIAL DAILY

PUSHING BOUNDARIES FOR A COLOURFUL & BEAUTIFUL MALAYSIA

BCB Bhd Tan Sri Tan Seng Leong: ith an academ- My company and our projects ic background in are on social media. On our Face- building and con- book page, we constantly post the struction man- Look out for signs latest information on our compa- agement, Tan Sri ny, the neighbourhood where our Tan Seng Leong projects are, as well as the latest Wbegan his journey in real estate de- events, to connect with friends and velopment in the early 70s before of recovery family of clients. starting his own business in 1978. Th e 60-year-old developer found- Your property outlook ed BCB Bhd in 1988 and has been its BY TAN AI LENG OF THEEDGEPROPERTY.COM for 2016/2017? group managing director since then. The market condition remains Before venturing into the Klang uncertain with banks being cau- Valley, the Johor-based developer tious in lending while buyers take had focused on Johor, particularly Asian Financial Crisis will repeat Th e negotiations were successful How key is social a wait-and-see approach to look Batu Pahat and Kluang, where Tan itself. Th e market will continue sof- and we pursuaded the squatters media to your for bargains. However, there are made a name for himself with BCB. It tening but it will not go down too to move. business — are you opportunities for developers as is today the largest property developer much. For instance, even though With the land cleared, we drew up on social media? there will always be genuine buy- in Batu Pahat and Kluang — the sec- sales have slowed, property prices plans to bring in more amenities such Nowadays, more buyers than ever ers looking for good properties. ond and third largest towns in Johor. have not shown a signifi cant drop as bus and taxi terminals, commer- are taking advantage of the lat- At BCB, we take a conservative Besides residential projects such as cost of land and building mate- cial projects and a stadium, making est technology and online tools to approach during a market slow- as Taman Bukit Perdana, Evergreen rials continue to rise. it the commercial centre of Kluang. search for properties. A decade ago, down by going for smaller scale Heights and Bandar Putra Indah, Notably, according to the Invest- Today, the 90-acre transformed smartphones didn’t exist but today developments and launching new the developer also built BCB Plaza ment Clock, when property price Kluang town centre remains the it’s hard to imagine life without them. products that cater to market needs. and Prime City Hotel in Kluang, growth slows and interest rate cuts commercial hub of the town with As a result, developers have to When written in Chinese, the and U-Mall in Skudai. occur, it could be an indication of robust business activities. constantly adapt to new technolo- word “crisis” is composed of two In 2010, BCB ventured into the the next rebound. gies in both construction of projects characters, one represents dan- Klang Valley and developed Con- Other signs that the market Buyers are getting as well as marketing strategies to ger and the other represents op- certo North Kiara, a luxury condo- needs to watch out for are improv- younger. How do you attract young buyers. portunity. minium in Kuala Lumpur, and the ing share and commodity prices, engage them? Despite the dampened market high-end gated and guarded bun- coupled with the increase in over- When it comes to buying proper- condition and consumer senti- galow township Home Tree in Kota seas reserves as these could signal ties, the younger generation has dif- ment, there are always opportu- Kemuning, Shah Alam, Selangor. the start of an economic recovery. ferent thoughts, needs and budget. “Bill Gates nities for developers to explore Developers need to understand and build their fundamentals to Th eEdgeProperty. How many homes their needs and preferences — the is successful success. com: Building and have you built? layout, landscape design and facili- Besides researching and ana- selling homes — what I started my fi rst project — Taman ties — so we can off er them the right because he has lysing economic cycles, we must was it like then and Kurnia in Kluang — back in 1978 product at the right pricing. have the foresight to see future now? and till now I have developed Developers also need to dis- both — the possibilities and the courage to Tan Sri Tan Seng Leong: I be- more than 5,000 acres of land and seminate information about their make brave decisions. Bill Gates is gan my career in the early 70s and built more than 50,000 homes. products through social media to foresight and the successful because he has both — went through the ups and downs BCB Bhd’s footprint expanded catch the young buyers’ attention. the foresight and the courage to try. of the property market over the from Johor (Kluang, Batu Pahat and courage to try.” past few decades. Pontian) to the Klang Valley in 2010 What are your invest- What is your aspira- In my observation, 1969, 1979, with our luxury condominium Con- ment tips for fi rst-time tion for the Malaysian 1989, 1999 and 2009 were the eco- certo North Kiara in Kuala Lumpur homebuyers? property sector? nomic down cycles. However, those and the high-end gated and guard- Simple tips — know your My aspiration for the Malaysian years were also when the market saw ed bungalow enclave Home Tree budget, buy in areas with good property sector goes back to the sharp rebounds after bottoming out. in Kota Kemuning. growth potential, and be realis- fundamentals of what BCB stands Understanding market cycles and tic about your investment goals. for — Building Communities and noticing signs of the next downturn What was your most I bought my fi rst house back in Beyond. are important to developers. I start- memorable project 1977 when I was still an employee It may seem like a simple tag ed studying the market since I was and why? in a local construction company line, but think deeper and it means young. Th e Investment Clock, which Th e most memorable project for earning about RM1,000 a month. more. It is a simple phrase. But for was published in London’s Evening me was a privatisation project in It was a single-storey terraced it to work, we need the involvement Standard in 1937, has become one of Kluang, Johor which I undertook house in Kluang. The price was and concerted eff ort of all in the my main references on the economy. back in 1992. about RM30,000 at that time. I sold organisation to show that According to the Investment It was a very challenging project off the house at RM70,000 two BCB is worthy for Clock, signs of a market slowdown because the planned town centre years later. our purchasers can be seen when share prices and was in a mess as there were 500 I remember it so clearly in all aspects. commodity prices start to dip, when squatters staying on that piece of because the money I earned overseas reserves start falling and land. We talked and negotiated with from selling the house be- when a tighter monetary policy is the squatters by giving them two came my capital to start my implemented. options — cash compensation or career as a developer in a Knowing these signs could help a discount deal on the new houses. joint-venture company. business owners make better deci- sions and adjust their development pace until the next economic upcycle. For instance, during a slowdown, Tan Sri Tan Seng Leong’s tips I will look for opportunities to accu- for first-time homebuyers mulate landbank at a better price or use the time to convert existing agri- cultural land into development land. When economic conditions improve, I will start to build and sell products. 1. 2. 3. From my observation, the Asian Financial Crisis in 1997 was the worst time ever for the market. It was a long Know your budget Buy in areas with Be realistic about recession. Even though it was a tough and plan your good growth poten- your investment time, economic stimulus measures fi nances carefully tial – such as future goals. Start with were taken and they worked. catalysts that a humble home Th ere is talk that compares the will spur property before upgrading to current market condition with the demand and prices your dream home. MOHD IZWAN MOHD NAZAM / TheEdgeProperty.com 1997 crisis, but I do not think the FRIDAY AUGUST 26, 2016 • THEEDGE FINANCIAL DAILY TEP 5

PUSHING BOUNDARIES FOR A COLOURFUL & BEAUTIFUL MALAYSIA

Country Heights Holdings Bhd Tan Sri Lee Kim Yew: an Sri Lee Kim Yew is but I do agree this is one of the the founder of Coun- most eff ective ways for develop- try Heights Holdings ers to reach out to young buyers. Bhd (CHHB). The de- Land is the key to Even in the hospitality and lei- veloper has covered sure sectors, it is important to use the spectrum of prop- social media such as Facebook, Terty development and investment Whatsapp or WeChat to engage properties with residential, indus- accumulate wealth with your targeted customers. trial, hotel and leisure, commer- If we still stick to the convention- cial and recreation projects under BY TAN AI LENG OF THEEDGEPROPERTY.COM al ways of approaching customers, its belt. we will lose our competitive edge. With more than three decades Social media platforms also of- of involvement in real estate, Lee fer the market information which has become a property icon in plete the 4,000 houses. Th is was vine, a 1.2km jungle trek and fi ve ous facilities to encourage inter- could provide insights on market Malaysia for his innovative ideas the most productive period in my landscaped retention ponds. action outdoors. trends and the needs of the young- in delivering uniquely-designed career as every day I had to build When the concept of this town- I have travelled to Taiwan to do er generation. projects, such as Th e Mines in Seri six houses, without fail, in order to ship and the plan to build a water- some research on their U-bike sys- Kembangan, Selangor, carved out achieve the target. fall was revealed, it sparked some tem and I am thinking of imple- Your property outlook of a former excavated tin mining Apart from residential develop- controversies as some people were menting the idea in Youth City by for 2016/2017? site. Among the landmarks at Th e ments, for the past 30 years, we have worried that the development would providing bicycle tracks and shared I think the market will remain Mines are the Palace of the Gold- built shopping centres, exhibition aff ect the forest environment. bicycles for residents to cycle to slow, very slow due to economic en Horses hotel and The Mines centres, offi ces, schools and hotels However, we have proved that and from train stations (when they uncertainties. Th ese are challeng- Shopping Mall. as well as golf courses. we can preserve nature while build- travel to work). ing times that will test the ability of Th e 61-year-old tycoon is still ac- ing homes there. Today, the man- In this township project, we industry players and will require tive in the industry and was recently What was your most made waterfall and garden park are looking at providing about them to come out with new ide- appointed as the chairman of CHHB memorable project have become the development’s 10,000 aff ordable homes for the as and management skills to en- in June this year so he could continue and why? main attractions. young with selling prices below hance their competitiveness. to share his experience and knowl- There are a number of projects RM350,000. Business leaders will need to edge of the industry in the company. which are memorable to me, such Buyers are getting stand out and form a lobby group as the Mauritius housing project, younger. How do you What are your invest- to discuss with the government Th eEdgeProperty. the Borneo Highland Resort and engage them? ment tips for fi rst-time about economic issues — eg com: Building Th e Mines. Social media platforms are good homebuyers? Goods and Service Tax (GST), and selling homes — But among all, Country Heights ways to engage and disseminate My advice is don’t rush to stay in and offering advice to the au- what was it like then Damansara in Kuala Lumpur is the project information to young buy- the city, but stay by the city. It’s bet- thorities on taking the right ap- and now? jewel in the crown. ers. However, it is important to ter to choose a location which has proach to improve the business Tan Sri Lee Kim Yew: From my over Country Heights Damansara is understand their needs and off er good accesibility to the city centre, environment and to spur eco- 30 years of experience, I have learnt one of the most exclusive townships products they desire. Nowadays, but not within the city, as proper- nomic growth. that no matter how smart you are, in Kuala Lumpur. Located on top of we see that many people prefer to ties just outside the city would be no one can escape when the envi- a hill surrounded by lush greenery, stay at home and interact via mo- more reasonably priced and have What is your aspiration ronment is hit by a crisis especially it off ers a 19-acre garden park with bile devices. One reason could be a good living environment. for the Malaysian the property development industry. a man-made waterfall, a 400m ra- because there is a lack of public Although city centres are busi- property sector? Although we cannot keep our- places where they can have out- ness hubs and have more modern Th e younger generation is the key selves away from any fi nancial cri- door activities. lifestyle activities for the young, driver of the property sector to sis, as a company we can learn to With that in mind, CHHB is staying in suburban areas could of- achieve sustainable growth. Th eir be humble and keep our funda- planning a project tentatively fer more space and opportunities to need to own a home must be tak- mentals healthy to cushion the named Youth City which will of- venture into high technology food en care of. turbulence. Managing gearing is fer affordable housing with vari- production industries especially In order to encourage home important to keep the company hi-tech farming and agro-tourism ownership, CHHB has taken two fundamentally healthy to enable — which I think is the trend of the approaches to assist homebuyers it to embrace the challenges of an “The younger future. to purchase homes as well as help economic downturn. Apart from this, I always believe the next generation of customers Many companies have increased generation is in land investments. Th ere is a Chi- to own a home in the future. their gearing levels for expansion nese saying “land is the key to wealth” Th e fi rst plan is to launch the during boom times. When the Asian the key driver which means you could accumulate Youth City project in Bukit Berun- Financial Crisis happened, the weak- wealth through buying and accumu- tung, which off ers aff ordably-priced ened market sentiment and shrink- of the property lating land as every industry needs homes for the young who are look- ing consumer spending caused many land to develop their business. ing for their fi rst home. companies to close. sector to achieve The second plan is to reintro- The same principal also How key is social duce the Country Heights Inno- applies in today’s business sustainable media to your business vation in Property Investment environment. With man- — are you on social (Chipi) scheme — a loyalty pro- ageable gearing ratio and growth.” media? gramme for our customers’ sec- healthy cash fl ow, busi- I am not so active on social media ond generation. ness owners can not only survive a fi nancial crisis but also other challeng- es such as war or other Tan Sri Lee Kim Yew’s Investment tips unprecedented situa- for fi rst-time homebuyers tions like Brexit. How many homes have you built? 1. 2. 3. 4. I have built millions of square feet in Malaysia, London and in Mauritius Don’t rush to stay Get a landed Accumulate wealth For investors, look (back in 1994). in the city, but stay property and look through acquir- at good plots of CHHB was awarded a pro- by the city for bet- for opportunities to ing land as every land during market ject by the government of ter living environ- venture into food industry needs downturns and Mauritius to complete some ment and greater production indus- land to develop invest in land low-cost housing which could fi nancial freedom tries especially their business. withstand 200kph winds and hi-tech farming extreme weather. and agro-tourism I had two years to com- HARIS HASSAN / TheEdgeProperty.com TEP 6 FRIDAY AUGUST 26, 2016 • THEEDGE FINANCIAL DAILY

