There were only approximately 180 remaining units for sale today in conjunction with the official launch of the new property at the developer office. These units are marketed by property agents. Priority has been given to purchasers who had placed booking fee for selection of units.
Property developer MBM Land Sdn Bhd, a member company of MBM Group of Companies, told PTLM this morning that property investment interest in Bukit Jalil remained very high despite the slowing overall property market.
Specifically, investors are optimistic of the future potential of the Bukit Jalil City (BJC) development becoming a premier commercial hub serving the southern region of Kuala Lumpur. This is evident from a take-up rate of 85% for BJC’s The Park Sky Residence, which was reviewed and previewed by PTLM recently.
This comes after the recent unveiling of one of Malaysia’s largest upcoming shopping mall, the Pavilion Bukit Jalil (was nicknamed “Pavilion 2”), within the 50-acre development comprising of signature shop offices, retail shops, service apartments, offices and hotels. The mall has a leasable area of close to 2 million square feet and will feature a large cineplex, foodcourt, departmental store, an alfresco boulevard with an outdoor plaza and duplex retail outlets.
BJC is developed by Pioneer Haven Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Malton Berhad, in partnership with Kuala Lumpur Pavilion Sdn Bhd, the manager of the famed Pavilion Kuala Lumpur mall in Bukit Bintang. Malton is undertaking the project via a 70:30 joint venture with Ho Hup Construction Company Berhad.
REV.O consists of 421 units of freehold small office, versatile office (SOVO). The name essentially derived from the term: Revolutionary Offices. It is a standalone 30-storey development by MBM Land, and it is built at a corner atop Aurora Place and at the opposite corner of Aurora SOVO.
The Aurora developments are built next to Pavilion Bukit Jalil and are strategically integrated with the BJC development. They occupied part of a 10-acre site belonging to Ho Hup, just next to the BJC. Aurora Place will provide over 2,100 carpark bays which will be shared with REV.O and Aurora SOVO.
Aurora Place is a hybrid mall, comprising 64 units of three-, four- and five-storey shop offices and five levels of basement car parks. It was launched at the end of 2012. Aurora SOVO, comprising 209 units of flexible office suites that sits above the three-storey shop-offices of the Aurora Place, was launched in 2013. Both projects are more than 90% sold todate.
The unique proposition for REV.O is that the unit sizes begin from 318 square feet to a maximum of 597 square feet. It is designed as a boutique live-able office suite catering to new start-ups and entrepreneurs who seek conveniences of banking and lifestyle needs within a prestigious address. BJC is expected to be home to all banking needs for the entire Bukit Jalil suburb.
With six lifts serving per floor, REV.O offers a sky infinity pool and a sky gym at the rooftop level overlooking the surrounding vicinity. Its size range made it the most affordable new property in BJC, with gross prices starting from RM323,185.
In conjunction with the official launch of REV.O, the developer is providing additional rebates, several incentives such as free legal fees for Sale and Purchase Agreement (SPA), free two units of air-conditioning and free upgrade to laminated timber flooring, and a low booking fee policy of RM5,000.
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The following pictures are scenes captured this morning.
The queue started since the night before, according to a property agent.
At the main entrance of Menara MBMR before the doors were opened.
Crowds awaiting for their number to be called to enter the Gallery for preview of the project.
The scale model of REV.O at Aurora Place in Bukit Jalil City.
The “fingering act” returns to the market as you are only given 3 minutes to decide on your unit selection.
A botle of grape sangria and seafood rice was served.
He said the Real Estate and Housing Developers’ Association (REHDA) has submitted their requests and are now in discussions with the government.
“We want to promote house ownership, but at the same time we also want to ensure that buyers have the ability to service the loan,” said Wahid during the press conference after officiating the opening ceremony of Malaysia Property Exposition (MAPEX) in Mid Valley Megamall today.
The three-day event will see 78 developers offering 25,000 units of residential, commercial and industrial properties.
Under DIBS, developers will absorb the home loan interest while the property is being built, but the loan will still be disbursed during construction.
The scheme was abolished in 2014 on concerns that it encouraged property speculation and it hiked up property prices – some experts observed that selling prices of properties sold with DIBS went up by 5% to 15%.
He notes that by 2020, Malaysia’s population is expected to reach 32.5 million, and there will be huge demand for housing, especially affordable homes.
“The Special Economic Committee that I chair recently conducted a fact-finding exercise on the state of the property sector in view of the economic uncertainties. We found that demand for affordable homes exceeds present supply, and this need is especially critical in urban areas with a young population,” he added.
Wahid did not elaborate on the findings of the committee.
At a press conference earlier this week, Perbadanan PR1MA Malaysia (PR1MA) noted that a million Malaysians in the middle income group – defined as those who earned RM2,500 to RM10,000 a month – had yet to own a home. Of this number, 450,000 resided in the Klang Valley.
The PR1MA board has approved 198,489 units and plans to approve 240,000 units in total by year-end.
Currently, 41,187 units are under construction, with 4,636 in Kuala Lumpur and 5,081 in Selangor.
PR1MA has completed 800 units and aims to complete 1,000 units by the end of this year, and 10,000 units by the end of next year.
Under the Budget 2016, PR1MA was mandated to build another 175,000 homes to be sold at 20% below market price.
