THE STAR, SATURDAY 21 MAY 2016

special

SOUTHERN PROPERTY

Land the right investment

THE STAR, SATURDAY 21 MAY 2016

2 southern property

Centralised, functional factories

LAST year was a landmark year for
Mah Sing Groups i-Parc industrial
park.
Located in Flagship Zone C in
Iskandar Malaysia, the i-Parc series
is the developers answer to the call
for a premier lifestyle industrial
product component.
The series consists of i-Parc @
Bukit Jelutong, i-Parc2 @ Shah
Alam and i-Parc3 @ Bukit Jelutong.
As of last year, all detached,
semi-detached and shop offices
within the premium park have
been completed as well as
roadworks and final progress
installations from utility companies
Tenaga Nasional Berhad and
Syarikat Air Johor.
This means that all units within
the industrial park are targeted to
be handed over starting from July.
Operations within i-Parc @ Tanjung
Pelepas will begin by the end of
this year.

i-Parc detached factories

four-in-one centralised
function offers flexibility
and convenience.

Premier industrial
complex
The i-Parc series consists
primarily of three-storey semidetached corporate factories. It
maintains its premier status by
embracing what Mah Sing calls
the five key factors:
l Excellent accessibility to major
highway networks and large
catchment of skilled workforce
l A modernistic design that
gives a good first impression and
projects a strong corporate look
l A functional showroom for
product display
l Incorporating a four-in-one
centralised function, where the
factory, office, showroom and
warehouse can all operate from
one central location
l An office environment that
allows senior management to
be closer to the production
operations, thus ensuring better
communication and increasing
efficiency
i-Parc @ Bukit Jelutong was the
first of Mah Sings industrial
developments in Bukit Jelutong.
This 42-unit development was
fully sold prior to its launch and
successfully introduced the unique
concept of Premier Lifestyle
Factories to the market.

Land area
acres (ha)
From 0.952
(0.385)

No. of units

0.951 (0.385)

Commercial 0.810 (0.328)

plot

Product
Industrial
land
Petrol
land

Land types available.

True to the developers

expectations, the next two parts of
the i-Parc series, i-Parc2 @ Shah
Alam and i-Parc3 @ Bukit Jelutong,
also did well on the market; all
units are now sold out.

Convenience,
accessibility
Flagship Zone C saw greater
progress and growth in the last
quarter of last year, especially with

Product
composition

Type

Built-up area
sq ft (sq m)

Land area
sq ft (sq m)

No. of units

Detached
factory

10,000
(929.03)

22,000
(2043.87)

64

10,000
(929.03)

27,448
(2550)

8,800
(817.55)

19,800
(1839.48)

12

5,075
(471.48)

7,920
(735.79)

64

6,475
(601.55)

7,920
(735.79)

116

24ft x 60ft

4,320
(401.34)

1,440
(133.78)

38

22ft x 65ft

4,285
(398.09)

1,430
(132.85)

163

Semi-detached
factory

3-storey
shop office

Unit specifications.

i-Parc detached factory offers spacious and functional showrooms.

construction on the Coastal

Highway Southern Link (CHSL)
starting.
This link will ease access to
Iskandar Puteri and Medini Central
from i-Parc.
This year, the Port of Tanjung
Pelepas (PTP) also earmarked
RM5bil for an aggressive expansion
plan that will see more activities
and trade plus growth of more
population centres near i-Parc @
Tanjung Pelepas.

