Press Release: iProperty.com.my Showcases Malaysia’s First Ever Rental Property Demand Data For H1 2020

? An analysis of rental property demand in H1 2020 using iProperty.com.my’s user visits and property listing data for residential properties in Malaysia with a particular focus on Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Penang and Johor

? Lower-priced high-rise properties recorded a higher rental yield of above 4% compared to landed properties (terrace homes) which recorded a rental yield of 3.43%

? Condominium was the most popular property type among rental property seekers within the four major capital cities Kuala Lumpur (KL), Selangor, Penang and Johor.

“The need for rental demand data for residential property has never been more timely in order to gauge consumers’ interest as they look for more affordable and flexible housing options”, said Premendran Pathmanathan, General Manager of Customer Data Solutions, REA Group Asia (iProperty.com.my)

Kuala Lumpur, 30
th
September 2020 —
iProperty.com.my, Malaysia’s No.1 Property Site, today debuted its H1 2020 Property Demand Analytics for the rental market which provides an overview of rental property demand using iProperty.com.my’s user visits and property listings data for residential properties in Malaysia with a particular focus on Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Penang and Johor. The rental analytics, the first of its kind in Malaysia, takes a look at three property types: terrace houses, condominiums, and serviced residences.

Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the overall H1 2020 national rental demand declined by -5.6%. It should be noted however, that the transition from the Movement Control Order (MCO) to the Conditional MCO (CMCO) followed by the Recovery MCO (RMCO) has allowed for a gradual economic and social recovery from mid-May onwards This observation is supported by the recovery in property interest during the CMCO phase when the government relaxed various mobility restrictions and property viewings were permitted again.

One month into the RMCO and by the end of the first week of July, there was an
¹
upward recovery of +25% in rental visits on iProperty.com.my. The market recovery towards the end of H1 2020 dampened the initial effects of the pandemic and contributed towards a lower overall decline of -5.6%.

In H1 2020, lower-priced high-rise properties garnered a higher rental yield compared to landed properties. Condominiums and serviced residences recorded rental yields of +4.17% and +4.03% respectively while terrace houses recorded a +3.43% yield. Conversely, condominiums were the most popular property type among rental property seekers within the four major capital cities of Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Penang and Johor.

Due to the unprecedented situation caused by COVID-19, property seekers could be considering rental options instead. This could explain the increasing number of both visits and listings for Kuala Lumpur’s rental market compared to H1 2019, resulting in a more modest demand decline of -2.9% in the capital city. Property seekers were especially interested in rental properties with asking rental prices ranging between RM1,500 to RM2,000 per month. In Kuala Lumpur, among the areas with the best rental yield in H1 2020 were Pantai, Brickfields, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, and Wangsa Maju.

Selangor’s rental demand figures experienced a similar marginal decline of -1.2%. This was due to the increasing number of listings surpassing the increase in visits. For H1 2020, Ulu Kelang was the fastest-growing area with an impressive +44.21% increase in year-on-year (YoY) demand growth.

A large number of rental property seekers in Selangor were searching for condominiums with an asking rental price of RM2,000 per month and below. Rental demand in Selangor has shifted to suburban areas such as Ulu Kelang, Bangi, Klang, Rawang and Semenyih due to their affordable prices. Within these areas, property seekers were mainly looking for high-rise residences with low-entry prices.

Although user visits and listings in Penang grew in H1 2020, the overall rental market demand in the northern state declined by -13.7%. This was due to the higher number of listings compared to the number of user visits. In addition, the MCO contributed to the decline in rental demand as the closure of both state and international borders has affected the short-term rental accommodation market in Penang. Bukit Mertajam and Ayer Itam are popular rental options with local property seekers looking at rental options below RM1,000 per month. In Bukit Mertajam, property seekers were looking for terrace houses and condominiums while in Ayer Itam many were looking for apartments and condominiums.

Johor’s rental property demand dropped by -19.5% in H1 2020 due to the number of listings which outweighed the number of user visits. Nevertheless, the median asking rent for Johor (RM1,400 per month) was still lower compared to other major states in the country. Iskandar Puteri recorded the fastest growing YoY demand at +35% because its rental listings were reduced by half, mainly for the condominium segment.