PUSHING BOUNDARIES FOR A COLOURFUL & BEAUTIFUL MALAYSIA

Eco World Development Group Bhd Tan Sri Liew Kee Sin: an Sri Liew Kee Sin, Another great and more recent chairman of Eco World experience was our EcoWorld Sea- Development Group sons Flower Show which drew Bhd (EcoWorld), has Achieve greater crowds to all our sales galleries in been in the property in- the Klang Valley, Iskandar Malay- dustry since 1989. The sia and Penang. Our Eco Majestic TEconomics degree holder majoring in Semenyih recorded numbers in business administration started off heights by embracing close to 30,000 people who visited as a banker in 1981. After five years the project during the month-long in the banking industry, he ventured event. How the news, postings and into property development. photos went viral were totally be- His fi rst project was in Taman Bukit technology yond my expectation. Indah, Ampang. Following a reverse takeover of S P Setia Bhd, he was then Your property outlook appointed its president and CEO, a BY NATALIE KHOO OF THEEDGEPROPERTY.COM for 2016/2017? position he held for the next 18 years, The strong support we have re- from May 1996 until April 2014. ceived from our customers, fi nan- In mid-2012, Liew led the Malay- ciers and shareholders in what sian consortium of S P Setia, Sime met, I push even higher. Never in Our EcoWorld team also consists of has the necessary infrastructure has arguably been one of the more Darby Bhd and the Employees Prov- my wildest dreams did I think that young people whom we constant- and amenities in place. Location challenging times for the proper- ident Fund Board (EPF) to success- I would be a developer in London. ly engage with to understand their may no longer be the top priori- ty market in recent memory is a fully bid for the Battersea Power Today, EcoWorld even has its pres- preferences. ty as developments are expanding strong confi dence booster for us at Station site in London, UK and was ence in Sydney, Australia. I’ve had One other way is through social further away from the city due to EcoWorld. 2016 will be a tough year appointed the fi rst chairman of the the opportunity to build not only media because it’s quick, short and scarcity of land, so you need to en- industry-wide. Hopefully by 2017, Battersea Project Holding Company townships, high rises and integrat- eff ective. Th e way a development sure that the place you are buying the property market will begin to Ltd in 2012, a position he held until ed commercial developments but is planned has also changed. Now is well connected. turn. I believe in the long-term September 2015. to bring back a power station to life there’s more emphasis on lifestyle, prospects of the overall property Th e project, which was launched (Battersea Power Station in Lon- convenience and amenities. On top How key is social me- market in Malaysia. We can see that in January 2013, has been met with don)! What are numbers compared of that, details are important and, of dia to your business — demand for landed residential and resounding success whereby all 855 to these experiences? course, our customer service. It’s are you on social gated and guarded townships that standard units launched have been about creating value as a whole and media? have good accessibility remains re- sold, raking in sales of £725 million What was your most not just for capital appreciation of We are very active on social media silient. Th is can clearly be seen in (RM3.87 billion, making it one of memorable project the property. such as Facebook and YouTube. On EcoWorld’s strong sales of RM1.315 the bestselling developments in and why? Facebook alone, we have a follow- billion (as at May 31, 2016). London in recent years. Th ey say your fi rst love is the most What are your invest- ing of more than 300,000 people. We are also optimistic due to the Liew left S P Setia in 2014 and was memorable one. I started with ment tips for fi rst-time Social media plays a huge role in population demographic. Malaysia appointed non-independent and Taman Bukit Indah, Ampang, homebuyers? our business as it is easier to reach has a young population with an av- non-executive director of EcoWorld building terraced houses and Always buy from a reputable de- out to people. Take for example our erage age of 30 years, an age when in May 2014. He was re-designat- semi-dees. Th ere I learned many veloper. Also, ensure the project EcoWorld Starlight 2015 concert most would have saved enough to ed as the chairman of the board of valuable lessons. Do you know that featuring Wang Lee Hom in 2015 buy properties. Aside from that, the EcoWorld a year later. a day prior to our offi cial launch- whereby we used social media to unemployment rate is low at 3.0% ing, there was such a heavy down- reach out to people and it was a to 3.2%. Th e economy grew 5% in Th eEdgeProperty.com: pour that the whole site was fl ood- huge success. 2015 with Bank Negara Malaysia Building and selling ed! Th at was because we forgot to projecting a growth of 4.0% to 4.5% homes — what was it build the drainage system! in 2016, which is still commendable. like then and now? Also, there were too many rocks Tan Sri Liew Kee Sin: Back then, it at the site that when the construc- ”We want to What is your aspira- was about making sure you built a tion was taking place, rocks fl ew all tion for the Malaysian solid house just as a means of shel- over the place and made holes on the be there even property sector? ter. People today are looking for roofs of the houses. I had to physical- I want to continually see good prod- lifestyle. We make sure we provide ly deliver hampers to all the house after we have ucts delivered into the market for the amenities for them. We build owners to apologise. homebuyers. At EcoWorld, we want show villages instead of just show But we learned from all these handed over to uphold our promise of deliver- houses. We invest in infrastructure mistakes. All these problems ing good and reputable products to ensure that buyers have easy ac- seem small now but back the homes to to our customers. It’s not all talk, cess, in and out. Our project offi ces then, it was either do or these are promises that we need to are no longer just a site offi ce. It’s a die. our buyers.” deliver. I always tell the team, don’t show gallery that encompasses the just show the customer nice artist’s whole lifestyle experience giving Buyers are impressions. What you show, you you a taste of what living in one of getting need to make sure you deliver and our developments would be like. young- even more. In the property sector, Back then, when I closed one or er. How do we need to keep moving forward. two sales a day, I was already really you engage Th e good thing is, we’ve got tech- happy. I remembered my all-time them? nology that will continually help us record was 24 sales a day and I was We find more excit- move to greater heights. Embrace pumping my fi st in the air. All sales ing ways to commu- technology to help you move up. were done manually using hard copy nicate with them. To- fi les. Today, we can sell over a few day, our homebuyers million ringgit worth of properties are mostly aged 45 in a day. It’s also about building the years old and below. Tan Sri Liew Kee Sin’s tips for brand and making a long-term com- first-time home buyers mitment towards the communities that we build. Our job is not just to build houses. We want to be there even after we have handed over the homes to our buyers. 1. 2. 3. How many homes have you built? Buy from a repu- Ensure the project Ensure that the I think it’s not about the number of table developer has the necessary place you are homes one has built but more about infrastructure buying into is the experience. With every devel- and amenities well connected opment you keep pushing yourself SAM FONG | TheEdgeProperty.com to do better. When a benchmark is FRIDAY AUGUST 26, 2016 • THEEDGE FINANCIAL DAILY TEP 7

PUSHING BOUNDARIES FOR A COLOURFUL & BEAUTIFUL MALAYSIA

I-Bhd Tan Sri Lim Kim Hong: -Bhd group executive chairman to buy a property for his or her Tan Sri Lim Kim Hong began his own stay, fulfilling two of these entrepreneurial journey with factors would be good enough for his own furniture business, a Well-planned projects them to buy. However, investors business he was first introduced should consider buying only when to at the tender age of 11. the property possesses all three ITh e 66-year-old business veteran factors. was responsible for the successful list- less affected by ing of Sumurwang Sdn Bhd’s manu- How key is social me- facturing arm, Dreamland Holdings dia to your business Bhd on The Kuala Lumpur Stock — are you on social Exchange (now known as Bursa Ma- negative factors media? laysia Securities Bhd) in 1987. After Marketing and promotions are cru- Dreamland Holdings changed its cial for the property development name to Kanzen Bhd, Lim divested BY SHAWN NG OF THEEDGEPROPERTY.COM industry, and as a company com- Sumurwang’s interest in Kanzen to ing from the digital appliance back- reorganise Sumurwang’s corporate ground, we are very aware of the structure to focus on three business impact of digital technology. Th at areas — property development, man- ing on this project and has built What was your most egy — providing designs targeted is why, both internally, in terms of ufacturing and fi nancial services. some 5,000 units of properties memorable project at the young while having a strong monitoring and communicating as In 1999, Lim acquired I-Bhd here over the years. However, it is and why? social media marketing approach. well as reaching out to our potential through Sumurwang and steered not appropriate to compare i-City i-City is my favourite and most More importantly, when we first customers, we use a lot of social me- the group to transform 72 acres of with other townships in terms of memorable project. It has been in- conceived i-City, it was to be a dia tools. Nowadays, young people freehold plantation land in Shah number of homes built as the scale jected with what I call my “industri- place for the young. Th us, the fa- love technology, so we use social Alam into what is envisioned to be is diff erent. Th is ultrapolis devel- al style”, which emphasises planning cilities, infrastructure and design media to reach them and this strat- an ultrapolis development known opment has probably one of the and packaging of a project. Th is is a were planned with this in mind. We egy has been pretty successful. as i-City. In the same year, he also highest gross development value well-planned township and we’ve think this is something diff erent as started a digital appliance business (GDV) per acre in the country at put in a lot of eff ort to ensure its suc- most townships are designed for Your property outlook under Dreamland Holdings. about RM130 million. Along these cess. Th e 72-acre project, which we mature families rather than for the for 2016/2017? Th e RM9 billion i-City devel- lines, we are probably one of the fi rst started planning sometime be- single executive or newly married Although there seems to be some opment comprises high-rise resi- few developers that is willing and tween 2002 to 2003, was not initial- couples. Furthermore, with i-City’s headwind in the property sector, dences, offi ce suites, a theme park, able to construct 3,000 residen- ly favoured by some people at that excellent location, connectivity and we see it nearing the bottom so we hotels and data centres. Going for- tial units at one go together with time, but we’ve proven them wrong. facilities, I believe the project will expect 2017 to be better than 2016. ward, there are plans to launch a data centre, theme park, hotels For me, i-City is special as it is in continue to attract buyers. The property sector is expected smart homes in April 2017 that and a 1.5 million sq ft shopping line with the government’s mission to recover by 2018, which is the will share the same tower block mall slated for opening in 2018. to be one of the most liveable cities What are your invest- year of the 14th Malaysian Gen- as Double Tree Hilton. In 2018, By the end of 2016, we will deliver in the world. Th us, the government ment tips for fi rst-time eral Election. Based on historical i-City will usher in a 1.5 million sq 1,000 units of high-rise residenc- has given its support to make this homebuyers? records, the country’s economy ft shopping mall. es and have another 2,000 units project a catalyst for the development It is likely that buyers will even- will usually pick up before a gen- Besides i-City, I-Bhd has recently under construction of which 80% of Shah Alam. Furthermore, i-City tually upgrade as their families eral election. Hence, the outlook embarked on developing a grandi- have been sold. has given me valuable experience get bigger and their fi nancial po- for the property market is bright ose serviced residence located in the which will defi nitely help I-Bhd in sition improves. So they should although it is currently suff ering heart of Kuala Lumpur’s Golden Tri- the future. Going forward, we aim to be looking for a development that from political uncertainties and angle known as 8 Kia Peng @ KLCC. achieve internal growth and look for will have good re-sale value, hence an economic downturn which is potential partners to develop the location is always key. If a buyer similar to the last downturn in Th eEdgeProperty.com: project hand-in-hand, thus mak- manages to acquire property in a 2006. These negative factors are Building and selling ing the project more prominent. good location, he or she will face dragging down buying interest but homes — what was it less risks. In deciding whether to they will not aff ect the progress of like then and now? Buyers are getting buy a property, buyers should look a property project. Moreover, well- Tan Sri Lim Kim Hong: For I-Bhd, younger. How do at three factors: the property’s lo- planned projects located in good there is no diff erence in building you engage them? cation, its leasing and its selling locations will be less aff ected by homes as we devote ourselves to We have a two-pronged strat- potential. For a buyer who plans these factors. the implementation of i-City’s mas- ter plan and vision. In terms of What is your aspiration selling property, there is no dif- for the Malaysian prop- ference as well, as the project is “We want all Malaysians to erty sector? still sought after by young buy- We hope that abandoned projects ers, thanks to the master plan. be confi dent that wherever will be a thing of the past. We want However, there is a diff er- all Malaysians to be confi dent that ence in the challenges we are they buy property or wherever they buy property or who- facing today. In the beginning, ever they buy it from, it will be deliv- the hardest part was to come whoever they buy it from, ered. On the other hand, I also hope up with an intact concept for that banks can loosen their lending i-City, but we managed to over- it will be delivered.“ policy for fi rst-time homebuyers. come that and performed ex- ceedingly well. Fast forward to the present — the challenge now is how to proceed with the project Tan Sri Lim Kim Hong’s tips according to the initial plan. Th ere for first-time home buyers could be a shift in prioritising the three key elements in i-City, which is lifestyle, modern and technology. Looking ahead, i-City may emphasise more 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. on technology to cater to young buyers. Look at 3 factors: Assess the prop- Assess the For a buyer looking For investors, How many location, leas- erty’s leasing property’s future for a home for the property homes have ing and selling potential re-sale value own stay, if the should possess you built? potential property fulfi lls all three factors Being the mas- any two of the three ter developer factors, it would of i-City, I-Bhd be a good buy MOHD IZWAN MOHD NAZAM / TheEdgeProperty.com has been focus- TEP 8 FRIDAY AUGUST 26, 2016 • THEEDGE FINANCIAL DAILY