Other schemes include 100,000 homes of Perumahan Penjawat Awam 1Malaysia (PPA1M), 22,300 apartment units and 9,800 terraced houses under Program Perumahan Rakyat (PPR), and 10,000 units of Rumah Mesra Rakyat.
To speed up the construction of affordable homes and remain cost-competitive, Wahid noted that there is an urgent need to adopt innovation technology, such as the industrialised building system (IBS).
“The government’s affordable housing schemes under PR1MA, Syarikat Perumahan Negara Bhd (SPNB) and PPA1M, will take the initiative to implement IBS,” he said.
According to Wahid, government agencies are now in the process of identifying the number of units to be built.
Under the Budget 2016, there will be a RM500 million IBS promotion fund provided by SME Bank to encourage the implementation of IBS.
Meanwhile, on the weakening ringgit, he said Malaysian investors who had purchase property overseas, such as in the UK, should take the opportunity to liquidate their assets and explore potential good buys in prime areas within Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC).
“With the ringgit depreciating by almost 20% since the end of last year, I would like to encourage Malaysian owners of foreign properties to consider channelling back their investments to Malaysia, as the property price of Kuala Lumpur areas are relatively low compared with other cities in the region, such as Jakarta, Singapore and Bangkok,” he added.
According to Wahid, more Malaysians are buying properties overseas, and they have invested up to RM5.5 billion in overseas property.
New Source: The Edge Property, 30 October 2015. Original report can be viewed HERE.
The two jobs it won were: the development and construction of the Kwasa Utama (Plot C8) commercial development worth RM3.15 billion, and the refurbishment and upgrading of facilities at the National Sports Complex in Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur, worth RM1.632 billion.
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Firstly, MRCB told Bursa Malaysia it had entered into a management contract with Kwasa Utama Sdn Bhd (KUSB), under which MRCB was appointed the management contractor for the development and construction of Kwasa Utama — a 29.82 acre commercial development in the new Kwasa Damansara township in Sg Buloh.
KUSB is 95%-owned by the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) and the remaining 5% stake is held by Kwasa Land Sdn Bhd, which is wholly-owned by EPF. In turn, the EPF is the single largest shareholder of MRCB with an approximate 39% stake in the company.
The 29.82-acre Kwasa Utama development, which will span over a period of 12 years from 2016 to 2027, is expected to comprise seven separate development plots. It will feature eight office towers, a hotel, an auditorium and a common facility block.
MRCB’s provisional total contract sum for this construction project is about RM3.1 billion. These buildings will have a collective gross floor area of 7.91 million sq ft, with an estimated gross development cost (GDC) of RM3.87 billion.
MRCB’s group managing director, Tan Sri Mohamad Salim Fateh Din, said MRCB will use its expertise and experience working with appointed professionals in creating a new growth centre for corporate entities and businesses at Kwasa Utama.
“(The proposed) development will cater to the needs of corporate and commercial purchasers, including their requirements for corporate hospitality and conferencing,” he added.
With the signing of the agreement, MRCB will be delivering various project milestones via the overall project management, engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning of works.
“The development which spans over 12 years, will not only allow the group to enhance its construction and engineering project pipeline, but is also expected to provide the group with a steady stream of income over the development and construction period, which in turn is expected to contribute positively to MRCB’s future earnings,” the group said in a filing with Bursa Malaysia today.
The management contract is conditional upon MRCB obtaining its shareholders’ approval for the proposed construction on or before 30 April 2016. The group expects the management contract to become unconditional by the second quarter of 2016.
To recap, in August last year, MRCB was already appointed to jointly undertake with Kwasa Land Sdn Bhd the development of a proposed town centre within Kwasa Damansara measuring a total land area of 64.07 acres identified as Project MX-1.
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Secondly, MRCB was awarded the RM1.632 billion job to regenerate and upgrade the Bukit Jalil National Sports Complex into the Kuala Lumpur Sports City (KL Sports City) for which it will be repaid by the government with three pieces of leasehold land, totalling 92.5 acres nearby.
The job was awarded to MRCB’s Rukun Juang Sdn Bhd, which was chosen by the federal government for offering “the best overall development concept”, after 11 companies submitted proposals in an open nationwide tender, MRCB said in a statement this evening. The tender process was undertaken by the Public Private Partnership Unit (UKAS).
The upgrading project will be undertaken in two phases; the first is to get the Bukit Jalil National Stadium ready to host the 2017 Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games); and subsequently the second phase will commence once the games are over and will create KL Sports City.
The first phase of the project will entail readying the national stadium as well as enhancing the Putra Stadium, the National Aquatic Centre and the National Hockey Stadium and improving integration to the current and existing public transportation links and increasing pedestrian access across the site. It will be completed in 18 months and will begin one week after the necessary approvals are obtained.
After the SEA Games, the second phase will commence no later than 1 January 2018 — and is slated to complete in three years, consisting of the creation of KL Sports City, a fully integrated sports hub which would include high-performance training facilities, a sports rehabilitation science centre, a youth park, public sports facilities, a sports museum and a sports-focused retail mall.
“The KL Sports City project marks MRCB’s entry into sports and recreational infrastructure and allows us to build on our core strengths of delivering multi-use developments that regenerate areas of national importance. By working in a private-public partnership, we can ensure that our own corporate goals are aligned with the nation’s objective for growth and development,” said MRCB’s group managing director Tan Sri Salim in a press release.