Investment
opportunities
Over the past year, Mah Sing
received many queries from both
international and local ports,
logistics and secondary component
operators and manufacturers
regarding interest to operate
within the premium industrial
park.
There are numerous reasons to
choose i-Parc as an investment.
Besides the long-term investment
benefit of the freehold land, i-Parc
reaps the benefits of supporting

i-Parc semidetached
factory.

industries, being the first

integrated industrial park that
serves Tanjung Pelepas. It is also
close to Forest City and the Second
Link to Singapore.
Its location means that investors
will save on transportation costs
and time i-Parc is only 1km from
the Port of Tanjung Pelepas and in
proximity to Iskandar Puteris key
amenities.
It is easily accessible to sea, road,
rail and air transportation hubs,
and accessible by High-Speed Rail
(HSR) from Kuala Lumpur and

Singapore through a key stopover

at Iskandar Puteri.
The four-in-one centralised
function of the factories offers
flexibility for contemporary SMEs
while the intelligent masterplan
caters to various business needs
where factory, office, showroom
and warehouse can all operate
from one central location.
There are limited units left for
lease.

n Interested parties to call

07-570 2028 or 017-840 7833.

The Star, Saturday 21 May 2016

THE STAR, SATURDAY 21 MAY 2016

4 southern property

BRANDED as a development that

meets quality and sustainability,
UEM Sunrises first landed project
in Puteri Harbour Estuari
being together comfortable living
and nature.
Located at the north of Kota
Iskandar and Nakhoda
(Commercial North) of Puteri
Harbour, Estuari encompasses
394.41 acres (159.61ha) of both
residential and commercial
properties.
We aim to provide a luxurious
and eco-living residential
experience. Estuari is a great
location for young professionals
with families, elderly couples or
extended families, investors and
expatriates, says Raymond
Cheah, chief operating officer
(commercial) of UEM Sunrise.
Surrounded by Sungai Perepet
in the north and east as well as
Straits of Tebrau in the east,
Estuari aims to retain as much of
its natural environment and
ecology.
Inspired by the mangrove belt
and local flora and fauna, the
developer has created a layout
that is sustainable with the green
environment.
To create such an environment,
Estuari will be developed without
jeopardising the natural
environment in the vicinity.
With a total gross development
value of RM7.4bil, Estuari will
comprise 2,858 residential units,
including landed and high-rise
strata properties.
Laid out over six hills with an
elevation of between 5m and 40m
on average, Estuari offers
spectacular views of the
mangroves and Straits of Tebrau.
There are seven water
catchments and two inlet drains,
one from Kota Iskandar and the
other from the neighbouring land.
Low-lying areas in the centre of
the development serve as
potential retention ponds, park
ponds and drains.
As a whole, Estuari will boast a
total of 394.41 acres (159.61ha)
with a development density of
seven units per acre.
According to Cheah, UEM
Sunrise is looking to get Estuari
assessed by Conquas
(Construction Quality Assessment
System), a quality assessment
system developed by Building and
Construction Authority (BCA)
Singapore.
With the completion date
projected to be next year,
development is well ahead in its
progress as the construction stage
has reached 45% completion,
says Cheah.
Estuari is strategically located
close to many attractions and
highways for convenience.
It is located 4.9km and 14.2km
from the JB-Nusajaya Highway
and the CIQ Second Link
respectively. Estuari is also
located close to Legoland Malaysia
Resort and Puteri Harbour, which
are just 4km and 4.9km away
respectively.
Other attractions and amenities
close by include the Sanrio Hello
Kitty Town, Pinewood Iskandar
Malaysia Studios, Afiat
Healthpark Columbia Asia
Hospital, EduCity, Raffles
American School, University of
Southampton and Puteri Harbour

Private, green enclave

With its cul-de-sacs and road safety features, Estuari Gardens ensures privacy and security for its residents.

Raymond Cheah.

International Ferry terminal.

Garden living
The first phase of development
for Estuari is Estuari Gardens a
creation of a community cluster
that consists of 350 residential
units.
Estuari Gardens combines both a
precinct and cluster design with a
4.9-acre (1.98ha) lush Central
Garden area for recreational
activities among residents.
Some of the park amenities
include a childrens playground
and an exercise area with outdoor
fitness equipment.
Each cluster in Estuari Gardens
comes with a dedicated single
entry point. This is a part of a
24-hour gated and guarded
environment manned with
security personnel.
Housing streets in Estuari
Gardens are designed with
cul-de-sacs to ensure privacy and
promote a sense of ownership of
the residential area as well as
safety on the streets.
UEM Sunrise takes pride in the
safety and security features of
Estuari Gardens, which includes
pedestrian lanes to ensure minimal
contact between vehicles and
pedestrians/cyclists, street
hierarchy as well as cul-de-sacs
to avoid through traffic.
Other features include dual
functions, crossing paths and speed
humps, roundabouts, emergency
access, perimeter fencing or