PUSHING BOUNDARIES FOR A COLOURFUL & BEAUTIFUL MALAYSIA

Iskandar Waterfront Holdings Bhd Tan Sri Lim Kang Hoo: an Sri Lim Kang Hoo is lucky to undertake this 486-acre the founder of Iskan- project and work with the right dar Waterfront Hold- partner, CREC. The project is one ings Bhd (IWH) and Act on opportunities of the beneficiaries of the Kuala Ekovest Bhd, where Lumpur-Singapore HSR as there he currently serves will be a terminus in it. The in- Tas executive vice-chairman and tegrated development aims to executive chairman, respective- from the HSR link attract a population of 800,000, ly. The self-made businessman plus 500,000 people who travel in and Johor-based property ty- and out every day with the HSR. coon began his involvement in BY SHAWN NG OF THEEDGEPROPERTY.COM Phase one of Bandar Malaysia is the construction industry soon expected to start next year and after completing his secondary will cost between RM50 billion education, assisting in the family and RM60 billion. This phase will construction business. house a Kuala Lumpur-Singa- How many homes this into a refreshingly different sprawl over 100 acres and is ex- Under his helm, IWH has com- pore High Speed Rail (HSR) ter- have you built? place, off ering inspired lifestyles. pected to be completed in six to pleted a number of projects in minus station. The project is the We have built thousands of com- Our development master plan eight years. Johor, such as Casa Almyra, first integrated development to mercial and residential buildings. envisages the creation of an en- Danga Walk, Danga Utama, be built under the public-private At IWH, we have a total landbank vironment of style and sophisti- Buyers are getting Danga View Apartment, Tropez partnership (PPP) model. There of 4,300 acres, most of which are cation, with a range of exciting younger. How do you Residences and Oasis 1 @ will always be people who are prime waterfront land located lifestyle options that integrate engage them? Tropicana Danga Cove. sceptical. right in the heart of Iskandar Ma- living, shopping and relaxing — With technology improving every At the end of last year, IWH Developers have learnt a lot laysia — the fastest growing spe- all into one location. Ultimate- day, it is important for us to have formed a consortium with China from the 1997-1998 financial cial economic zone in Malaysia. ly, the plan is to build an exclu- a company website so that it’s Railway Engineering Corp (M) crisis. However, to survive in The jewel in the crown of sive waterfront sanctuary that easier for the public to get to Sdn Bhd (CREC) and purchased the property development in- our development is Danga Bay effortlessly combines modern know us and be in touch with us. 60% of the equity interest in Ban- dustry today, it is very diffi- — a strategically located water- amenities with traditional val- We also engage the newspapers dar Malaysia from 1MDB Real Es- cult. So developers must create front destination straddling the ues to offer a truly tranquil en- and online news portals. tate Sdn Bhd on Dec 31 last year. unique and innovative projects Straits of Johor and overlooking vironment for Malaysians and The consortium will undertake to succeed. Singapore. We plan to transform foreigners alike. Your property out- the RM200 billion mega project look for 2016/2017? located on the former Sungai Besi What was your most With cooling measures by the air force base, which will be car- memorable project government, the market will be ried out over three to four phases and why? slower, but it depends on the lo- and likely to take 20 to 25 years At the top of the list is Bandar cation. The property market all to complete. Malaysia — the mega integrat- over the world will have its up Lim is also a director of several ed development in the centre and down cycles. People have companies, including Iskandar of the Klang Valley. We’re very grown from experience after a Waterfront City Bhd, PLS Plan- tations Bhd, Knusford Bhd and Tebrau Teguh Bhd. Forbes ranked Lim number 26 in the list of Ma- “I remember 15 years ago, people laysia’s 50 Richest in 2016 with a total net worth of US$550 million thought I was crazy when I showed (RM2.2 billion). them the plans for transforming TheEdgeProperty. com: Building and Johor Bahru into a waterfront city like selling homes — what was it like then and Shenzhen and Hong Kong.” now? Tan Sri Lim Kang Hoo: I have been in this industry for more than 30 years. After graduating few cycles, which makes the de- from high school, I joined my veloper and property buyers wis- family construction business be- er, and to know when to buy and fore I founded a civil engineer- when to sell. ing and construction company with a partner. The company has What is your aspira- evolved to become Ekovest Bhd, tion for the Malaysian which is a multi-function con- property sector? struction-based entity listed on I really hope that people can see Bursa Malaysia. I also founded and act immediately on the op- Iskandar Waterfront Holdings, portunities arising from the im- a government-linked company plementation of the HSR. I’ve that was specifically incorporat- witnessed how the creation of ed to be the master developer of the Iskandar Malaysia econom- 4,300 acres of prime waterfront ic growth corridor in Johor back land in Johor Bahru, known as in 2006 successfully revived the the Flagship “A” Zone of Iskan- state in the wake of the Asian Fi- dar Malaysia. nancial Crisis, and I believe that I remember 15 years ago, peo- infrastructure such as the HSR ple thought I was crazy when I will be just as successful. Hence, showed them the plans for trans- we became the highest bidder forming Johor Bahru into a wa- for Bandar Malaysia because we terfront city like Shenzhen and saw the potential of the HSR and Hong Kong. No one was willing the project — the upside will be to lend me a dollar and people there. HSR is a boon not just for laughed at me. However, with the the property sector. The rail pro- success of the Flagship “A” Zone, ject will open up opportunities it has proven the sceptics wrong. to ports, airports, cargo and all Today, some people are other industries along the align- laughing and sceptical about ment besides Kuala Lumpur and KENNY YAP / TheEdgeProperty.com Bandar Malaysia as well. It will Iskandar Malaysia.