A privatisation agreement (PA) in relation to the job and the transfer of lands was signed in Putrajaya today by Department of Lands and Mines director-general Datuk Dr Sallehuddin Ishak, with Rukun Juang director Kwan Joon Hoe, and Ministry of Youth and Sport’s secretary-general Datuk Jamil Salleh.
MRCB said that Rukun Juang had appointed international stadium expert Populous as the project designer, as it had worked on more than 2,000 projects worth US$30 billion and was a specialist in creating sporting facilities that drew people and communities together.
The first phase would cost RM499.2 million and the second, RM1.1 billion, while the balance of RM31.9 million would be paid to the Federal Government in cash.
In its filing with Bursa Malaysia, MRCB said the transfer of the three tracts located near the Bukit Jalil National Sports Complex to Rukun Juang is in exchange for the RM1.6 billion total cost of the project that the group will bear.
It will be developed into an integrated development with a gross development value (GDV) of RM14.6 billion over 16 years from 2018. The location is nearby to a potential station for the new mass rapid transit (MRT) Line 2.
The contract sum represents a premium of RM31.9 million, equivalent to 2% over the market value of the tracts, but MRCB said it was reasonable, as the lands present it with an opportunity to undertake a mixed development in a fast-developing suburban area of Kuala Lumpur.
A proposed concept for a property development by MRCB on the exchanged land parcels of approximately 92.5 acres.
Rukun Juang is a 85%-owned unit of MRCB Land Sdn Bhd, which in turn is a wholly-owned subsidiary of MRCB. The remainder 15% is owned by Rasma Contractors.
It is worth noting that among others, MRCB group managing director Tan Sri Salim and Employees Provident Fund (EPF), each hold an 85% indirect stake in Rukun Juang.
Former Federal Territories and Urban Well-being Minister and Lembah Pantai Umno division chief Datuk Seri Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin and his wife, Datuk Seri Nafesah Raja Nong Chik Abidin, also each hold a 15% indirect stake in Rukun Juang.
MRCB said Rukun Juang will fund its obligations under the agreement via bank borrowings and/or advances from its shareholders, the quantum of which is yet to be fixed.
Rukun Juang’s issued and paid-up share capital now is only RM300,000, comprising 300,000 shares. Under the PA, it will have to have an issued and paid-up share capital of at least RM5 million to undertake the job.
As such, MRCB Land and Rasma Contractors have agreed to proportionately increase their shareholdings in Rukun Juang to achieve that.
MRCB expects to fund its future subscription of shares in Rukun Juang, and any shareholders’ advances to be provided to fulfil the PA, via internally-generated funds, bank borrowings and/or equity fund raising.
The development plans for the exchanged lands have yet to be finalised at this juncture, but is expected to contribute positively to the company’s earnings and financial position in the future, said MRCB.
“Securing such a strategic land bank with development potential is in line with the company’s strategy of increasing its focus in the property development segment, as its core business,” it added.
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Lastly, MRCB’s wholly-owned property subsidiary MRCB Land Sdn Bhd is expected to fork out RM269.5 million for a 70% stake in CSB Development Sdn Bhd, the joint-venture company that will undertake the development of CCC.
It said MRCB Land has entered into a joint venture agreement with Cyberview Sdn Bhd, a government-owned company wholly-owned by the Minister of Finance for the development. Cyberview will take up the remaining 30% in CSB Development for RM115.5 million.
Cyberview, mandated by the Malaysian government to spearhead the development of Cyberjaya, has earmarked approximately 141.27 acres of land located in Cyberjaya for development of the CCC.
The project sits on a 141-acre freehold land parcel and has an estimated GDV of RM8 to 10 billion. CCC will be developed over the next 15 to 20 years.
CCC is potentially prime urban land being located next to Putrajaya Sentral, which will be an interchange station for MRT Line 2, Express Rail Link (ERL) and [probably even] the proposed Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High Speed Rail (HSR). A station for the new MRT Line 2 is also slated to be built within the CCC.
The project’s first phase is a 150,000 to 200,000 sq ft convention centre for firms in technology-related businesses, said MRCB Land executive director Imran Salim at a recent press conference.
The second phase of the project will span 53.38 acres, construction of which begins in the first half of next year. It has a GDV of RM 5.35 billion.
The inspiration for the convention centre is Fira Barcelona, the Catalan city’s trade fair institution, said Cyberview managing director Faris Yahaya.
“We do not want the public to compare us with convention centres such as Putrajaya International Convention Centre or Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre. We are not competing with the big boys. Our convention centre [affordably] caters to small and medium-sized businesses and technology-based multinational companies (MNCs), Faris added.
“We are not focusing on embellishment or wood cravings, but the space and practicality of the facilities for business,” Imran said adding that over time, the masterplan would be adjusted to meet market needs as businesses came in.
The first phase of CCC will comprise the convention centre, a 300 to 400-room business hotel, retail lots and offices.
Tan Sri Salim said CCC came about in the “evolution of developing Cyberjaya”, as it was not planned in the original masterplan. “After all these years, we realised the lack of a big, central place for people to congregate so as to complete the ecosystem of Cyberjaya as a technology hub.”
“Our target market for the office lots would be multinational corporations and small-medium enterprises,” said Imran.
The construction of the offices will be adjusted in tandem with market needs and economic trends. The retail centre will comprise mostly food and beverages lots to cater for the hotel and the convention centre,” said Imran.