Type

Units

Size

Built-up area
(sq ft (sq m))

Bedroom

Bathroom

Min price (RM)

Max price (RM)

Type A1

83

24ft x 75ft
(7.3m x 22.9m)

Intermediate: 2708 (251.6)

Corner/end: 2989 (277.7)

4+1

1,394,880

2,375,880

Type A2

83

24ft x 75ft
(7.3m x 22.9m)

Intermediate: 2754 (255.9)

Corner/end: 3167 (294.2)

4+1

1,500,880

2,316,880

Type B

120

26ft x 75ft
(7.9m x 22.9m)

Intermediate: 2754 (255.9)

Corner/end: 3167 (294.2)

4+1

1,788,880

2,316,880

Type C

64

26ft x 75ft
(7.9m x 22.9m)

Intermediate: 3550 (329.8)

Corner/end: 3780 (351.2)

5+1

5+1 (corner)

1,991,880

2,748,880

boundary wall, a guard house and

management office.
There are four types of home
designs available in Estuari
Gardens that make up three
clusters Type A1 and Type A2,
Type B and Type C.
These spacious homes come with
five to six bedrooms with the same
number of bathrooms respectively,
equipped with a family area on the
first floor, dry yard for laundry
and a solid timber plank staircase.

The best choice

UEM Sunrise continuously
strives to maintain its
competitiveness in the local
property front.
In an effort to encourage sales,
we introduced our maiden home
ownership campaign last year
called Signature Selection, where
we achieved an astounding total
sales value of RM215mil, says
Cheah.

Apart from special price

packages, the two month-long
Signature Selection campaign
offered a chance for purchasers of
UEM Sunrises Signature Selection
properties to win lucky draw
prizes that included one Range
Rover Evoque, four Mercedes C200,
three Mercedes A250, three Honda
Jazz as well as eight exclusive
travel vouchers ranging between
RM25,000 and RM40,000.
In light of this success, Signature
Selection returns for the second
year and is ongoing until May 31.
Themed Rendezvous in France
2016, this years Signature Selection
offers purchasers of UEM Sunrises
Signature Selection properties
another chance to win big with
the main prize offered being an allexpense paid trip for two persons
to watch the European Football
2016 final held in Paris, France.
To further attract buyers in the
Southern Region, particularly in
Iskandar Puteri (formerly known

as Nusajaya), UEM Sunrise is

directing its efforts to having a
centralised sales gallery in Johor.
It is also in the midst of
streamlining customer service
processes by creating a single unit
to address customers concerns as
well as handover and payment
matters.
UEM Sunrise also continues
to find ways to reward loyal
customers via Trsor, its customer
loyalty card rewards programme
where Trsorians are entitled to a
discount of up to 5% under the
loyalty programme based on the
development and project
requirement.
Under the Signature Selection
campaigns, Trsorians are able to
enjoy double loyalty discounts
when they purchase any of the
Signature Selection properties,
and/or double their referral fees
when they refer a buyer during
the two-month campaigns.
Moving forward, part of
Trsors privileges will include
personalised consultants for
customers with properties valued
above RM1mil, says Cheah.
With UEM Sunrises simple yet
effective strategies, the company
hopes to diversify its geographical
base and adjacent business to
further build its reputation as a
value-driven developer while
nurturing a service-oriented
culture within the organisation.

n For more information,

Estuari features spacious homes with classy designs.

call 07-553 9966 or visit

www.estuari.com.my.