Many property seekers were looking for rental properties below RM2,500 per month in Iskandar Puteri. Johor’s most in-demand rental area, Pasir Gudang, garnered the highest rental yield in the state with terrace houses being the top rental option. This industrial town recorded a rental yield of close to +7%, while its median rental price was at RM1,200 per month.

“Due to the unfortunate circumstances caused by COVID-19, many Malaysians are more inclined to rent than buy. As a result, the need for rental demand data for residential property has never been more timely in order to gauge consumers’ interest as they look for more affordable and flexible housing options. Real time rental property data can be hard to come by for property investors, landlords and industry professionals as there is currently no rental database in Malaysia.

Rental data is extremely important for all stakeholders – Landlords use it to price their properties accordingly and to stay competitive, while tenants can leverage on it to help them determine the best place to live, based on their personal needs. As affordability poses an issue on the current housing market, rental properties provide a temporary solution for housing needs. The availability of rental demand data will serve to help all stakeholders in making better informed decisions,” said Premendran Pathmanathan, General Manager of Customer Data Solutions, REA Group Asia (iProperty.com.my).

He continues, “As Malaysia’s No.1 Property Site, iProperty.com.my has dedicated several months of researching, planning and information gathering to produce this exclusive analytics on rental property demand. This type of analytics is the first of its kind in Malaysia and we hope to contribute invaluable insights into the rental market that benefits all stakeholders.”

FOOTNOTE:

¹
The 25% growth is comparable to the 52-week pre-MCO average, allowing iProperty.com.my to analyse our recovery using a one-year pre-MCO benchmark.

–
end of press release –

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7 High-Rise in Malaysia with the Highest Yields

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iProperty.com.my Reveals The Seven High-Rise Properties In Malaysia With The Highest Rental Yield In 2019

? Two properties, Le Renaissance and Jazz Suites were among the condominiums which recorded the Highest Capital Growth in 2018.

? Five featured properties have median prices which are lower than the 2019 Malaysian House Price Index (MHPI) of RM426,155.

? Two featured properties are located in popular tourist locations, Amber Court in Genting Highlands and Berjaya Times Square in Bukit Bintang.

? Three of the featured high-rise residences are located above a shopping mall or a retail hypermarket chain which shows that renters are attracted to convenience when selecting a rental property.

KUALA LUMPUR, 9
TH
JUNE 2020
— iProperty.com.my reveals the seven high-rise properties in Malaysia which offers the best rental revenue (yield) in proportion to the property’s price in 2019. These residential properties which are located in several states recorded gross rental yields ranging from 5.71% to 11.1%. The list is based on data compiled by iProperty.com.my‘s big data solution, iPropertyIQ.com. The properties are ranked in ascending order and the rental yield is displayed in terms of percentages (%).

1.
Le Renaissance – Bukit Kepayang, Negeri Sembilan

Rental Yield
: 11.1%

? Built-up size which generated top rental yield: 1,367 – 1,500 sq ft

? Median property price for 1,367 – 1,500 sq ft: RM270,000

? Median rent in 2019: RM2,500

A 9-storey freehold condominium, Le Renaissance is located in the prime neighbourhood of Taman Bukit Kaya. Although it may be an old development, Le Renaissance is very well-maintained and bears the top property fundamentals – a great location which is close to the Seremban city centre, spacious units, good security and boasts a low-density environment. Hence, it is not surprising that this condominium,

which was the only one to exceed the 10% rental return mark, was also one of the top condos in 2018 with great capital growth.

Le Renaissance serves as an attractive rental option for families considering its big built-up sizes which feature 4 bedrooms each, a safe and secure environment and proximity to various schools including St.Paul’s Institution, SMK Puteri, SMK Methodist, SK Puteri and SMK King George V. Plenty of commercial components are located within a 3KM radius, such as the Seremban Gateway Mall, Palm Mall, Tesco Extra and KPJ Specialist Hospital. Moreover, the Seremban Toll Plaza (PLUS Highway) located just 1KM away lends a connectivity appeal.