“Residences will be constructed during the (project’s) later phases, and will comprise lower-medium, medium and high-end products. There will be affordable housing development as well, as part of the statutory requirement,” Imran added.
“The public used to think of Cyberjaya as being very far away. With the future MRT line and various connectivity options such as the Maju Expressway that cuts the commute from KLCC to Cyberjaya to 25 minutes, this will be a game changer for the city here,”said Yahaya.
“We are looking at a (daytime) population of 80,000 in Cyberjaya as of now, and it will only continue to grow from here. Cyberjaya can house about 400,000 people. We are expecting a (daytime) population of close to 100,000 by end of 2016,” said Faris.
As of now, Cyberjaya’s night population stood at 10% of the daytime figure. At least 60% of available land in Cyberjaya has been developed.
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With the CCC project, MRCB’s property arm total GDV stands at between RM35 billion and RM40 billion, which will last the group for the next 20 years, said Imran.
Just last month, Prasarana Malaysia Bhd appointed a joint-venture company comprising MRCB and George Kent (M) Bhd as the project delivery partner (PDP) for the proposed RM9 billion Light Rail Transit Line 3 (LRT3) project.
In April 2015, MRCB surprised the market when it won the deal to buy the 1.86-acre German Embassy Land at Jalan Kia Peng for RM3,188 psf, or RM259.1 million.
Meanwhile, CIMB Research estimates that MRCB’s net gearing could rise from 1.2 times to 1.8 times from these new deals, with downside potential via the group’s ongoing rationalisation. “MRCB’s outstanding external order book (excluding in-house property jobs) stood at RM889 million as at the end of second quarter financial year 2015 (FY15) and should be good for the next two to three years,” it said.
“By our estimates, the projects’ impact on our FY16 to FY17 earnings is negligible if we consider the potential rise in interest costs over the next one to two years arising from the initial funding requirements of all three deals, assuming the majority of it is debt funded,” added CIMB Research.
Shares in MRCB have been on the uptrend since August 21, which saw the stock climb as much as 45 sen or 55.6% to close at its five-month high of RM1.26 yesterday, giving it a market capitalisation of RM2.25 billion.
The children enjoyed fun and games including a hearty lunch with SkyWorld’s team at their Property Gallery located in SkyArena, Setapak, which is five minutes drive away from the orphanage.
“We believe in giving back to the community we operate in. We want to encompass the spirit of 1Malaysia, and our team is always on an active lookout for any charity homes and the underprivileged who are in need of financial assistance and cheer especially in these trying times. ” said Mr Lee Chee Seng, Chief Project Officer and Exco member of SkyWorld Development.
SkyWorld presented RM10,000 to the orphanage’s caretaker, Sister Malar, to help with the home’s monthly operational expenses. ‘We strongly encourage philanthropy as we want to help communities in need progress towards a brighter future and we hope other organisations will also help promote community welfare.” added Mr Lee.
SkyWorld aims to nurture a vertical community built around health and wellness facilitated by a 9.4-acre multi-facility sports complex designed within their upcoming mega 28-acres mixed-development project, SkyArena at Setapak.
This integrated development is slated for completion in 2021 and will feature SOHO residences, a retail mall and commercial space, as well as a boutique hotel.
“We want to help communities in need progress towards a brighter future,” says Mr Lee.
About SkyWorld Development Sdn Bhd:
SkyWorld is born from the idea that designs, when executed to perfection, can elevate living experiences to new heights. At SkyWorld, we aim to be more than just a property developer. We pride ourselves to be the developer that creates unrivalled sky living experiences, and a provider of urban and modern lifestyles in the heart of major cities.
The foundation of our business lies in our everlasting passion for design. We strongly believe that aesthetics plays an important role in shaping living experiences, and that belief motivates us to prove that form and function can indeed go hand-in-hand.
SkyWorld is here to celebrate the intricate and interwoven connection between a development, its residents and the beauty of design. Which is why, our promise to the world is to Design The Experience for the finest urban sky living developments.
Hosted by real estate marketing firm Googolplex Properties, the event was highly anticipated as property developer, Andaman Group, had decided to preview its latest development in an unconventional way, which is exclusively held at the realtor’s annual convention.
The event, which included a time slot for selection of units and several speeches by guest speakers, including map king Mr Ho Chin Soon, began at 9am and ended at 8pm. A lucky draw and awards presentation for the realtor’s top marketeers were also held. Guests were treated to stage performances and a 5-star lunch buffet as well as dinner.
Property developer Andaman Group has partnered EcoFirst Consolidated Berhad, which recently made news for its purchase of additional 25 acres of land in Ampang. These lands are adjacent to 62-acres of lands that it already owned. EcoFirst acquired the land from Tan & Tan Developments Berhad, a member company of the IGB Group.
To be known as Arc Central, the phase one of this freehold mixed development – Liberty – sits on a 6-acre commercial land along the Middle Ring Road 2 (MRR2), with ingress and engress built to the site, and will be part of the masterplanned and combined 88-acre Ampang Heights development.
This yet-to-launched new project is located in Ampang, Selangor and is dubbed to be affordable and luxury in concept with full condominium facilities above its carpark podium.