THE STAR, SATURDAY 21 MAY 2016

THE STAR, SATURDAY 21 MAY 2016

6 southern property

THE official launch of Harbour City

Resort Suites, the second phase of
multi award-winning mixed
development Harbour City, saw
more than 500 invited guests in
attendance on May 14 and 15.
The grand foyer of Terminal
Pahlawan, Malacca, was
transformed into a lifestyle
showcase with leading automobile
brand Mercedes-Benz contributing
a touch of luxury with its
spectacular new car models
display.
Visitors were also treated to a
glittering showcase on their way
up to the new Hatten Icon Gallery
on the first floor of Terminal
Pahlawan, courtesy of classic
timepiece brand Oris.
Successful purchasers received
exclusive giveaways, including
Apple Watches and a new Oris
timepiece as the grand prize.
The cocktail-style event, with
premium coffee and wine-tasting
sessions, treated guests to the
ambience and feel of the high life,
offering a glimpse into the lifestyle
they stand to enjoy as guests at the
prestigious Harbour City Resort
Suites.
Also in attendance were some of
the countrys top industry experts,
who shared personal tips on what,
when and how to maximise capital
and boost ones property assets.
In view of the burgeoning
growth of Malacca as the epicentre
of commercial, tourism and
property development, Harbour
City Resort Suites will be well
received by both local and foreign
investors who are keen to invest in
a quality product with the added
guarantee of a booming location,
said Datuk Colin Tan, group
managing director of Hatten
Group, at the launch.

Along the straits

Housing a cosy yet spacious
cluster of 500 luxury sky-rise villas,
Harbour City Resort Suites brings
intimacy, privacy and prestige to
Pulau Melaka.
With 18 luxurious unit types
measuring from 470sq ft to 2,200sq
ft (43.7sq m to 204.4sq m), the

Harbour City is set to become

a major game-changer in
Malaccas luxury tourism and
entertainment landscape.

A taste of luxurious living

Guests at the official launch of Harbour City Resort Suites were able to explore the
Hatten Icon Gallery.

villas offer a private sanctuary

surrounded by picture perfect
views, charming interior, complete
leisure facilities and seamless
hospitality.
The one-of-a-kind development
harnesses the pleasures of an
island paradise, offering a
panoramic 360 view of Malacca
Straits.

Lively theme, prime

location
One of the major highlights of
Harbour City Resort Suites is its
seamless integration in the iconic
Harbour City.
Hailed as a game-changer in
Malaccas luxury, tourism and
entertainment landscape, Harbour
City is a self-sustaining city of
amusement that incorporates three
vibrant elements retail, theme
park and hotels in one exclusive
location.
Harbour City houses a six-storey
aquatic-themed shopping mall as
well as five floors dedicated to a
vast 500,000sq ft (46,451.5sq m)

indoor and outdoor water theme

park.
The three hotel blocks complete
the luxurious aquatic experience
guests can choose from a cruise
ship-themed hotel, 250-room
international chain hotel or
Harbour City Resort Suites.
The resort-hotel projects ideal
location on Pulau Melaka is set to
catalyse its success among guests
and investors of various profiles
and needs.
Harbour City Resort Suites will
capitalise on Malaccas booming
tourism sector, which saw more
than 15.7 million visitors in the
state last year. Pulau Melaka itself
is a tourist hotspot, located a mere
five minutes drive from Malaccas
Unesco World Heritage Sites.
Tourism in this area will also
benefit from the states trade and
tourism agreement with
Guangdong Province, the
upcoming KL-Singapore High
Speed Rail and the new upgrade
and added flights to Malacca
International Airport.
On top of that, upcoming

Enjoy the charming interior of the private sanctuary offered by

Harbour City Resort Suites.

developments such as the RM40bil

Malacca Gateway Project and the
66-acre (26.7ha) trade hub are
expected to greatly increase value
of the area.