2.
Amber Court – Bentong, Pahang

Rental Yield
: 8.8%

? Built-up size which generated top rental yield: 1,184 – 1,302 sq ft

? Median property price for 1,184 – 1,302 sq ft: RM340,000

? Median rent in 2019: RM2,500

Located in Genting Highlands, Amber Court is an old, 20-storey freehold apartment. Amber Court is situated close to many tourist attraction spots and offers amazing mountain views. As a result, most of its units are rented out as homestays which is perfect for travellers looking for affordable rent prices in a holiday destination.

Despite being an ageing apartment with sub-par conditions, the lack of accommodation during peak tourist seasons at Genting Highlands could be the main reason for Amber Court’s continued tenant demand. This, coupled with Amber Court’s stagnant property median price which has not appreciated much over the years, could be why its rental yield topped almost 9% in 2019.

3.
Larkin Utama (Menara Metro Larkin) – Johor Bahru, Johor

Rental Yield
: 8.5%

? Built-up size which generated top rental yield: 1,078 – 1,448 sq ft

? Median property price for 1,078 – 1,448 sq ft: RM155,000

? Median rent in 2019: RM1,100

Larkin Utama is a mid-range leasehold apartment in Johor Bahru which is still showing strong rental performance. Built in 1999, the apartment is in a strategic location close to the Royal Johor Golf Club, as well as other amenities such as KPJ Puteri Specialist Centre, Larkin Bus Terminal, Merdeka City Park and Danga Bay City Mall; along with educational institutions such as Larkin 2 National School and St Joseph Secondary School.

Larkin Utama also stands out in terms of facilities, offering more than what typical apartments offer, such as a tennis court, squash court, gymnasium, swimming pool and sauna, mini-market, children’s playground and a barbeque area. Residents are guaranteed 24-hour security too, with regular guard patrols.

4.
Berjaya Times Square – Jalan Imbi, Kuala Lumpur

Rental Yield
: 6.02%

? Built-up size which generated top rental yield: 550 – 678 sq ft

? Median property price for 550 – 678 sq ft: RM578,000

? Median rent in 2019: RM2,900

Berjaya Times Square has been a prominent property within Kuala Lumpur’ Golden Triangle since its opening in 2003. This freehold integrated building in Bukit Bintang hosts a shopping mall, hotel, exhibition centre and serviced residences. It is within walking distance to numerous restaurants and shopping malls including Sungei Wang Plaza, Lot 10, Low Yat Plaza, Fahrenheit 88, Pavilion Kuala Lumpur and Starhill Gallery.

What’s more, the Imbi monorail station is located practically at the building’s entrance, making it convenient for residents and tourists to commute to other hotspots in the city centre. Berjaya Times Square’s location and accessibility is further bolstered by the fact that Jalan Imbi is well connected to other prime roads in the city including Jalan Sultan Ismail, Jalan Bukit Bintang and Jalan Tun Razak.

Facilities of its serviced residence include a large outdoor swimming pool, spa pool, fitness centre as well as table tennis and squash facilities. In addition, residents are able to enjoy the many retail, food and entertainment conveniences offered by the mall located just below. Similar to Amber Court, Berjaya Times Square is able to leverage on its location being within a popular tourist destination and its ability to draw in locals on weekends.

5.
PLAZA 393 – Jalan Peel, Cheras

Rental Yield
: 6%

? Built-up size which generated top rental yield: 718 – 732 sq ft & 902 – 980 sq ft

? Median property price for 718 – 732 sq ft & 902 – 980 sq ft: RM 301,500; RM360,000

? Median rent in 2019: RM1,500; RM1,800

A mid-range leasehold apartment, Plaza 393 is located along Jalan Peel in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur. This 18-year old property project provides its residents with a retail benefit, it is perched right atop an NSK Trade City outlet, which makes for easy grocery shopping. Furthermore, the project itself is sufficiently

equipped with amenities such as a mini-market, jogging track, children’s playground, cafeteria and 24-hour security.