It was said to be only 10 minutes drive from the development to Kuala Lumpur city centre via the Ampang–Kuala Lumpur Elevated Highway (AKLEH). It is also 5 minutes drive south to Flamingo Hotel in the vicinity of Jalan Ampang.
Designed by Malaysia’s top firm, Veritas Architects, the Liberty development comprised of three blocks of studio office home office (SOHO) with each suite measuring 450 square feet. Each liveable suite is allocated one carpark bay at the podium levels.
There will be a total of 1,631 suites within the three blocks, and 19 units of retail shop offices at the ground level which will be leased-only by the developer.
The highlights of its facilities are a 50-metre Olympic-length swimming pool, multi-million ringgit greenscapes and waterscapes, a 5,000 sq ft gymnasium, jogging track, squash court and tennis court are among over 25 facilities provided.
All units come fully-furnished, with a move-in condition upon delivery 42 months later, including a proper glass sliding door and wall partition for bedroom and dressing up the walls with a choice of four types of Korean vinyl wallpaper.
The developer is providing additional rebates and a low booking fee policy with a net starting price of RM299,000 onwards.
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The following pictures are courtesy of Googolplex Properties.
Inside the hall: Googolplex Properties National Convention 2015.
Mr Ho Chin Soon take to the stage as one of the guest speaker of the day.
Sales chart of Tower B.
A large crowd of people turned up at Googolplex Properties National Convention 2015 for the purchase of Liberty at Arc Central, Ampang Heights.
People started coming to the venue at the Palace of Golden Horses Hotel as early as 5am on Saturday.
These stations are part of the Ampang LRT Line Extension Project (LEP).
A spokesman from Prasarana said Land and Public Transport Commission (SPAD) had given them the green light to start their operation. The LEP will be the first rail network to be operated in the Kinrara and Puchong, which have an estimated population of 400,000 people.
The service is set to change the way thousands of people commute daily and boost the property prices in Bandar Kinrara, which is served by Alam Sutera and BK5 stations. The Alam Sutera station will serve residents in Bandar Kinrara 1 and Bandar Kinrara 9, including nearby Puncak Jalil.
The BK5 station is strategically located in the heart of Bandar Kinrara and will serve residents from Bandar Kinrara 2 to Bandar Kinrara 8, including the nearby Taman Kinrara and Taman Bukit Kuchai.
The station has a dedicated park-and-ride facility and is located near the new BK5 commercial hub, including the nearby Giant Hypermarket Bandar Kinrara. The Awan Besar and Kampung Muhibbah stations will serve residents in Taman OUG.
All stations are equipped with basic facilities such as toilets, surau, lifts and convenience shops. There are also special facilities for the disabled.
In a statement today, MRT Corp said Phase 1 of SSP Line between Sungai Buloh and Kampung Batu is expected to be operational by July 2021, while the remaining section between Kampung Batu and Putrajaya Sentral will be operational under Phase 2 by July 2022.
The SSP Line will add significantly to the urban rail coverage in the Klang Valley and will serve a corridor with a population of two million people by providing them with a modern, efficient, reliable and safe public transport service.
When fully operational, it also expects SSP Line to have a ridership of more than 500,000 passengers per day.
MRT Corp said it has received a letter from the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) informing of the final approval of SSP Line which contains, among others, the final alignment and station locations of the line.
The approval is given pursuant to Section 84 of the Land Public Transport Act 2010, the statement said.
The final approval comes after the completion of the three-month public inspection of the proposed SSP Line between May 15 and August 17 when booths were set up at 26 locations along the proposed alignment.
As required by the Act, all feedback and objections to the proposed alignment received during the public inspection were forwarded to the government as part of the approval process.
An estimated 40,000 people have visited the public inspection booths and over 10,500 people submitted feedback, of which 90% had expressed support for the construction of the SSP Line.
After an analysis of the feedback, the final approval was given without any major modification to the earlier proposed SSP Line alignment that was displayed during the public inspection, MRT Corp said.
“The final alignment (only) saw some minor tweaking at two locations at Kuchai Lama and Sungai Besi to minimise the impact from land acquisition and to enable optimisation of usage of the remaining land after acquisition.
“The government also decided that an additional elevated station should be constructed near Technology Park Malaysia (TPM) between stations S25 at Sungai Besi and S26 at Serdang Raya North. Besides serving TPM, this new station’s catchment area will also include many future development projects in the Sungai Besi area,” it added.
The increase in the area of coverage with this additional station will result in an increase in ridership levels, the statement said.
Proposed location of Technology Park Malaysia (TPM) MRT Station.
The new TPM MRT Station is planned to be located just on the fringe of the Kuala Lumpur-Seremban Expressway and next to Wisma Scope International.
The potential ridership catchment for the new station includes the upcoming campus of the Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU) and Majlis Amanah Rakyat’s (Mara)’s “Edu-Biz Park” worth RM1.3 billion. Both are located within the grounds of TPM.
Several property projects that are expected to benefit from the location of this new station include Maju Kuala Lumpur by Maju Group, Parkhill Residence in Bukit Jalil by Aset Kayamas Sdn Bhd and an upcoming mixed development by Briswood Sdn Bhd.
Diversified Maju Group’s Maju Kuala Lumpur is an upcoming integrated development set in seven 38-storey blocks, consisting of 4,214 units of duplex apartments and a 850,000 square feet commercial retail podium. The massive development is planned to be connected to a proposed new KTM station as well as the TPM MRT station.