Solid investment
opportunity
My target is long-term
investment with high profits and
Harbour City Resort Suites suits my
needs with its Secure Returns plan.
Moreover, based on Hattens track
record of successful developments,
this has been one of the most
confident purchases I have made
to date, said Harbour City Resort
Suites purchaser Peter Wong.
Harbour City was publicly voted
Best Integrated Development at the
iProperty Peoples Choice Malaysia
Awards 2015 and Best Retail
Project by the Malaysian Property
Press Awards 2015.
With more than RM800mil
invested in this project, Harbour
City will open up a wealth of asset
opportunities for investors. It is
already earmarked as one of the

most eagerly awaited and highly

valued global holiday destinations
in South-East Asia, said Tan.
Harbour City is a development
by Hatten Group Sdn Bhd, one of
the fastest-rising property
developers in the Malaysian real
estate industry.
The group is renowned for its
core businesses in commercial,
residential and hospitality sectors,
possessing an extensive portfolio
of distinctive assets in the luxury
lifestyle industry.
Rapidly gaining global
recognition for its iconic
innovations, Hatten Group is well
on its way towards achieving its
ultimate aim of being one of the
top 10 largest property developers
in Malaysia by 2020.
Harbour City Resort Suites are
available for purchase.

n For more information, visit

www.harbourcity.com.my or
call the Hatten Groups Property
Investment Advisors hotline at
012-719 1818.

THE STAR, SATURDAY 21 MAY 2016

THE STAR, SATURDAY 21 MAY 2016

8 southern property

By THERESA BELLE
THIS year, Iskandar Malaysia
(IM) celebrates its 10th
anniversary. It is the halfway
mark of its journey towards
becoming A Strong and
Sustainable Metropolis of
International Standing by 2025.
The Iskandar Regional
Development Authority (IRDA)
has reported receiving a total of
RM202.45bil in investments
since IM officially opened in
2006 up till this March, of which
51% has been realised in
investments across its key
economic sectors.
IMs prime location in the
south of Malaysia is greatly
attributed as a main catalyst of
property development in this
region of the country, but rapid
progress in the span of just a
decade has sparked concerns
of oversupply, especially in the
high-rise segment.
The numbers are in, and
these concerns are not
unfounded. The National
Property Information Centre
(Napic) in the Valuation and
Property Services Department
of the Finance Ministry reported
in April that the residential
overhang (unpurchased
completed units) situation
nationwide worsened last year,
with Johor holding 21.9% of the
11,316 total overhang units.

Braving market slowdown

South side story

Residential property demand in

the country, including in the
southern region, will likely
remain lacklustre, impacted by
poor market sentiment, tighter
credit from a deceleration in
mortgage loan approvals, lower
disposable incomes and
continued pullback in purchasers
for investment. However,
demand will be strong in the
affordable or mid-range landed
sector and selectively in high
growth hot spots such as IM.
Sky-high costs of houses
coupled with current
socioeconomic pressures
underscore the need for more
affordable homes, and the
authorities have introduced
appropriate measures to
anticipate and even encourage
this trend.
A primary step is the allocation
of RM2.96bil for affordable
housing in the Budget 2016, an
increase from RM1.94bil last year.
All new housing projects priced
up to RM300,000 must now be
limited to first-time house buyers.
The trend this year will be
towards mass market and
affordable homes driven by
Generation Y and Malaysians

Such statistics feed speculations

about the poor performance of the
property market, with experts
saying the situation may only
improve in the next two or three
years.
Rising negative sentiment among
foreign investors, which can be
attributed to an overall lack of
confidence in the political climate,
is urging developers to review
their target market.
Over the past few years,
developers in IM have been
building a lot of homes geared
towards Singaporeans and other
foreign investors, which caused
a glut in this segment, says Khalil
Adis, renowned property journalist
and consultant.
He explains that because
developers have been paying
much attention to attracting
foreign or high-end investors,
affordable homes have been
severely undersupplied.
As a result, the affordable home
segment is now facing great
demand in IM, especially in areas
that are only beginning to blossom.
A UEM Sunrise spokesperson
mirrors this sentiment, saying,