Plaza 393’s main selling point is its central location. There are a few popular malls located within a 1.5KM radius including Sunway Velocity Mall, Viva Mall, MyTown Shopping Centre, IKEA Cheras and AEON Taman Maluri. Moreover, abundant amenities are within walking distance – from local eateries to banks, pharmacies and the Cheras multi-purpose hall. In addition, the Cochrane MRT station is 600M away, further adding to its accessibility appeal.

6.
JAZZ Suites @ Vivacity – Kuching, Sarawak

Rental Yield
: 5.83%

? Built-up size which generated top rental yield: 1,004 – 1076 ft

? Median property price for 1,001 – 1,076 ft sq ft: RM535,000

? Median rent in 2019: RM2,600

Jazz Suites was another condominium which came out as the top property with the highest capital growth in 2018, alongside Le Renaissance. This leasehold condominium also stands out from the rest of the properties on this list by being the newest property, with its first phase launched in 2016.

The property shares the same retail variable as Berjaya Times Square and Plaza 393, being located right on top Vivacity Megamall which is reputed to be the biggest and most popular mall in Kuching. It is a popular homestay and short-term rental accommodation option amongst tourists, holidaying families and business travellers.

Facilities include gymnasium, swimming pools, library, entertainment room, sauna, clubhouse facilities and landscaped rooftop garden. Jazz Suites is located within the Kuching city centre, with top locations within easy reach including Swinburne University, Sunway College, Borneo Medical Centre, Kuching Specialist Hospital and King’s Commercial Centre. The Kuching International Airport is located 7KM away, further boosting Jazz Suite’s appeal as a convenient accommodation option.

7.
The Palladium – Keramat, Kuala Lumpur

Rental Yield
: 5.71%

? Built-up size which generated top rental yield: 1,141 – 1,238 sq ft

? Median property price for 1,141 – 1,238 sq ft: RM420,000

? Median rent in 2019: RM2,000

The Palladium is a freehold condominium comprising four 9-storey residential tower blocks nestled within the green and quiet Kuala Lumpur suburb, Keramat. Despite being the oldest property in this list

at 27 years old, The Palladium is doing well on the rental front. This could be attributed to its strategic location near various commercial components and amenities, with three higher education institutions within 1KM radius, namely UniKL Business School, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia and TM Multimedia College (MMC). Several hospitals, including the National Heart Institute (IJN), KL General Hospital and Hospital Pusrawi, are within a 5-minute drive.

In addition, top shopping destinations such as Suria KLCC, Intermark Mall and Avenue K are nearby as well. Just like Plaza 393, an LRT station is within walking distance to the condominium, the Damai LRT station which is 900M away. Facilities include a squash court, swimming pool and mini-market made available to residents.

FOOTNOTES:

1) Since most high-rise residential buildings feature a selection of units with a few size ranges, median rent and median property prices can differ greatly within the same building. We have taken this into consideration when calculating the rental yield figures to avoid any distortion of data. For each winner, the specific built-up size range which garnered the top rental yield is highlighted. The rental yield figure presented is not an indicator for the overall building performance in 2019, but instead, it is only for the specified unit size range.

2) Residential projects with less than 5 transactions were not taken into consideration when selecting the top 7 winners.

3) Gross Rental Yield Calculation = (Monthly median rental X 12)/Median property price X 100

*Monthly median rental = The (asking) median rent is obtained from iProperty.com.my property listing database. Only monthly rents within the evaluation period (January to December 2019) are used to determine the median for each property project.

*Median Property Price: Sales data sourced from the Valuation and Property Services Department (JPPH) and captured by Brickz.my from. This data set was compiled by iProperty.com’s big data solution, iPropertyiQ.com.

— end of media release —

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iProperty is set to recharge the property market

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iProperty, still losing money as at H1 of 2014.

When I first joined my former company, I gathered the staffs and told them the story of online companies and why majority of all online companies fail. For any online company at all, the most expensive expenditure is on technology and manpower. Instead of buying materials when there are orders, online companies either break-even within a short period of time or it loses the fight against its huge fixed costs after some time. Speed is vital and thus companies spend a lot on making sure the infrastructure is ready for any sudden surge which may happen. Imagine what will happen if a lot of people wants to engage your services but your server is down 20 times every day? That’s the end of your business, that’s for sure.