With the additional station, SSP Line will now have 37 stations. Of these, 25 stations will be elevated stations, 11 stations will be underground, and one “half-sunken” where it will be built on the ground below the current level.
The total count of 37 stations excluded the starting station as the Sungai Buloh MRT station will be built under MRT Sungai Buloh-Kajang Line (SBK Line), or the first MRT line.
With the SSP Line, people living along the alignment will get direct and efficient access to the Golden Triangle of Kuala Lumpur.
The SSP Line will also integrate with the future Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High Speed Rail (HSR) project in Bandar Malaysia, an upcoming mega township project spearheaded by 1Malaysia Development Board (1MDB).
Converging rail networks in Bandar Malaysia would create the much needed catalyst for the development of real estate there as well as creating a new destination on its own for passengers arriving with the HSR.
A passenger would then be able to travel directly to Tun Razak Exchange (TRX) and Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) from Bandar Malaysia or interchanging at TRX to proceed to Bukit Bintang.
The SSP Line will also see a more direct route for commuters from Putrajaya, Cyberjaya and Serdang to Kuala Lumpur and reduce the expected end-to-end travel time from 100 minutes to 84 minutes.
“The overall length of the final alignment also remains unchanged at 52.2km, of which 38.7km will elevated and 13.5km will be underground. The underground section of the alignment will be between Jalan Ipoh and Kuchai Lama,” said MRT Corp.
In May, MRT Corp chief executive officer Datuk Seri Shahril Mokhtar said SSP Line is likely to cost over RM30 billion.
For the SBK Line, phase one will begin operations by the end of next year, while the remainder of the line will begin operations under phase two by 31 July 2017.
Similarly to SBK Line, a joint venture company between MMC Corp Bhd and Gamuda Bhd has been appointed as the project delivery partner (PDP) to implement the SSP Line project.
Pre-qualification exercises to shortlist prospective tenderers for the elevated works, stations and underground works for SSP Line begins this quarter, Q4 2015, with the first award to be announced in Q1 next year.
In November 2014, MRT Corp, which is the developer and owner of Kuala Lumpur’s MRT lines, has appointed Arup Jururunding Sdn Bhd as the design consultant for the underground stations of SSP Line.
Eventually, both MRT lines will be operated by government-owned public transport company, Prasarana Malaysia Bhd.
The current proposal for MRT SSP Line has been approved by the government.
The company holds the exclusive rights to operate, license and distribute a new American franchise called L&L Hawaiian Barbecue brand and products in Malaysia, Gulf Cooperative Countries and the United Kingdom.
L&L Hawaiian Barbecue is a purveyor of wholesome Hawaiian cuisine. The brand was founded by Johnson Kam and Eddie Flores, Jr. in Hawaii, USA. Since its inception in 1976, L&L Hawaiian Barbecue has grown to close to 200 stores in USA, Indonesia, Guam, Japan, New Zealand, China and now in Malaysia.
The Malaysian franchise currently has branches in Taman Putra Sulaiman, Ampang, which opened in April this year, and a newly-opened outlet in Nu Sentral Mall. It will be opening another outlet soon in KLIA2.
The traditional Hawaiian plate lunch consists of two servings of rice, a serving of macaroni salad, and features a generous serving of a hot entrée such as BBQ short beef ribs or chicken. Hawaiian cuisine is typically a fusion of Asian and American dishes.
Hawaiian plate lunches are famous for its large portion sizes, freshness, and unique blend of tastes found in dishes like Chicken katsu (breaded chicken w/special dipping sauce), “Loco Moco” (hamburger patties, two eggs, and gravy), and mahi mahi (w/tartar sauce).
Another trademark dish is the “Saimin Burger”, a hamburger topped with crisp ramen noodles, green onion, shredded cabbage and a choice of teriyaki-like sauce, or “Chicken Kalua”, chicken cooked in slow cooker, or “Waikiki Chicken”, a Japanese-styled fried chicken rice, or simply a “Chicken Musubi”, a sushi-like roll of rice.
You may also choose a seafood mix or combo meals without rice.
According to the brand website, L&L Hawaiian Barbecue Malaysia provides the unique feel and taste of the Aloha spirit at all outlets. Its dishes are infused with an “ingredient” unique to the islands – the warm spirit of Aloha. Additionally, their satisfaction is accompanied by a pleasant revival of their memories and sentiment for the islands.
Today, L&L holds the title as the “Original Hawaiian Barbecue®” and has been voted No. 1 in Hawaii for many consecutive years. L&L maintains its operations in the same Hawaiian Islands it has called its home since the beginning.
These include entities based in Singapore, Malaysia and overseas, said the Singapore Land Transport Authority (LTA), in response to TODAY’s queries. “We are encouraged by the interest,” the spokesperson added. “Companies that have yet to register are still welcome to do so.”
The Request for Information (RFI) exercise, launched by Malaysia’s Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) and the LTA, is aimed at gauging market sentiment on the project, as well as gather industry opinion on its commercial and technical aspects.
Companies have till noon on Friday to register their interest in participating. Those found to be eligible will then submit their responses to the RFI documents by November 18 at 12pm.
These companies and consortia are expected to come from across the HSR value chain and include entities based in Malaysia, Singapore, Asia-Pacific, Europe, Middle East and North America.