The liveability factor

THE south is now booming
with mixed or integrated
developments, or
neighbourhoods that boast
comfort and safety within
expansive complexes integrating
residential and commercial
components.
Developers aim to meet the
needs of the current market, and
the spotlight is on affordable
housing this year.
The genuine need for housing
from the masses remains solid in
current market conditions,
mainly as a function of natural
population growth and new
household formation.
As such, the demand that
prevails is for affordable houses
that are attainable by the larger

pool of the middle income

market, says a UEM Sunrise
spokesperson.
More developers are therefore
now offering attractively priced
products in good locations, with
great access and infrastructure.
The representative goes on to
explain that the southern region
benefits from being within an
economic corridor that has been
identified as one of the main
catalyst developments spurring
economic growth.
Projects such as Iskandar
Puteri (formerly known as
Nusajaya) are highly liveable
due to the infrastructure and
connectivity, healthcare services,
employment, education and
economic opportunities, and

lifestyle amenities resulting from

careful planning and successful
execution of IMs milestone
components.
Economic or leisure attractions
combine elements of nature,
heritage and infrastructure
to come together as the
self-sustaining development
that is IM.
In surrounding southern
locations such as Malacca and
Seremban, similar projects are
gaining popularity. These areas
are highly populated although
they are of smaller scale.
It seems that this year,
the multifaceted, convenient
and affordable residential
developments will be the
ones to look out for.

The affordable
home segment is
now facing great
demand in Iskandar
Malaysia, especially
in areas that are
only beginning to
blossom.
who genuinely need a home,
Khalil says.

Invest, live smart

Although Napic reports that the
residential sub-sector is expected to
experience further softening this
year, it assures that the slowdown
will be manageable because the
property sector will be able to
endure this challenging period
with adjustments and corrections
expected from both the demand
and supply side.
Developers have had to shift
their product mix to gear them
towards Malaysians. My advice
to those looking to buy a home
is to look for the most affordable
properties with the greatest room
for capital appreciation, says
Khalil.
Developers realise their roles,
too. Group managing director of
Hatten Group of Companies Datuk
Colin Tan says, Product pricing is
key developers have to have both
insight and foresight to set a price
range that is suited to the target
market.
Infrastructure development and
high livability in self-sufficient
residential projects will boost value
in certain areas.
For example, Khalil suggests
looking at the Eastern Gate zone
within IM the upgrading of the
Pasir Gudang highway, budget
allocation for a new public hospital
and the upcoming Pengerang
Refinery and Petrochemical
Integrated Development (Rapid)
project are anticipated to spur
capital appreciation.

On top of that, growth of the

halal business park in Taman Seri
Albion should create more than
12,000 jobs, further driving
demand for affordable housing.
We believe that there will
always be pockets of opportunity
even in a slow market; given the
right location, pricing and
positioning, a project could still
perform well for example, a
neighbourhood commercial centre
within a township with a sound
catchment size, opines the UEM
Sunrise representative.
Khalil also advises new
homeowners to get innovative if
they want to see returns on their
property in challenging times,
saying, It is best to go for longterm capital appreciation rather
than rental because there is a large
supply in the market.
Should you wish to get rental
income, exercise flexibility by
renting your units on a day-to-day
basis such as through homestays
or Airbnb.
Investors should set their sights
on commercial properties instead,
especially mixed-use developments
that maximise traffic from retail,
hotel and residential components.
Tourism in Malaysia is
encouraged by a weaker ringgit,
and the Tourism and Culture
Ministry is pumping in RM1.2bil
to attract a targeted 30.5 million
tourists this year, which will
support the commercial
sub-sector.
More tourism-related
properties have to be built to
attract more overseas tourists to
Malaysia, but each development
must strike a balance to cater to
the needs of foreign investors
and tourists as well as the local
population, says Tan.
Taking these trends and
predictions into account, it is
surmisable that development
of the south led by IM should
persevere this year on the back
of diversified buying and selling
actions to adjust to current needs.
Soon, potential homebuyers
may not need to look any further
than south Malaysia for affordable
housing options within strong,
sustainable communities.