TEP 10 FRIDAY AUGUST 26, 2016 • THEEDGE FINANCIAL DAILY

PUSHING BOUNDARIES FOR A COLOURFUL & BEAUTIFUL MALAYSIA

LBS Bina Group Bhd Tan Sri Lim Hock San: fficially established With the property market slow- in the year of the down and with developers still Asian Financial launching new projects, now is Crisis in 1997, LBS The keys to success a good time to buy property be- Bina Group Bhd cause now it is a buyer’s market. (LBS) has gone Buyers will have more choices, Othrough market highs and lows in more time and bargaining power the property development sector are product, location to get a good deal. to emerge as one of the biggest However, fi rst-time homebuyers property players in Malaysia. should look at the concept, future Tan Sri Lim Hock San took over appreciation potential of the de- the reins of the group from his fa- and pricing velopment, as well as the repu- ther in 2001 and has led the ex- tation of the developer. Cheap is pansion of the group’s property not necessary good. Th e develop- development business. Prior to this, BY RACHEL CHEW OF THEEDGEPROPERTY.COM ment concept, facilities and nearby the Lim family was more focused amenities are important too. on running a lorry transportation business as well as a construction How key is social me- business. cheaper houses) because (material that makes me proud and happy We are also planning a shopping dia to your business “We started property develop- and construction) costs were low. especially because of its transfor- mall, offi ces and hotels. Th e town- — are you on social ment with projects around Klang Th e construction cost used to be mation from a rough barren site ship development should be fully media? Valley in Seri Kembangan, Bukit about RM30 to RM40 psf in 1997, into a comprehensive township completed in fi ve years. LBS is very active on social media. Serdang and Kota Perdana, where but today it is at RM100 to RM130 today. BSP is important because it is I myself am very active on it be- my family originally owned some psf. Th e construction cost has gone In 2003, we ran out of develop- the biggest project for LBS so far. cause it is fast, informative, easy land,” says Lim. up three times in 20 years. ment land after having fully devel- Th is project gave us the experience to use and convenient. With outstanding entrepreneur- No matter what, the property in- oped the lands we had in Serdang in developing a township. Social media is important to LBS ship and equipped with years of dustry will not fall because it (prop- and Balakong. So we decided to to gain publicity and in building our management and technical ex- erty) is something that everyone work together with the government Buyers are getting brand. We usually share company pertise, Lim has led LBS and its needs no matter when. It is also one and develop an 850-acre land next younger. How do you activities, news, and launches via subsidiaries to make their mark of the safest investments that one to Puchong into the BSP township. engage them? social media. in the country’s property develop- could make. If your houses cannot I still remember I stood on the We study their needs and require- However, it doesn’t mean that ment scene. sell, it is hardly the market’s prob- land after we had signed the agree- ments and build accordingly. For social media will take over tradi- Among LBS’ signifi cant projects lem, but it could be a problem with ment with the government and all I example, our 10-block BSP 21 has tional media because they serve dif- is Bandar Saujana Putra (BSP). BSP your product, location or pricing. could think of was that I must build over 70 facilities, you name it, we ferent groups of consumers. Social is a township project sitting on 850 It could be that you do not have a an interchange to make the place got it. BSP 21 also has 28 shoplots media serves the youth, while tra- acres next to Puchong, Selangor. nice track record so people are not accessible. that are managed by LBS. Th is is to ditional media serves older work- Lim was the inaugural Platinum confi dent with your project. Since then, we started develop- ensure that the tenants are those ing adults. Entrepreneur Award winner by SMI ing one phase after another. Today, that the residents will welcome. Association of Malaysia in 2011; How many homes we have built 9,100 properties there. Your property outlook the Prestigious Entrepreneur of the have you built? About 1,000 properties are under What are your invest- for 2016/2017? Year 2012 title holder at the Asia We have built at least 30,000 landed construction and, in the future, we ment tips for fi rst-time 2016 has been a challenging year. Pacifi c Entrepreneurship Awards; and high-rise residential properties will build another 7,000. homebuyers? Sad to say, 2017 will likely be an- and was conferred the World Chi- since 1997. We sell at least 2,000 other challenging year for Malaysia. nese Economic Summit (WCES) properties every year. We did not However, anytime is a good Lifetime Achievement Award for see a slowdown in transactions in time for the property industry. continued eff orts in enhancing bi- the past two years. LBS is moving “If your The keys are location, product lateral relations between Malaysia forward stably and steadily. and pricing. If you (developers) and China (Guangdong Province) We will be building more (prop- houses put enough eff ort to study what in 2015, among other awards. erties) in future. We have two over is needed, selling your project 600-acre township developments in cannot sell, shouldn’t be a problem. Th eEdgeProperty. Dengkil, Selangor and in Kulai, Jo- I also do not foresee property com: Building and hor. Both developments are waiting it is hardly prices going down anytime soon selling homes — what for approval from the authorities. because construction and build- was it like then and We will also be launching an- the market’s ing material prices do not seem now? other residential project in Bukit to be reducing. As a developer, I Tan Sri Lim Hock San: LBS Bina Jalil and the remaining residential problem, but will not sell at cost price. If the Bhd was established in 1997. It was blocks in Bandar Saujana Putra 21 market is really bad, we (devel- also the year that the Asian eco- (BSP 21). it could be a opers) can hold the supply till nomic crisis broke. We built very demand is strong again. Hence, aff ordable homes to suit market What was your most problem with developers are unlikely to lower conditions at that time. Can you memorable project house prices. imagine we priced a 18ft by 60ft and why? your product, landed house at RM135,000. In Every project has memorable What is your 2002, we priced a 850 sq ft apart- points. If I have to choose one, it location or aspiration for ment unit at only RM150,000. would have to be Bandar Sauja- the Malaysian We were able to do that (build na Putra (BSP). BSP is the project pricing.” property sec- tor? As Budget 2017 is going to be announced soon, Tan Sri Lim Hock San’s tips I believe the govern- for first-time home buyers ment will announce friendly policies, es- pecially housing poli- cies that would bene- fit the middle income 1. 2. 3. 4. group. I also hope to see Bank Negara Ma- laysia loosening the Buy when the Cheap is not always LookLLoooo at the project’s ConsiderCCooon the devel- lending guidelines be- market is down good. Look at the conceptcoon to see if it oper’soppe reputation cause the Malaysian market is property’s future suitssuuit your needs not as hot as it has been report- growth potential ed. The strict lending policy is also the biggest reason the mar- SHAHRIN YAHYA / TheEdgeProperty.com ket is stagnant now. FRIDAY AUGUST 26, 2016 • THEEDGE FINANCIAL DAILY TEP 11

PUSHING BOUNDARIES FOR A COLOURFUL & BEAUTIFUL MALAYSIA

Mah Sing Group Bhd Tan Sri Leong Hoy Kum: n 1965, Mah Sing group man- units. Built-ups from 977 sq ft aging director Tan Sri Leong to 1,345 sq ft. Indicatively priced Hoy Kum founded Mah Sing, from RM598,000. a plastic trading firm. Subse- The ability to adapt to • Cerrado serviced apartments quently, he founded the plas- in Southville City @ KL South. tic manufacturing division in Two phases with 1,616 units. I1986 and the business grew rap- Built-ups from 656 sq ft to 825 idly with proprietary and original change is crucial sq ft. Priced from RM388,000. equipment manufacturer (OEM) • D’sara Sentral, Sungai Buloh — products for the automotive and launch of fi nal serviced apart- electrical and electronic industries. BY NATALIE KHOO OF THEEDGEPROPERTY.COM ment block. Total: 197 units. Th e company was listed on Bur- Built-ups from 781 sq ft to 1,385 sa Malaysia in 1992. Th e company sq ft. Indicatively priced from then faced thinning margins and in RM580,000. a bid to protect his shareholders’ Malaysia. Th e majority are in Great- Buyers are getting How key is social • M Residence 2 in Rawang — land- value, Leong forged a new path for er Kuala Lumpur and the Klang Val- younger. How do you media to your busi- ed cluster homes (last phase of Mah Sing by entering the property ley with a total of 22 ongoing and 10 engage them? ness — are you on M Residence 2). Total: 120 units. industry in 1994 with their maid- completed projects while the others As mentioned, it is important for social media? Built-ups from 2,205 sq ft. Indic- en project, a 45-acre development are in Johor Bahru (Iskandar Malay- any business to be able to adapt to We are very active on social media atively priced from RM660,000. comprising link homes in Ulu Yam, sia), Penang Island and Kota Kina- changes and try new and eff ective via Facebook, YouTube, Instagram Selangor. balu, Sabah. Our properties range ways of doing things. as well as the instant messaging Penang Today, Mah Sing is one of the from high-rise and landed residenc- Th e younger generation is more application, WeChat. Our diverse • Ferringhi Residence 2 in Batu Fer- few fully integrated property de- es to integrated commercial cen- involved in social media and many use of social media has been rec- ringhi — resort condominiums. velopers with high-rise and landed tres and niche industrial parks. Th e use online platforms to obtain in- ognised and we have been awarded Total: 632 units. Built-ups from residential developments, integrat- group has more than 31,000 mem- formation. Th erefore, to reach out with the Social Media Excellence 1,208 sq ft to 2,910 sq ft. Indica- ed commercial centres and niche bers in our customer loyalty pro- to a younger target audience, our Award for Best in Lifestyle Devel- tively priced from RM719,816. industrial parks. gramme, M Club. marketing strategy includes social opment for two consecutive years. media as an important medium. We explore various forms of Iskandar Malaysia, Johor Bahru Th eEdgeProperty. What was your most online marketing strategies to in- • Th e Greenway @ Meridin East com: Building and memorable project What are your invest- troduce a product such as unique township in Pasir Gudang — selling homes — what and why? ment tips for fi rst-time catchphrases and images on Face- 2-storey link homes. Total: 492 was it like then and They are all very memorable! My homebuyers? book, entertaining videos on You- units. Built-ups from 1,595 sq now? team and I built these develop- Th ere are various considerations Tube, and more. One of our many ft to 1,648 sq ft. Priced from Tan Sri Leong Hoy Kum: In this ments from the ground up and before determining an ideal prop- successful campaigns was our Chi- RM356,000. era, it is important for any busi- when you are involved in a pro- erty investment. Before selecting nese New Year video featuring local ness to understand the impor- ject, you invest a good portion of a property, a buyer must under- YouTube celebrities, Reuben Kang What is your aspiration tance of change. It is crucial to in- your time and passion. All of my stand his or her fi nancial capabil- and Cathryn Lee. It went viral. It for the Malaysian prop- novate or adopt new and eff ective developments are special to me. ities to avoid a purchase that may has more than two million views erty sector? methodologies in order to be able Among our key projects are the be a burden in the future. Upon and 25,000 likes on Facebook and Being in the industry for 22 years, to cater to market needs. There “Iconic Series”. Our Iconic Series of determining a comfortable price YouTube. I have seen plenty of changes in have been many changes since projects are architectural master- range, a buyer can then select the property sector. Quiet neigh- Mah Sing fi rst stepped into the in- pieces with one goal — to reshape projects and compare factors like Your property outlook bourhoods have grown into bus- dustry and we continuously strive the Kuala Lumpur skyline. Th ey connectivity, convenient facilities, for 2016/2017? tling townships while property to be better. represent innovativeness and are amenities, location and more. Mah Sing recently opened its fi rst developers have incorporated Back in 1994, the cost of land, known for their revolution- Select a property from a de- neighbourhood lifestyle mall, Star more convenient features into materials and labour was lower ary design and excep- veloper that has a good Avenue Lifestyle Mall, in Sungai their projects. resulting in lower prices of homes tional quality. We have track record as this rais- Buloh. Our sales target for 2016 I believe there will be more con- compared to today. Buyers back four Iconic Series es the chance of time- is RM2.3 billion. Greater KL and ducive and convenient develop- then saw houses as a necessity. projects. The first ly delivery and high the Klang Valley are expected to ments. We want to live up to our Moreover, they were only able to was The Icon Tun quality. It is also im- contribute 69% to sales this year, brand promise to build high-quality rely on printed materials and prop- Razak @ Jalan Tun portant to look into with Johor expected to contribute and sustainable homes. We want to erty agents, therefore purchases Razak followed by possible future de- 21% followed by Penang at 9% and plan our projects while keeping in were usually made based on word Icon Residence @ velopments around Sabah at 1%. Our 2016 launches mind aff ordability, sustainability, se- of mouth or recommendations. Mont’Kiara, Icon the property as these include: curity, connectivity and convenience. Now a home is more than just City, Petaling Jaya may contribute to We hope to uplift the lifestyle of a home; it is a form of investment. and M City, Jalan value appreciation Greater KL and Klang Valley buyers with high-quality facilities Buyers today are very well informed Ampang. in the future. • Lakeville Residence, Taman and features as well as help every- as they can easily access information Wahyu — final tower of ser- one to own a home via attractive about the property market, projects viced apartment. Total: 327 sales plans. and related issues. Th ere are sem- inars, forums and online portals that allow investors to share their knowledge with each other. “It is important for any business to be Buyers today know the impor- tant factors to look out for. Home- able to adapt to changes and try new buyers prioritise convenience, amenities and facilities while inves- and eff ective ways of doing things.” tors look for connectivity, a strategic location and future developments which may increase the value of the property. Tan Sri Leong Hoy Kum’s tips Currently, the market is looking for first-time homebuyers at aff ordable homes. We are primed to support the need for aff ordable housing with 89% of our planned residential launches priced be- low the RM1 million range in 2016 1. 2. 3. 4. (68% below RM700k and 50% be- low RM500k). Understand your fi - Select location Select a property Look into possible How many homes nancial capabilities based on amenities from a devel- future develop- have you built? and facilities oper with good ments around

Mah Sing has 46 projects (35 ongo- MAH SING GROUP track record the property ing and 11 completed) throughout TEP 12 FRIDAY AUGUST 26, 2016 • THEEDGE FINANCIAL DAILY