Secondly, when we look at the real estate industry, every customer that you engage for the very first time would most probably be already engaging a traditional media and they will ask you to give them free trials. If you do not, they may never know that online works. If you do, they may think that the value is low and will forever push you for heavy discounts. Everyone seemed to have forgotten that even staffs at online companies also have to be paid salaries and have families to feed. Plus, if they use Online, they are saving huge amounts of money compared to traditional media in the long run. Imagine a RM40,000 one day colour advertisement? Well, RM40,000 can get you huge exposure beyond whatever you have every imagined possible. Always understand the value that you are selling.

Below is the latest results of iProperty, after many years of being a publicly listed company. I forwarded the news to my friends and they asked me this interesting question. Since iProperty has a new investor, surely this loss is okay? Well, truth is, new investor is one issue, losing money is another. There’s no such thing as due to new investor, thus losses are okay. In the latest financial result by iProperty Group Ltd, it announced a net loss of more than double that of the same period last year. For the H1 of 2014, its loss was S$8.97 million versus a net loss of A3.33 million in the first half a year ago. According to the company, this loss is expected and is due to the ‘impairments’ from its Singapore and Indonesia investments.

In terms of revenue however, you can say that it showed positive signs. Revenue rose 43 percent to A$11.01 million. Nevertheless, its position in Singapore is a huge cause for concern as it has continue to slip. It trails its main competitor PropertyGuru.com.sg by far. 22nd ranked versus 139. The main improvements for iProperty came from its Malaysian operations, showing a growth of 66% of which a huge portion was due to events. Taking that out, Malaysia grew at 35%. According to its management, the company has now fully impaired its Singapore and Indonesia operations. In fact the “The impairment was an accounting treatment only, and the goodwill was fully impaired as these values were not supported by a discounted cash-flow valuation of the business.”

Let’s see the if H2 of 2014 would be a better one compared to H2 of 2013. Will report on this when I have the news next year.

written on 15 Aug 2014

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News Corp, The Wall Street Journal and iProperty are now related

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Opportunities come only to those who are ready. Buying properties should not happen suddenly, actually. Understand what’s happening and get to know what are the choices available. These are pre-requisites even before we start to decide whether to buy or not to buy. If buy, then what to buy, where to buy and perhaps even should I buy next to MRT since this is a hot topic today? Well, LRTs are full to the brim during office hours but MRTs are not yet popular. So, perhaps we should buy next to LRTs then and not MRTs? I will share my thoughts on “Reasons Why MRT Should Affect Your Property Buying Decisions” in iProperty.com’s Home & Property Fair in Sunway Pyramid on 15th April 2018.Time is 4pm – 445pm.
Please sign up here.

See you there.

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IQI and Common Ground: Breaking New Grounds in Co-Working Spaces

Press Release by IQI and Common Ground.

Global real estate firm, IQI, partners with Malaysia’s largest leading co-working space, Common Ground, to better market communal workspaces.

Kuala Lumpur, January 8, 2019
– Today, multi-award winning global real estate giant, IQI, and Malaysia’s largest leading co-working space, Common Ground, signed a notable working agreement with each other. This signing marks the beginning of a lasting collaboration between the two companies, which will be mutually beneficial for both parties. The signing ceremony took place in Common Ground TTDI.

Through this agreement, IQI’s agents will be bringing new potential clients to use the various co-working spaces, services and amenities provided by Common Ground.

The official signing of the agreement was done between IQI’s Group CEO Kashif Ansari and Common Ground’s Head of Operations Ru Sow.

“At IQI, our philosophy is to go beyond real estate. We are continuously branching out into new frontiers and this is one of our many new ventures. 2018 was an amazing year for partnerships and innovations for IQI, and for us, this latest partnership is a great way to start the New Year. We are always looking for new ways to better our clients’ experience as well as better the experience of the working community as a whole. We look forward to working with Common Ground, and to a brighter and fulfilling future together,” said Mr. Ansari.