In a joint statement (later on Monday), CEO of SPAD, Mohd Azharuddin Mat Sah and CEO of LTA, Chew Men Leong said: “We are pleased by the market’s positive response to the RFI exercise. We look forward to receiving their feedback next month.
“This feedback will be critical in helping us with the commercial model of the project, and will help ensure that this project starts off on the right note.”
The exercise, which will wrap up by the end of the year, will help inform the subsequent formal tender process. National University of Singapore transport researcher Lee Der Horng said the large number of companies which have registered is due to the HSR market in countries such as Japan and Europe “getting more saturated”.
For example, there are not many HSR lines or plans in the pipelines in Japan and Europe, said Professor Lee. “So, that’s why much of the attention has shifted to Asia,” he added.
He also noted that the international community sees that both the Singapore and Malaysia governments have been “very sincere” and will get the HSR project moving.
A HSR project, from Jakarta to Bandung on Indonesia’s main island of Java, some 160km away, was finally given to China after the Indonesian government repeatedly changed its mind about the project, before eventually agreeing to accept China’s bid of US$5.5 billion. The deal was officialy signed today.
Japan was long expected to build the HSR link but China entered the contest earlier this year, and Tokyo’s bid was rejected last month after a chaotic bidding process that infuriated the Japanese. With China bagging the joint venture deal, construction is set to start next year and the line to begin operating in 2019.
State-owned China Development Bank will provide 75 percent of the funding, with the rest coming from the Chinese railway company and Indonesian consortium. The line will not need any financing from the Indonesian government, nor a government guarantee. One reason that Indonesian officials gave for rejecting the Japanese bid was that it would require government funding.
On how many companies or consortiums are likely to bid for the KL-Singapore HSR project, Prof Lee expects “not more than 10” to do so. There are not many qualified companies globally which are able to deliver an HSR project, he noted.
Dr Walter Theseira, senior lecturer at SIM University, said: “It’s not surprising for many companies to be participating because this is likely to be one of the largest civil engineering projects in Singapore and Malaysia.
Although 70 companies participated, that doesn’t mean all 70 are capable of being the lead contractor to design and build the entire (HSR) system.”
Leaders of China and Japan have indicated their interest in taking part in the project.
Firms reportedly keen include Chinese companies such as China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC) and CRRC Corporation – formed from a merger of two Chinese rail giants. A Japanese consortium – comprising East Japan Railway Company, Sumitomo Corporation, Hitachi and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries – has been formed ahead of the bidding for the project.
French company Alstom Transport Asia-Pacific’s senior vice-president, Mr Dominique Pouliquen, also said that his firm is “very keen”.
“No doubt this particular HSR project represents a major opportunity for economic growth in the region and will have long-term impact on the rail development in ASEAN countries,” said Mr Pouliquen.
A Korean mega consortium, comprising 50 public and private enterprises, is among the parties that have registered their interest to participate in the joint market-sensing exercise for the HSR project. A spokesperson from South Korea’s Ministry of Land Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) said the Korea Rail Network Authority (KR) has applied to take part in the Request for Information (RFI) exercise, on behalf of the Korean consortium.
Some of the public enterprises in the consortium include KR, Korail, Korea Land and Housing Corporation, Korea Railroad Research Institute and Korea Transport Institute. There are also plans to include more companies in the consortium “as soon as possible”.
The spokesperson from MOLIT said the length of the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore HSR is “very similar” to Korea’s first HSR, the Gyeongbu HSR, which travels from Seoul to Busan.
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In Malaysia, a new company known as MyHSR Corporation Sdn Bhd (MyHSR Corp) will take the lead in making the project a reality. The company will act as the developer and owner of the project.
The project is estimated to garner an economic impact of RM100 billion in gross domestic product (GDP), of which RM70 billion will be generated through construction, operational and multiplier impact activities. The balance RM30 billion is expected to be generated through wider economic benefits from the rising activities in the property and tourism industries as well as the services sector.
The 350km-HSR link was first announced by Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in February 2013. Subsequently, a joint ministerial committee was formed to look into the details and modalities of the project.
Singapore’s terminus station will be at Jurong East, while the one in KL will be in Bandar Malaysia. With the HSR, it will take about 90 minutes to get from one end of the line to the other. The total number of stations planned is 8.
Jurong East was chosen as it dovetails with Singapore’s overall plans to transform the area into a second Central Business District, according to a statement issued on May 5 this year after the Leaders’ Retreat between both countries.
During the meeting, both leaders noted “steady progress” on the project and that agreements have been reached on the dual co-located Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) configuration, the frequency bands to be reserved for HSR operations, as well as on locating the depot and stabling facilities in Malaysia.
Malaysia had earlier identified six intermediate/transit stations in between both ends:
KL (at Bandar Malaysia South terminus),
Putrajaya,
Seremban (Labu),
Ayer Keroh (Melaka),
Muar (Pagoh),
Batu Pahat,
Nusajaya, and
the final stop in Singapore (at Jurong East terminus).
The project will request the construction of a brand-new line with specific tracks, which will allow trains to circulate at over 250km per hour. Currently, maximum train speed on the KL-Singapore railway link reaches only 130km per hour.
With travelling time cut to 90 minutes each way, Malaysians in Singapore can return home in the shortest possible time to see their loved ones over the weekend or during festive seasons.