PUSHING BOUNDARIES FOR A COLOURFUL & BEAUTIFUL MALAYSIA

Malaysian Resources Corp Bhd Tan Sri Mohamad Salim Fateh Din: successful entrepre- ing with its potential and existing neur with a pioneer- buyers on all the major and most ing spirit, Tan Sri Mo- popular social media platforms. hamad Salim Fateh Malaysia’s property Th ese platforms are monitored dai- Din, the managing ly and uploaded with content as director of Malaysian and when required. We also upload AResources Corp Bhd (MRCB), videos of our products on YouTube. is a business innovator who has market will continue Personally, I am not very active on owned and managed businesses social media, but I believe no busi- in construction, property invest- ness can do without social media ment and property development. in this day and age. One of the most signifi cant pro- to be dynamic jects developed by MRCB is KL Sen- What are your invest- tral. It is a RM18.4 billion gross devel- ment tips for fi rst-time opment value (GDV) development BY RACHEL CHEW OF THEEDGEPROPERTY.COM homebuyers? that collectively garnered more than As a fi rst-time buyer, it is impor- 17 awards. MRCB has fi ve transit-ori- tant to buy from reputable and ented developments (TODs), includ- reliable developers with proven ing one on the 1.87-acre German development, Kuala Lumpur Sen- tower in the form of diamonds be- Buyers are getting track records in delivering quality Embassy land in Kuala Lumpur with tral CBD, it remains the unassail- ing stacked together because Shell younger. How do you homes on schedule, at good loca- a GDV of RM1.5 billion. able leader of TODs in Malaysia. was involved in diamond mining engage them? tions and addresses. MRCB is one of the fi rst property The 72-acre, RM18.4 billion activities back in its early years. Younger buyers embrace a fast- Purchasers of properties from developers in the country to embark Kuala Lumpur Sentral CBD de- We also complied with green paced lifestyle and spend a lot of reputable developers will most likely on the green development concept. velopment is anchored by a world standard requirements, which were time on digital platforms. Social benefi t from higher value appreci- Among its hallmark green projects class transportation hub, integrating still very new in the market then and media and online media platforms ation of their assets. Furthermore, are Menara Shell and the Ascott high-quality commercial and resi- fulfi lled a lot of Shell’s sustainability have become important marketing only reliable and conscientious Sentral serviced apartments — both dential projects designed to max- requirements. Together with Shell, or promotional tools to engage with developers will provide suffi cient located at its fl agship KL Sentral imise access to public transport. We we wanted to be among the fi rst to them. As such, we have also secured amenities and facilities that are sus- development. Another green pro- have other TODs that we are cur- adopt new energy effi ciency bench- win-win partnerships with relevant tainable and practical for commu- ject development it is currently de- rently developing —Cyberview City marks and create cost savings for parties that have demonstrated acu- nity living for many years to come. veloping is PJ Sentral Garden City Centre, Penang Sentral and Kwasa the tower. Menara Shell was award- men in online marketing. located in Petaling Jaya. Sentral. Our property development ed the Leadership in Energy and Our marketing communica- Your property outlook Before joining MRCB, Salim had revenues are underpinned by our Environmental Design (LEED) Plat- tion strategy is more interactive, for 2016/2017? pioneered the “Super Store Pet- 410-acre urban landbank which has inum standard certifi cation from allowing bolder and louder inter- Th e 2016/2017 property outlook rol Station” concept for leading an estimated gross development the US Green Building Council and actions that will draw the atten- is still positive. Th ere are a lot of oil companies Shell, Esso, BP and value (GDV) of RM50 billion. a Malaysian Green Building Index tion of younger buyers and capture foreign interests wanting to invest Caltex. He was also responsible (GBI) certifi cation. their hearts. We also carry out focus in Malaysia with several ongoing for designing the latest distribu- What was your most Th e tower has achieved 35% en- group sessions with this target mar- developments in the Klang Valley tion centre for Malaysian leading memorable project ergy savings, up to 50% reduction in ket to understand their lifestyles, and the state of Johor, particular- retailer, Giant, by modernising and and why? water consumption and 3,700 tonnes needs, wants and reactions to our ly from China. Th ey are attracted improving its food-processing sys- My most memorable project was in carbon emission reduction. In upcoming products. Th is allows us no doubt by Malaysia’s excellent tems while reducing logistics costs Menara Shell in Kuala Lumpur addition, the tower is also designed to understand their wish lists and long-term prospects and the gov- and delivery turnaround time. Sentral CBD. There were many as an earthquake-ready building. incorporate any relevant fi ndings ernment’s far-sighted investment companies that bid for the de- Menara Shell was a winner at the in our new products. in transportation infrastructure. Th eEdgeProperty.com: sign, construction and commis- FIABCI Malaysia Property Awards For instance, Bandar Malaysia has Building and selling sioning of Menara Shell. We won 2015 under the Offi ce Development How key is social become a huge boost for property homes — what was it the bid because of our strength in category and the FIABCI World media to your market sentiment in encouraging like then and now? customising the building for the Prix d’ Excellence Awards 2016 in business — are you more local developers to joint ven- Tan Sri Mohamad Salim Fateh client. We specially designed the Panama City. on social media? ture with foreign partners to devel- Din: Buyers are more knowledgea- Social media is increasingly be- op new property products. ble and discerning nowadays. Th ey coming a major frontline tool In general, property develop- have a high level of accessibility “I want to see Malaysian in our marketing or promo- ment projects in strategic locations and ease in obtaining information tional efforts. We can no with excellent transportation con- about the latest property develop- developers setting the standard longer rely on advertising nectivity and amenities will con- ments. Building and selling homes and communication via tinue to sell well and will be very no longer just entails the “push” in developing iconic projects that mainstream traditional successful. At MRCB, we are looking strategy like in the past. media alone. at enhancing construction delivery Now, customers are more se- the nation can take pride in.” MRCB is actively engag- of our products, maintaining good lective and precise in identifying quality and raising new technology their needs for their dream homes and green standards in property because of the availability of infor- development, as well as focusing mation online at their fi ngertips. In Tan Sri Mohamad Salim on our strong expertise in TODs. order to thrive as a developer in to- Fateh Din’s investment tips day’s market conditions, we simply What is your aspiration have to understand the customers’ to fi rst-time home buyers for the Malaysian current needs and anticipate their property sector? future wants, while keeping abreast The Malaysian property market of trends in the market. is still competitively priced com- pared to other markets in the re- How many homes 1. 2. gion, and it is still very attractive have you built? for purchasers and investors. I am At MRCB, my focus is more on confident that our local proper- urban development particularly Buy from Choose good ty market will continue to be one TODs. MRCB pioneered TODs in reputable and locations and of the region’s most dynamic and Malaysia, and through its mul- reliable developers addresses for higher vibrant in the long term. I would ti-award winning green fl agship value appreciation like to see more innovative build- ings and homes adopting green features that promote energy ef- ficiency and create a conducive environment to live, work and play in. I also want to see Malaysian developers setting the standard in

MRCB developing iconic projects that the nation can take pride in.

TEP 14 FRIDAY AUGUST 26, 2016 • THEEDGE FINANCIAL DAILY

PUSHING BOUNDARIES FOR A COLOURFUL & BEAUTIFUL MALAYSIA

MKH Bhd Tan Sri Eddy Chen: an Sri Eddy Chen is as Your property outlook passionate about real for 2016/2017? estate today as when Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) has he first started out in We need more recently reduced the overnight the construction and policy rate. I hope BNM will fur- property develop- ther reduce it by the end of the Tment industry more than three year. When BNM does so, other decades ago. Chen was appoint- liveable homes banks will follow. Th is means that ed to the board of MKH Bhd (for- monthly repayments will be lower merly known as Metro Kajang due to lower interest rates charged Holdings Sdn Bhd) on July 31, BY RACHEL CHEW OF THEEDGEPROPERTY.COM on mortgages. 1984 and has been its managing When people have more money, director since 2005. they can spend and the Asian men- Having gained a strong foothold tality is to spend on things which in Kajang where it is based, MKH has Pelangi Damansara in Petaling real estate is the best investment, include landscaping, parks, gated will appreciate in value. However, ventured into urban centres such as Jaya. It was not a small project. We so they are more knowledgeable and guarded facility, green homes I foresee the property market will Damansara, Bangsar, Mont’Kiara, built 5,600 apartment units there. in terms of house buying. About and innovative homes. still be fl at until the end of this year. Shah Alam, Cheras, Petaling Jaya Th e project commenced right af- 60% of Malaysians are 40 years old and other parts of Greater Kuala ter the 1997 Asian Financial Cri- and below. Th is is also the group How key is social me- What is your aspira- Lumpur, focusing mainly on homes sis and we were selling it at a low that is more tech savvy and easi- dia to your business — tion for the Malaysian for the middle class. price, plus we had to relocate over ly access information, news and are you on social property sector? Led by Chen, the Bursa Ma- 400,000 squatters who were on the trends. Hence MKH Bhd is invest- media? MKH Bhd would like to see a vi- laysia-listed company has to date land. Th e biggest challenge, how- ing in social media to engage them MKH Bhd has its own website brant property sector where devel- developed more than 30,000 units ever, was the cleaning up of foreign while continuing to build aff orda- and Facebook account. We up- opers are able to build more houses of homes with a value exceeding workers by the government in 2000. ble houses with lifestyle facilities, date our news, new launches, ac- for the growing population, espe- RM12 billion. Foreign workers only came back with easy access to public trans- tivity and promotions on both cially affordable housing. I wish to Malaysia half a year later. Th is port, schools and child care. our website and social media. We that the government will make the Th eEdgeProperty. caused the project to be a year be- also interact with the public via cost of building cheaper, rather com: Building and hind schedule. We worked day and What are your invest- our social media so if they have than merely providing subsidies selling homes — what night, but the quality was aff ected. ment tips for fi rst-time questions they can ask away. So- that can only help a little. By reduc- was it like then and Th e consequence was that instead homebuyers? cial media is very important in ing the cost, such as related taxes, now? of 12 months, our team had to be Location, location, location. It is growing the business because developers will be encouraged to Tan Sri Eddy Chen: Th ose days, we stationed on site to carry out recti- old-school, but it is evergreen. the biggest group of buyers are build more aff ordable homes. (developers) were building basic fi cations for three years. Th e young buyer or young fami- aged below 40 years old. This I also would like to see Malay- homes — a place that you go back Nevertheless, there is a hap- ly should look at the availability group of people are usually tech sian developers build more livea- to sleep after work. But now, we are py ending. The first buyer would of schools, public transport and savvy and their main source of ble homes and create more liveable building houses with lifestyle con- have bought a unit for RM150 amenities. Basically where the information is the Internet. environments. cepts and facilities such as smart psf. Now it can be sold at RM300 public transport is located, prop- homes and green homes — all be- to RM400 psf. erty prices in these places will be cause of lifestyle demands. Peo- more stable. Also, do a little bit of ple are more aware of their health Buyers are getting research on the background of the and lifestyle because they are more younger. How do you developer, such as how long it has knowledgeable and informed to- engage them? been in the market and whether day with greater exposure to what’s Youngsters generally have smaller it is an award-winning developer, around the world. disposable income. However, they because this is their track record. Besides that, people need small- are usually the more ambitious You should also think about your er spaces because more parents and ones. Th is is the group whose par- needs as well as your family’s, such children want to live on their own. ents have been telling them that as more liveable features, which Also, seniors know how to take care of themselves and are more fi nan- cially independent. During good times, we only need “I would like to see Malaysian developers to do minimal announcements to sell our projects and it will be fully build more liveable homes and create sold within a short period. Howev- er, in times like these (market slow- more liveable environments.” down), we see a new phenomenon which we call personal sales. Agents and brokers have become more im- portant now because they are more Tan Sri Eddy Chen’s tips for first-time fl exible (working at odd hours) and commission driven so they are more home buyers aggressive in closing deals. They have their network, knowledge of the area and can provide advice which advertisements cannot do. Th ey can give a personal touch and 1. 2. 3. 4. that little bit of extra that could draw customers to see the place. Location, location Look at amenities Check the track Think about what How many homes and location like schools and record of the features you need have you built? public transport project’s developer in a home i.e. gated I have actually lost count. Ten and guarded; parks; years ago we finished build- swimming pool etc ing 15,000 landed and high-rise homes. I think as at July 2016, we should have completed at least 30,000 homes with 80% of them priced below RM500,000. What was your most memorable project and why? HARIS HASSAN / TheEdgeProperty.com My most memorable project is