“Since our first outlet at Damansara Heights, which opened in March 2017, Common Ground has grown to 11 outlets in Malaysia and 2 outlets in the Philippines, and with the upcoming entry into Bangkok and Jakarta, we look forward to more than double this number in all 4 countries in 2019. Part of our success thus far can be credited to the support of our trusted allies, and we’re very excited to have IQI’s valued agents join us with this new partnership. Our ambitious growth plans cover many strategic locations and also include very unique workspaces such as Malaysia’s first pet-friendly coworking space, iconic penthouses, customizable workspaces for big teams of 200 to 350 persons, and many more. We look forward to the many upcoming opportunities to work with IQI and to a great year of growth together,” said Ms. Ru Sow.

IQI has thousands of dedicated agents, who are proven experts in the industry. Because of this, they will be able to better market these co-working spaces to those who require them. Quality is an important aspect of IQI, and thereby they look forward to working closely with Common Ground and creating new opportunities along the way.

About IQI Global

IQI, the multi-award winning real estate agency and advisory firm, with a strong worldwide presence and a dedicated international team of real estate and marketing experts, working with world-class partners, investors and developers around the globe, to reshape the property industry through innovation and technology.
 http://www.iqiglobal.com

About Common Ground

Common Ground is Malaysia’s largest leading coworking space that prides itself on not just being a communal workspace but building a sustainable and integrated coworking community. From our modern, stylish offices to an extensive range of support services and events, we’ve designed our workspaces and amenities around building a vibrant living and working community to helps you get business done – better.
https://www.commonground.work/

Media Enquiries

Selina Chong, IQI Global
Address : Block 6-10-1, VSQ at PJ City Centre, Jalan Utara, Section 14, 46200 Petaling Jaya, Selangor Email : selina@iqiglobal.com Phone : +603 7450 6655 Mobile : +6012 943 2768

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IRERS 2018 – Industrial Sessions with important issues and prominent experts

These four Industrial Sessions would be
reasons why we must participate in the IRERS 2018.
Participation details at the bottom of this article.

#1 – Should Waqf properties be used to generate income and profits? WAQF DEVELOPMENT IN MALAYSIA session will discuss issues related to Waqf in current times and will explore ways to efficiently manage Waqf properties while staying true to the intentions of the Waqf founders.

#2 – If you are in a business where your Intellectual Property (IP) is your competitive advantage, would you want to lose it to some copycats?  IP has become ever more valuable to manufacturers beside their end products. This session will explore opportunities and challenges presented to Valuers to play a part in the ever-changing industrial sector.

#3 – How do we value that secondary forest which could also be used for a commercial development? This is a challenge for many valuers and yet governments, policy makers, researchers and the public are getting more interested in such valuation. This session aims to broaden valuer view on non-market based valuation especially for environmental and socio-economic purposes.

#4 – The Parliament of Malaysia has ALREADY passed a bill to amend the
THE VALUERS, APPRAISERS AND ESTATE AGENT ACT 1981 (ACT 242).
(recently renamed as the Board of Valuers, Appraisers, Estate Agents and Property Managers).  This forum will discuss the improvements made to the Act to strengthen the valuation, estate agents and property management profession. It also creates an opportunity for Property Manager from a non-property related background to attain more information regarding the newly established Registry of Property Managers.
 Do you wish to become a Property Manager?

More details as follows:

IRERS 2018 would also have many Industrial Sessions which will be presented by experts and they are as follows:

IRERS 2018 – INDUSTRIAL SESSIONS

The programme outlines for the symposium includes an Industrial Session with panellist and/or presenters that are established experts in the subject(s) of discussion. This session provides opportunities to academicians and researchers to interact with industry professionals to narrow the gap between the academic and industry sectors.