Singaporeans can indulge in their favourite pastime of eating and shopping, and returning on the same day. Businesses will also benefit. At the moment, it is a one-hour flight or a five-hour drive to KL.
Singapore was Malaysia’s second-largest trading partner in 2014. Total trade in 2014 was in the region of US$60 billion (S$80 billion). Singapore is also Malaysia’s second-largest source of foreign investment in 2014, with total investment reaching about USD$2.23 billion.
Its minister Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan said the move took into account public views that the ministry received via various media. According to him, he had received suggestions from the public that the existence of a golf course in downtown Kuala Lumpur was no longer feasible.
“The public hopes that the golf course will be replaced, be taken out of Kuala Lumpur and a public park takes its place, like New York’s famed Central Park.
“I have no personal views on the matter. However, the suggestion was received by the ministry to ensure that a green area is made available,” he said.
Abdul Rahman Dahlan added the suggestion was proposed as the public wanted a park within the proximity of urban and commercial areas.
“We have Taman Tasik Perdana and Titiwangsa but not within walking distance from the city centre,” he said.
He added that in most developed countries there were no more golf courses in city centres, and as such the site was more suitable for a recreational park.
“We understand city dwellers need a recreational park close to their homes, work places and shopping centres,” said Abdul Rahman.
“However, it requires further discussions with the relevant parties including its owners,” said Abdul Rahman.
To realize this “dream”, the minister said discussions were in order between various interested parties namely, the landowner, Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) and the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah. The final decision hinges on the agreement of all parties concerned.
“We have to ensure the parties with interests will agree. We have to check with His Majesty, the Tuanku Sultan of Selangor.”
“We understand the nostalgia and history of the club,” he told reporters after opening the 2015 World Habitat Day recently.
“We want to discuss the issue with an open heart, listen to the opinions of all the parties as well and see its merits. I expect many will object. Club members are high-profile individuals but there is no harm in discussing the matter.”
The 300-acre RSGC counts Malaysian royalties, government officials and foreign diplomats among club members. The club at present has over 5,000 members and of that, about 2,000 are ordinary members who actually own the golf course.
The golf course is estimated to worth more than RM52 billion if the closest, most recent land transaction of over RM4,000 psf was to be benchmarked upon. Typically, the land of such size would be priced lower psf-wise but it will still definitely cost multi billions in compensation to club members.
This cost has not include the costs for land conversion, planning, landscaping, upgrading and revampment works, which are all to be paid by the government.
The minister said city folk could rest and take part in recreational activities after work while waiting for the traffic to ease to return home. A cultural centre, a recreational centre and facilities for family activities will be planned at the park.
He also said the National Landscaping Department would meet the owner of the club soon to discuss the matter.
Tan Sri Elyas Omar, Kuala Lumpur’s third mayor, said he kept an open mind over the idea.
“RSGC is an old golf club that has been given royal status. So, it’s tricky to change it to a park as the club has been part of the city’s history,” he said.
“But I am open to the idea as long as the club is relocated.”
He suggested any conversion plans should emulate the Perdana Botanical Lake Gardens, which had a private clubhouse.
“You don’t need to demolish the buildings. Let them stand as part of our heritage. The 18-hole (golf course) can be retained while the rest can be open to public.”
He added that members would benefit if the 18-hole course was retained, with another new 36-hole course for the club located elsewhere.
“Playing 54-holes at more than one location can truly be beneficial to the members,” said Elyas who had been a member of the club since 1978.
Another former mayor, Tan Sri Ahmad Fuad Ismail, a nature lover, called it a good move.
“Kuala Lumpur will then be comparable to larger cities like New York (Central Park) and London (Hyde Park),” he said.
“If the government can relocate the club, the people will be thankful as they have a new park in town.”
He said a public park in central Kuala Lumpur would benefit more people.
“The park in (Bukit) Kiara is actively used by people, mostly from Taman Tun Dr Ismail or Petaling Jaya. If RSGC is turned into an open space, it will cater to those from Ampang, Cheras and Kuala Lumpur as it is more accessible.”
He said the biggest challenge would be the sorting out of the land ownership.
“The authorities will need to find a way to compensate the members and relocate the club. They will also need to look into the legalities, especially over land ownership matters.
“The need of one million people in KL is more important than that of a few thousand club members,” he added.
However, historian Prof Tan Sri Khoo Kay Kim said the government should not disrupt the operations of the club.
“The government should focus on making existing open spaces and fields more active instead of introducing another public park,” he said.
“It’s not as though we don’t have enough spaces. If the idea is for Malaysians to mix around, then we should be focusing on sporting activities instead.”
The RSGC was set up in 1893 by the British and is among the oldest golf clubs in Asia. This golf course is essentially the birthplace of Malaysian golf. Located within the Golden Triangle of Kuala Lumpur, this parkland course offers a panoramic view of the city skyline from almost every hole.
It has two 18 hole courses, and one 9 hole course constructed many years apart with each course maintaining a unique identity. The Old Course was home to the inaugural Malaysian Open in 1962.
In 2006, the club had a multi-million ringgit renovation and upgrading.
The largest nightclub in Southeast Asia, the Zouk Kuala Lumpur, recently opened at TREC Entertainment Hub located at the fringe of the RSGC on Jalan Tun Razak. A purpose-built, upcoming financial district known as Tun Razak Exchange (TRX) is located opposite the golf grounds.