TEP 16 FRIDAY AUGUST 26, 2016 • THEEDGE FINANCIAL DAILY

PUSHING BOUNDARIES FOR A COLOURFUL & BEAUTIFUL MALAYSIA

OSK Property Tan Sri Ong Leong Huat: an Sri Ong Leong Huat gardless of whether it is a good is the group manag- time or a bad time for the econ- ing director and CEO omy. The property sector will of OSK Holdings Bhd Build homes according not collapse. It’s just a matter of (OSK) and OSK Prop- where the demand is, and who erty Holdings Bhd and where these people who T(OSKP). OSK Group was estab- need houses are. More people lished as a small stockbroking com- to buyers’ wants are coming into the city centre pany in 1963 before it became a fi- from rural towns, which create nancial services group in 1982. The a growing need for homes. There group then diversified into prop- are also more young homebuy- erty development under OSKP in and needs ers now who are moving out to 1997 and was listed on the main start their own families. We also board of Bursa Malaysia in 2002. need shoebox units for small Last year, OSKP and PJ Develop- BY NATALIE KHOO OF THEEDGEPROPERTY.COM families. Of course, growing fam- ment Holdings (PJD) Bhd merged ilies and the older generation are their businesses and operations also constantly upgrading their into the OSK Group. Thereafter, homes to suit their lifestyles and a strategic decision was made to We have won more than 55 local we also conduct focus groups in On top of that, just imagine the needs. merge OSKP and the property arm and regional awards over the past diff erent project locations to gather time spent on the road. If you are There is talk that the property of PJD under one business pillar, six years for our projects such as feedback from the public. We then stuck in traffic an hour one way sector will pick up towards year adopting one identity and coming the Atria Shopping Gallery in Da- absorb their input and adjust the to get to work and another hour end. I, on the other hand, do not under one brand — OSK Property. mansara Jaya, Eclipse Residence design and plans for our projects to get back home, that makes two think so. Instead, I feel the prop- OSK Property now has projects in Cyberjaya, and others. according to their needs and wants. hours just wasted on the road. You erty sector will move up gradu- all over Malaysia in the Klang Valley, still need to send your children ally over a period of time as it Penang, Kuantan, Kedah and Pa- What was your most What are your invest- to school, eat, rest. Don’t buy a makes adjustments. It will not hang. Last year, the group obtained memorable project ment tips for fi rst-time house just based on the design be an overnight or a short period the approval for a fi ve-acre parcel in and why? homebuyers? but instead, look at all these oth- of adjustment. Every cloud has Melbourne, Australia. But little do A project close to my heart will I always advise fi rst-time home- er costs. a silver lining. This is the time people know that Ong had developed defi nitely be the very fi rst project buyers to factor in the location of for aspiring homebuyers to take his fi rst project in Seri Manjung, Per- that I embarked on — a 70-acre their workplace and their home. If How key is social their time to pick houses that suit ak some 40 years ago and it was his mixed-use development with over you are working in Petaling Jaya, media to your busi- their needs and lifestyles without perseverance and hard work that is 800 units in Dinding, now known then stay in Petaling Jaya. If you ness — are you on having to rush. moving OSK Property to the forefront as Seri Manjung, Perak. It was de- are working in Rawang, then don’t social media? of property development in Malaysia. veloped together with my family buy a house in the city centre. Peo- OSKP has close to 49,000 follow- What is your aspira- members and friends. I used to stay ple often overlook the small costs ers on Facebook and we also have tion for the Malaysian Th eEdgeProperty.com: in an “atap” house some 8km away such as fuel and toll which they a YouTube channel for viewers to property sector? Building and selling from the project in a town called pay while commuting to and from view video clips of our projects. If you are a responsible property homes — what was it Ayer Tawar. Th e fl oor of our house their homes daily. In time, these developer, this is actually a very like then and now? was made of mud. At that time, I small costs will amount to large Your property outlook noble business to be in. You are Tan Sri Ong Leong Huat: About envied those who had the chance sums that will be taken out of their for 2016/2017? building houses for people and 40 years ago, people just wanted to stay in a concrete house. Of monthly income. Housing is always a need re- providing a shelter over their a shelter for their families. Now, course, a 70-acre mixed-use devel- heads. On top of that, you are times have changed. Homebuyers opment now may seem like a small also creating employment and no longer just want a roof over their project, but at that time, it was big. supporting businesses in this in- heads. Th ey are looking for lifestyle Till today, it is still one of the biggest “As a developer, it is dustry for engineers, architects, and convenience where their dai- projects in Seri Manjung. salesmen and others. This is ly needs are easily accessible. Th ey Th e project gave me absolute not about what you something which we really feel might want a sky deck, gym, swim- satisfaction and is one of the great- good about. ming pool or shopping facilities est and most exciting memories want. It is about You can leave a very good nearby. Th e market has changed. I have in property development. legacy behind in all the pro- In recent years, my sons have come From staying in an “atap” house what the buyers jects you have built and em- back home to Malaysia [after pursu- and envying those who stayed in barked on and that is definitely ing their higher education abroad] concrete houses, today I consider want in a home and what we want to do. and they have definitely given a it a miracle that I can build con- lot of input and ideas on what the crete houses and properties that how you can build younger market wants today. can make an impact and change As a developer, it is not about a person’s life for the better. homes according what you want. It is about what the buyers want in a home and how Buyers are getting to their wants you can build homes according to younger. How do you their wants and needs. As the in- engage them? and needs.” dustry evolves, OSK Property has For every project we embark on, defi nitely adapted to market needs we allocate some 30% of our ad- and changed our product off erings vertising and promotions budget from time to time to stay relevant. If to digital marketing. On top of that, you choose to build what you want to build and not what the market demands, you will not be able to sell your projects. Our projects such Tan Sri Ong Leong Huat’s tips for as Timurbay Seafront Residences first-time home buyers in Kuantan and Windmill Upon Hills in Genting Highlands have shown good take-up rates even in these challenging times because we know what the market wants. 1. 2. 3. How many homes have you built? Stay near your Do not overlook Do not buy a All in all, I have built close to 70,000 workplace travelling time and house based on homes. Th at is only the residential transport cost from design alone component. I have also built com- workplace to home mercial buildings such as shopping SHAHRIN YAHYA | TheEdgeProperty.com complexes. FRIDAY AUGUST 26, 2016 • THEEDGE FINANCIAL DAILY TEP 17

PUSHING BOUNDARIES FOR A COLOURFUL & BEAUTIFUL MALAYSIA

Titijaya Land Bhd Tan Sri Lim Soon Peng: itijaya Land Bhd group I believe the property market has managing director Tan and still is feeling the pinch. Th e Sri Lim Soon Peng has market is still experiencing strin- been in the property Affordability — gent approvals for property loans. and construction sec- Concurrently, we have seen a cut in tor since he was 17 the overnight policy rate and reduc- Tyears old. tion in bank lending rates by some His very first project was in key to homebuyers’ of the banks recently to stimulate Fraser’s Hill in the 1980s for a few the economy. Hence, we believe landowners there. At that time, the that allocating a portion of our de- construction of the holiday bun- velopments towards the “aff orda- galows was a project that others needs today ble price tag” will help us sustain were not keen on due to the chal- market interests and adapt to the lenges the hillside development changing property environment. posed, including factors such as BY NATALIE KHOO OF THEEDGEPROPERTY.COM We believe that the property mar- earth stability, location, logistics, ket, like any other industry, is sus- and others. ceptible to business and economic He subsequently developed the cycles, and Titijaya has been through Silverpark Apartments in Fraser’s aff ordable units, etc. Th e industry renowned property owners and the needs of today’s modern life- these cycles. We have learnt from past Hill via a joint development with is facing strong competition due worked with such reputable ar- style. We are also specially driven experiences and we are always think- Malaysian General Investment to scarcity of land, appreciation of chitects and interior designers at and focused on the design and con- ing ahead to ensure that we are well Corp Bhd. Upon completion of a land prices and the rising number that time. Th e project was an eye cepts of projects that will catch the prepared to face downturns, which few more projects, Lim decided of boutique developers in town. opener for me. It widened my vi- eye of buyers. In addition, we are can also be turned into opportunities to acquire his own land to develop We have defi nitely seen a slow- sion with new ideas and drive to designing aff ordable products that for long-term profi ts. small and medium projects mainly down in the property market in Ma- expand my company in the con- are ultimately the deciding factor Th e factors that determine the in Klang, Selangor. Th rough Titijaya laysia that is curbed by the cooling struction and property industry. for all our customers. success of a property developer are (M) Sdn Bhd, which is currently measures that were implement- It also built my passion and de- the ability to evolve, strategise and inactive, he undertook the devel- ed as an initiative to deter market termination to go beyond building What are your invest- develop innovative products to fi t opment of Taman Bukit Cheras in speculation. individual houses. For that pro- ment tips for fi rst-time market demands; and to be able Kuala Lumpur, comprising dou- In the past, homebuyers’ re- ject, I was only a builder for their homebuyers? to identify emerging developing ble-storey terraced houses and quirements were much simpler holiday homes, but they gave me LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCA- locations to maximise project sales, shopoffi ces in 1996. and less sophisticated. Location an opportunity to achieve bigger TION. values and to capture the interest In 2004, Titijaya successfully was key, obviously, but they were goals and my own dreams. of the market. launched its first high-rise resi- also seeking suitable space, aff orda- How key is social We do see catalysts that could dential development called E-Tiara ble investment, and build quality. Buyers are getting media to your business excite the sector such as new pub- Apartments in Subang Jaya. Th is Now, homebuyers not only want younger. How do you — are you on social lic transport infrastructure, satel- then led to a string of developments a roof over their heads but are look- engage them? media? lite towns which will be connect- ranging from residential, commer- ing to accommodate aff ordability We engage them through every me- Over the years, social media has ed and be highly accessible, and cial to industrial properties. with lifestyle demands. Hence, now dium of communication, rationalis- played an increasingly important also advancements in construction From a small developer, Lim is developers have to put in more ef- ing our marketing and advertising role in our business especially methodologies, which will result very proud to see that Titijaya has fort in adding sweeteners into our across “new” and “old” channels. when it comes to marketing and in more effi cient construction and now become a reputable brand and developments such as swimming Th e Internet is certainly a pow- communicating with our clients. better building materials. a public listed company. Titijaya pools, gardens, fi tted interiors and erful tool; we are able to run cam- Apart from the traditional adver- Land Bhd was successfully listed even home appliances. paigns on social media, property tising and local road shows, we al- What is your aspira- on the Main Market of Bursa Ma- In terms of selling, the marketing websites, e-advertising, etc. In ad- locate about 50% of our market- tion for the Malaysian laysia in November 2013. back then was quite simple — for dition to that, we provide a person- ing and communications budget property sector? example, through newspapers and al touch by setting up roadshows, to digital and social media. Th ese My personal aspiration for the Th eEdgeProperty.com: estate agents. Today, digital and so- and comprehensive showrooms to technology platforms reach out to Malaysian property sector is to Building and selling cial media technology has taken over. engage our customers in person. the mass population of the tech- see an increase in the number homes — what was it So property developers will need to We understand the need for the nology savvy Gen Y. of homeowners who are able to like then and now? ensure that we are well versed with younger generation to have the satis- purchase a property within their Tan Sri Lim Soon Peng: Th rough social media and technology, in order faction of owning a home that they Your property outlook financial comfort. Due to vari- the years, the market has evolved to capitalise on these advancements can afford. Therefore, for 2016/2017? ous macroeconomic factors and and we have seen changes in de- and to improve our competitive edge we are developing For 1HY2016, developers industry events, the balance be- mand and the demographic land- and market visibility. and innovating our have been cautious and tween the “seller” and “buyer” scape in Malaysia. Co-relate that developments to strategically launch- market has been swayed. Add- with the rising cost of living and What was your most cater to their de- ing their developments ing to the challenge of buying the lifestyle of the new generation memorable project mand and needs. on a smaller scale. So their fi rst home is the dynamics (ie Gen Y), as property developers and why? Titijaya is fo- far, there has been a between the homebuyers’ subjec- we have to develop our properties My most memorable project was cused on de- good level of demand tive desires and the objective re- to suit the needs and lifestyles of the construction of the individual veloping pocket and bookings (for such ality. In buying a home, it is vital our customers. Developments now bungalow villas at Frasers Hill for lands in strategic launches); however, the to consider these two dimensions come with well-equipped amen- the respective property owners. locations where real test will be convert- in tandem (subjective preferenc- ities, ease of access to highways I was honoured to have had the amenities are abun- ing the bookings into ac- es and the reality of economic re- and public transport, smaller and opportunity to build for so many dant, a must to serve tual sales. sources). For fi rst-time and young home- buyers, there are various fi nancial support made available from gov- Homes Tan Sri Lim Soon Peng has built to date ernment schemes, fi nancial institu- tions and developers. Property de- NO. PROJECT NAME UNITS BUILT velopers today are adopting a more 1. Mutiara Bukit Raja @ Klang 298 innovative marketing approach to 2. E-Tiara Serviced Apartments @ Subang Jaya 339 assist fi rst-time buyers in fi nancing 3. Klang Sentral Commercial Centre @ Klang 489 their fi rst home. 4. Mutiara Point Business Park @ Klang 95 We also hope to see property 5. Tiara Square Business Centre @ Klang 94 prices stabilise so that we can de- 6. Casa Tiara Service Suites @ Subang Jaya 721 7. First Subang @ Subang Jaya 368 velop the right products for genuine 8. One SOHO @ Subang Jaya 458 buyers in a sustainable property 9. The Galleria @ Klang 74 market. Hence, developers will be 10. Subang Parkhomes Phase 1 @ Subang Jaya 302 able to innovate and roll out pro- 11. Subang Parkhomes Phase 2 @ Subang Jaya 176 jects according to market demands 12. Seri Alam Industrial Park Phase 1 &2 @ Klang 95 and simultaneously produce prod- TOTAL 3,509 TITIJAYA LAND BHD ucts that can meet the financial comfort of various homebuyers. TEP 18 FRIDAY AUGUST 26, 2016 • THEEDGE FINANCIAL DAILY

PUSHING BOUNDARIES FOR A COLOURFUL & BEAUTIFUL MALAYSIA

Tropicana Corp Bhd Tan Sri Danny Tan Chee Sing: an Sri Danny Tan Chee time homebuyers should always Sing, the founder and consider their fi nancial positions former group execu- so they do not end up being overly tive vice-chairman of Engage customers burdened for the next few decades. Tropicana Corp Bhd (formerly Dijaya Corp How key is social TBhd), is a seasoned developer. media to your busi- Th e 61-year-old established the through social ness — are you on company as Dijaya Corporation in social media? 1992 and it changed its name to I believe that social media is as im- Tropicana Corp Bhd in 2003. Last portant as online and traditional year, he retired and left the running media wisely media. However, social media mar- of the company to Datuk Yau Kok keting is not just about having Face- Seng who is group CEO, and eld- book, Twitter or even WhatsApp. est son Datuk Dickson Tan who is BY TAN AI LENG OF THEEDGEPROPERTY.COM It is about creating, engaging and deputy group CEO. sharing within the virtual commu- The property tycoon is also nities and networks. It requires up- the brother of Berjaya Corp Bhd’s keep and constant attention and it founder Tan Sri Vincent Tan. Both What was your most will only be an invaluable addition are Malaysia’s top businessmen and memorable project and “To stay in the game, we need to complement our brand in the are ranked among Forbes Malay- why? long term if implemented correctly. sia’s 50 Richest in 2016. My most memorable project has to engage the young.” We cannot simply have an idea Tropicana is known for its fl agship been Tropicana Golf & Country Re- and launch it on social media in the Tropicana township in Petaling jaya sort (TGCR), as we were the fi rst de- hope that it will gain traction and which is anchored by the Tropicana veloper in Malaysia to come up with be adopted by the market. Golf and Country Resort. the gated community and resort-liv- media platforms play a pivotal role We venture into the social media Despite retiring from the day-to- ing concept when we launched in our marketing strategy. bandwagon to attract buyers and day running of his company, there TGCR as well as the fi rst developer To stay in the game, we need to investors, build brand awareness, is no doubt that his passion for the to off er free helicopter rides for pro- engage the young. We have invest- and promote in-house services business remains deep. At Th e Edge spective buyers so they could better ed in delivering a seamless online and marketing events. Malaysia Property Excellence Awards visualise the vision of the resort. Un- experience for our customers with 2015, Tan received the Outstanding til today, people still talk about that. frequent updates of our group’s Your property outlook Property Entrepreneur Award. Th e luxurious township in Pet- news, events and products on our for 2016/2017? aling Jaya was founded in 1995. It corporate website and social media Although the overall property mar- Th eEdgeProperty.com: brings the comforts of resort facil- sites so that everything about our ket has remained soft in the first Building and selling ities to thousands of affl uent local company and our latest off er- half of 2016, we nonetheless adopt homes — what was it and expatriate residents. ings are available on the web. a long-term positive view in Malay- like then and now? Set amid the landscaped greens Our customers can also use sia, due to the growing population Tan Sri Danny Tan: Rather than of the 27-hole East and West cham- our corporate mobile app or backed by an expanding middle in- just buying a home, consumers pionship golf courses, the 253ha our mobile-friendly corporate come group, and the fact that 80% today, especially the younger gen- resort is Tropicana’s most estab- website, as well as sign up of Malaysians are below the age of eration, favour value-added prop- lished brand and one of the most for alerts for new updates 50. Th ese two factors will continue erties, especially holistic lifestyle prestigious developments in the and events. to ensure demand for properties. properties equipped with great fa- country. It has won many interna- We are cautiously optimistic that cilities, security, accessibility and tional real estate awards. What are your a recovery is underway in the sec- connectivity. investment tips ond half of 2016, as we have seen In addition, developers are be- Buyers are getting for fi rst-time signifi cant activity in the market coming more than just house build- younger. How do you homebuyers? across all sectors — from fi rst-time ers as we are evolving into master engage them? The first property pur- buyers through to RM1 million-plus builders of communities. We need As the younger generation makes chased may be the larg- property buyers — recently. more mixed-use developments that up the biggest portion of Malay- est purchase made in a Th e promising take-up rate in- incorporate residential, commer- sia’s population — 10.8 million or lifetime, hence it is cru- dicates that consumer strength is cial, entertainment, recreational 38.2% of the population — their cial to get it right the returning and there is still demand and even cultural components. preferences are starting to trans- first time. Know your for landed properties and integrat- Th ese integrated developments form the way business is done. buying objective clearly ed developments in prime locations will see homes, offi ces, restaurants, Th e younger generation relies be it for your own stay with accessibility to good amenities shops and entertainment outlets on technology and most property or for investment. Know and attractive pricing. stacked vertically on top of each buyers today search for properties what you can afford be- other or constructed within walking online fi rst before other forms of fore you look for a property What is your aspira- distance, thus refl ecting the chang- media. Gone are the days where and study the market. Equip tion for the Malaysian ing mindset of young homebuyers. we could just use traditional me- yourselves with the necessary property sector? dia such as billboards, newspa- information in order to obtain Since the slowdown in 1H2016, the How many homes pers and marketing collaterals to returns in terms of capital appre- property market has gained a grad- have you built? promote and sell property. While ciation or rental yield. ual momentum. I am very positive We are the pioneer of resort-themed these media still have their place, Owning a home in a strategic about the property sector’s outlook developments with over 42 com- our corporate website and social location is always nice, but fi rst- as we are moving in the right di- pleted and 16 ongoing develop- rection towards a buoyant property ments across Malaysia. market in the not too distant future. With emphasis on our custom- Th e winds of change are blow- ers’ needs, we have been innovat- Tan Sri Danny Tan’s tips for ing more perceptibly, with prop- ing and redefi ning the art of living first-time home buyers erty prices staying stable, more through the creation of integrated innovative deals being off ered and developments by incorporating res- government initiatives to increase idential and commercial compo- aff ordable housing and to attract nents to create thriving townships more foreign investment. that are strategically connected. 1. 2. 3. Property development is not just Our recent launches, Cheria Resi- about building houses. It is about dences at Tropicana Aman, Dianthus off ering a lifestyle that people want Serviced Residences at Tropicana Know your buying Know what you Equip yourself with and designing communities that Gardens and Ridgefi eld Residences objective clearly can aff ord the right market people call home. Home is where at Tropicana Heights are testament to - for own stay or information to the heart is and we believe in build- our commitment in building quality for investment achieve maxi- ing homes that not only appeal to homes that refl ect the aspirations of mum returns the eyes and minds of our custom- MOHD IZWAN MOHD NAZAM / TheEdgeProperty.com a broad range of purchasers. ers, but to their hearts as well.

TEP 20 FRIDAY AUGUST 26, 2016 • THEEDGE FINANCIAL DAILY PROPERTY CHAT Property prices in 1957 and now

now with the twenty-somethings. In Kuala Lumpur: ited area in Kuala Lumpur was on in principle for the building of ser- Details on real estate prices six • A bungalow in Lake Gardens the market for RM1,000 an acre viced suites or serviced apartments. decades ago are scant. So we have in the KL city centre cost only • A bungalow on Jalan Pantai A report in May this year said that to thank the late Datuk Ravindra RM60,000 could be bought for RM34,000 the Hong Kong-based Nan Fung Dass for giving us a glimpse of • A good building site 2km from • Land in Kuala Lumpur’s Pan- Group is believed to be planning the an’t imagine how much the market place then. Ravindra the city centre could be bought tai Hills was priced at a mere disposal of several parcels of land property cost in the Dass was the fi rst Malaysian di- at 90 sen psf RM2 psf in Kuala Lumpur and these include year 1957? Not many rector-general of valuation. He • Shops on Jalan Pudu were worth • Semi-detached houses in the two parcels in Jalan Ampang (6.35 would. retired in 1990. RM10,000 each Lake Gardens area were rented acres), one in Ulu Klang near Bukit Octogenarians would Tracing the real estate landscape • Quarter-acre building lots at the for RM250 a month. Antarabangsa (25 acres) and one in have been just past their in his book Estate to Real Estate, 2.5 mile of Old Klang Road were Desa Petaling (1.82 acres). Cteens during a time when real estate Ravindra Dass documented the going for RM5,000 each In Petaling Jaya: Nan Fung was said to be hoping was not quite as hot a topic as it is following: • Agricultural land near the inhab- • Land could be bought for just to sell the Jalan Ampang land for as 30 sen psf much as RM2,500 psf — this is fol- SOURCE: NAPIC / TheEdgeProperty.com • Bungalow rentals were about lowing the RM2,600 psf benchmark Past transactions (2012-June 2016) of non landed and detached houses RM150 a month but those in Sec- set a year ago by the sale of the 7.98- tion 5 fetched double the amount. acre French embassy land, bought

NON-LANDED UNITS DETACHED HOUSES by Putrajaya Ventures Sdn Bhd. Put into perspective, in 1957, a In April last year, Malaysian Re-

YEAR AVERAGE AVERAGE AVERAGE NO OF AVERAGE AVERAGE AVERAGE AVERAGE PRICE NO OF good part of the Klang Valley was sources Corp Bhd bought the Ger- BUILT-UP PRICE PRICE PSF TRANSACTIONS LAND AREA BUILT-UP PRICE PSF BASED TRANSACTIONS enveloped in lush plantations and man Embassy land on Jalan Kia (SQ FT) (RM) (RM) (SQ FT) AREA (RM) ON LAND (SQ FT) AREA Ravindra Dass had identifi ed these Peng in KL for RM3,188 psf or a (RM) as Kampung Tunku, Taman Tun Dr total of RM259.15 million. DAMANSARA HEIGHTS Ismail (TTDI), Kelana Jaya, Subang Meanwhile, S P Setia Bhd paid 2012 1,518 991,935 501 30 6,060 — 4,626,000 680 5 Jaya and Section 14 in PJ. RM2,200 psf in 2012 for the 3.07- 2013 1,582 1,147,783 576 35 6,771 4,693 4,371,563 555 7 Five sen could get you a big bowl acre former British High Commis- 2014 1,518 982,647 591 17 21,786 4,844 5,154,344 604 9 of steaming noodles. One sen for sion land. 2015 1,518 1,153,933 594 15 10,678 3,003 5,625,000 543 2 an ice-cream potong or a packet of Malaysia has endured several 2016 * 1,582 1,343,333 715 3 keropok (prawn crackers). property downturns but data would TAMAN TUN DR ISMAIL Now fast forward to the present. show that values have always man- 2012 1,141 761,551 476 170 6,179 4,661 4,081,101 596 13 Th e aging 1-storey terraced houses aged to bounce back each time 2013 1,270 802,254 504 135 10,355 3,778 4,439,000 715 10 in KL’s sought-after Bangsar area before reaching a new high in the 2014 1,378 836,663 565 101 6,006 3,703 3,688,333 691 6 have long passed the RM1 million preferred locations. 2015 1,259 913,013 685 78 3,993 2,680 4,796,667 765 6 price mark. Th ose in TTDI are lin- Economic growth, land scarcity 2016 * 1,141 905,611 615 18 5,996 2,713 4,375,000 730 2 gering at or have crossed over RM1 in choice locations and enhanced PANTAI DALAM/KERINCHI million, depending on their condi- connectivity has everything to do 2012 764 351,969 352 330 4,607 2,723 432,167 68 6 tion and exact location. with this. Property has been a sig- 2013 764 393,651 394 243 6,781 1,528 640,000 94 1 Some investors are still hoping nifi cant benefactor of the opening 2014 657 381,860 374 198 5,813 936 700,000 120 1 that prices in these preferred lo- up of highways, as with the LRTs 2015 764 454,648 452 190 cations will drop — but they have and the MRTs. 2016 * 764 408,919 406 47 been disappointed so far. Th ough it won’t be another 10 JALAN KLANG LAMA (OLD KLANG ROAD) On the commercial land front, years or so before the Kuala Lum- 2012 926 230,696 226 362 5,673 1,862 2,055,847 273 25 in 2014, the Singapore-listed UOL pur-Singapore High Speed Rail 2013 926 345,919 391 506 8,719 3,208 1,990,000 302 16 Group Ltd, which owns and oper- takes off, the positive impact of 2014 926 378,792 388 465 6,674 2,239 2,231,581 438 14 ates the Parkroyal and Pan Pacifi c HSR on Malaysia, not just the Ma- 2015 926 379,072 390 487 7,556 1,389 2,191,606 295 17 brands, sold a 171,149 sq ft tract laysian property sector, is clear. 2016 * 969 379,997 375 59 11,539 3,208 4,000,000 406 2 in KL to KSK Land Sdn Bhd for Happy Merdeka! PETALING JAYA RM3,572 psf — making it one of the 2012 872 309,720 294 945 3,272 850 1,947,022 259 168 highest priced psf deals in recent Au Foong Yee is the managing direc- 2013 872 403,900 352 1,196 4,489 904 1,902,765 286 172 years. KSK Land is now building tor/editor-in-chief of TheEdgeProper- 2014 1,023 370,019 331 878 6,362 2,120 1,827,742 272 139 the prestigious 8 Conlay project ty.com. She was formerly the executive 2015 872 421,511 370 555 4,381 1,722 2,205,892 306 85 on the site and will be introducing editor of Property and Retailing of The 2016 * 1,195 540,834 446 60 5,328 2,110 1,941,606 278 33 Kempinski Hotel and Residences. Edge Malaysia. She can be contacted KELANA JAYA Last month, according to The at [email protected] 2012 570 366,682 298 237 6,674 4,080 2,400,400 318 15 Edge, Berjaya Assets Bhd was look- 2013 570 462,037 388 314 6,232 4,080 2,743,158 407 19 ing at selling its freehold land of 2014 570 347,978 301 345 5,597 3,789 2,664,889 356 18 41,990 sq ft in Imbi, Kuala Lumpur, 2015 570 289,621 249 284 8,170 2,573 2,948,333 353 6 for some RM130 million, with the 2016 * 570 382,432 306 38 8,342 2,799 2,825,000 402 2 indicative price of between RM3,300 KLCC and RM3,500 psf. Th e land, located 2012 850 1,593,075 917 395 next to the integrated Berjaya Times 2013 850 1,746,133 1,068 594 Square commercial development, 2014 2,056 1,620,228 1,091 344 was acquired some 22 years ago. It 2015 1,485 1,656,927 1,073 264 is believed to have received approval 2016 * 614 1,867,598 1,073 45 KL CITY 2012 797 540,398 448 270 2013 797 717,353 682 500 2014 1,615 838,044 695 264 2015 1,389 869,574 761 219 2016 * 1,421 1,198,713 708 55 PUDU 2012 1,905 443,018 554 249 2013 753 499,559 646 254 2014 570 511,726 568 174 2015 710 519,234 583 107 2016 * 732 441,523 498 18

* From Jan to Jun 2016 Editor: The size, facing and level of a non-landed unit will impact on the price psf

TEP 22 FRIDAY AUGUST 26, 2016 • THEEDGE FINANCIAL DAILY SNAPSHOT

THE EDGE SOURCE: TheEdgeProperty.com

Bandar Utama terraced houses transacted price movement on a psf basis from 1Q2012-1Q2016

800 730 700 708 707 698 661 668 671 691 600 647 648 642 634 646 615 596 597 613 500 400

RM psf 300 200 100 0 1Q 2Q 3Q 4Q 1Q 2Q 3Q 4Q 1Q 2Q 3Q 4Q 1Q 2Q 3Q 4Q 1Q 2012 2012 2012 2012 2012 2012 2012 2012 2012 2012 2014 2014 2015 2015 2015 2015 2016

Those who want one of Bandar Utama’s terraced houses would need to prepare at least RM1.2 million

Average transacted price of terraced Bandar Utama’s houses in Bandar Utama in 2015 (RM) BU 6 1,500,000 BU 3 1,469,000 terraced house prices BU 1 1,462,500 BU 2 1,383,125 BU 10 1,347,500 remain stable BU 1 1,260,556 BU 12 1,227,778 BU 4 1,216,667 BU 7

Housing areas in Bandar Utama Housing areas 1,215,000 BY NATALIE KHOO Since its peak, prices have contract- ed slightly and have generally stabilised, 0 200,000 400,000 600,000 800,000 1,000,000 1,200,000 1,400,000 1,600,000 he bustling Bandar Utama’s sto- hovering just below RM700 psf early this ry began in the late 1980s when year (1Q2016). The average transacted property developer See Hoy price was RM698 psf in 1Q2016, up 4% Chan Holdings Group began from RM671 psf a year ago. Meanwhile, Average transacted price psf of terraced the development of the town- transaction volume for terraced homes in ship on the 1,000-acre former Bandar Utama has declined since 2Q2012 houses in Bandar Utama in 2015 (RM psf) oil palm estate land in Petaling Jaya. when there were 32 units sold to just 10 T BU 6 801 Bandar Utama neighbours older and units in 1Q2016. more mature developments such as Da- Those who want one of Bandar Utama’s BU 3 739 mansara Utama and Taman Tun Dr Is- terraced houses would need to prepare at BU 2 721 mail and the newer townships of Mutiara least RM1.2 million as the lowest average Damansara and Kota Damansara. It has transacted price recorded in 2015 was at BU 10 720 excellent connectivity via major routes BU7 at RM1.215 million. BU 1 704 such as the SPRINT Highway, Daman- sara-Puchong Highway, New Klang Valley Highest transacted price BU 11 704 Expressway and Penchala Link. BU6 recorded the highest transacted price BU 4 667 The township is anchored by the world’s in 2015 at RM1.5 million. Most of the ter- BU 7 fourth largest mall, 1 Utama Shopping Cen- raced houses in BU6 comprise 2.5-storey 637 tre (according to CNN Travel and Forbes), terraced homes and they have the highest in Bandar Utama Housing areas BU 12 607 which spans five million sq ft of gross floor built-up size among the terraced houses area spread over six retail levels and of- in Bandar Utama at an average 2,616 sq ft. 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 fering over 700 retail shops. The BU6 housing area is one of the newer Already one of PJ’s best addresses, prop- housing estates in the township and was erty prices here are expected to be buoyed completed sometime in the mid-2000s further by new public transport infra- alongside BU7 and BU10. In comparison, Average asking price of terraced houses structure, namely the Mass Rapid Transit the BU1 to BU4 housing areas were among in Bandar Utama as at August 2016 (RM) (MRT) Sungai Buloh-Kajang Line with a the early phases (1991). station at 1 Utama and in the future, the Th e next highest transacted price in 2015 proposed light rail transit (LRT3) Bandar were seen in BU3 and BU1 at an average trans- BU 6 1,952,571 Utama-Klang Line due by 2020 which will acted price of RM1.47 million and RM1.46 BU 3 1,838,000 start at 1 Utama. million, respectively. BU3 and BU1 are close BU 2 1,630,000 Educational institutions abound with to schools and to 1 Utama Shopping Centre. SK Bandar Utama Damansara 1, 2 and 4, Th e average built-up of terraced houses in BU 10 1,590,500 SMK Bandar Utama Damansara 1, 2, 3 and BU1 is 1,729 sq ft while BU3 houses have an BU 1 1,587,500 4, British International School and First average built-up of 1,810 sq ft. BU 11 1,575,455 City University College. In terms of average transacted price on a psf basis, terraced houses in BU6 also BU 4 1,525,000 Stable prices in Bandar Utama recorded the highest price psf at RM801 BU 7 1,520,000 Bandar Utama mainly off ers terraced houses psf. This was followed by terraced houses 1,233,333

Housing areas in Bandar Utama Housing areas BU 12 with large built-ups. Th e housing areas are in BU4 and BU7 transacting at an average generally divided into two parts by the bridge/ price psf of RM739 and RM721, respec- 0 500,000 1,000,000 1,500,000 2,000,000 2,500,000 fl yover on the Sprint Highway. Sections BU1 tively. Typically, a terraced house in BU4 to BU10 are located on one side while Sec- has an average built-up of 1,866 sq ft while tions BU11 and BU12 are on the other. terraced houses in BU7 have average built- homes in Bandar Utama at an average price erage asking price of RM802 psf followed According to data collated by TheEdge- ups of 1,938 sq ft. of RM1.95 million. Th is is followed by ter- by RM753 psf and RM686 psf in BU4 and Property.com, the average transacted price raced homes in BU3 with asking prices of BU6, respectively. Rental of terraced hous- psf of Bandar Utama’s terraced houses Asking prices as of August 2016 RM1.84 million and BU2 with asking prices es in Bandar Utama falls in the range of peaked in 2Q2015 at an average price of According to listings as of August 2016 on of RM1.63 million. RM2,240 to RM2,867, which translates to RM730 psf. This represents a 3.25% in- TheEdgeProperty.com, the BU6 housing Meanwhile, based on the average asking RM1.21-RM1.57 psf. Rental yields range crease y-o-y from RM707 psf in 2Q2014. area dominates the asking prices of terraced price psf, BU11 tops the chart with an av- from 1.68% to 2.46%.

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