The Industrial Session allocates four (4) where each is designated with a specific topic for discussion as per following:

International Real Estate Symposium (IRERS) 2018

Day 1  : 24 April 2018 (1430 pm – 1630 pm)

Parallel 2  : Industry Session

Venue  : Dewan Nusantara, Ground Floor, Institut Penilaian Negara (INSPEN)

WAQF DEVELOPMENT IN MALAYSIA

Waqf (endowment) refers to the act of surrendering one’s own property to be publicly used to benefit all Muslims. Waqf is a preferred instrument for long term charity as beneficiaries will be able to use the property for extended length of time.

But despite the good intentions, the institutionalisation of Waqf has created problems to beneficiaries and enforcement agencies especially in handling the management and maintenance of such properties, especially since society perceives Waqf properties as public properties and thus frowns upon their usage to generate income and profit.

This session will discuss issues related to Waqf in current times and will explore ways to efficiently manage Waqf properties while staying true to the intentions of the Waqf founders.

Prof Dr
Khairuddin
 bin Abd Rashid

Kulliyyah of Architecture and Environmental Design, International Islamic University, Malaysia

Assistant Prof Dr Nor
Azizan
 Che
Embi

Department of Finance, Kuliyyah of Economics and Management, International Islamic University, Malaysia

International Real Estate Symposium (IRERS) 2018

Day 1  : 24 April 2018 (1430 pm – 1630 pm)

Parallel 3  : Industry Session

Venue  : Dewan Delima, Ground Floor, Institut Penilaian Negara (INSPEN)

THE CHALLENGES OF INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION 4.0 ON INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY (IP)

“Industrial Revolution 4.0” refers to the most recent industrial revolution that promotes wide use of computerisation in manufacturing. The term was first coined by the German government in early 2000s, while developing high-tech strategies that would allow industrialised nations in the West to compete with cheap labour and mass production offered by third world economies in the East. It incorporates the whole chain of production to include the idea and product conceptualisation until the end of the product’s life cycle where it enters the recycling process.

IR 4.0 has triggered industrial awareness regarding the need to protect the “smart” processes developed by manufacturers and more organisations are investing in registration of their intellectual properties.

Amidst this development, the need for professional IP Valuers has risen to new heights as IP becomes more valuable to manufacturers beside their end products. This session will explore opportunities and challenges presented to Valuers to play a part in the ever-changing industrial sector.

Dato’ Sr Lau Wai
Seang
 (Chairman)

President, Royal Institution of Surveyors Malaysia

Assoc. Prof Dr
Suffian

Jusoh

Deputy Director, Institute of Malaysian and International Studies, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia

Pn
 Siti
Munirah

Maarof

Tan Norizan & Associates

Cerified IP Valuer

En
 Ahmad
Fadzlee
 Rashid

Managing Director, IPVolusi Sdn Bhd

International Real Estate Symposium (IRERS) 2018

Day 2  : 25 April 2018 (0830 am – 1030 am)

Parallel 3  : Industry Session

Venue  : Dewan Nusantara, Ground Floor, Institut Penilaian Negara (INSPEN)

NATURAL RESOURCE VALUATION FOR NON-COMMERCIAL PURPOSES IN MALAYSIA

The subject of “valuation” is always tied up to commercial purposes and profiteering. However, valuation is also important to determine the monetary worth of national assets not intended for business transactions.

Environmentalists initiated the need for non-commercial valuation to assign monetary equivalent to environmental factors in relation to damages due to pollution and contributions to carbon storage that are normally excluded in typical financial valuation. Generally non-market based, natural resources valuation is conceptually based on cost-benefit analysis derived from a natural asset as opposed to not having it.

Governments, policy makers, researchers and the public are getting more interested in such valuation to evaluate the true gains and/or loss from sacrificing available resources and the chain of reactions afterwards.

This session aims to broaden valuer view on non-market based valuation especially for environmental and socio-economic purposes.

Dato’
Hjh

Zaleha
 binti
Baharum
 (Chairman)

Deputy Director (Strategic Policy), Valuation and Property Services Department, Ministry of Finance, Malaysia

Dr Awang Noor Abd Ghani

President, Malaysian Environmental Economics Association

Dr Andrea Blake

School of Civil Engineering and Built Environment, Queensland Institute of Technology

Mr Muhamad
Nahdi

Head Division of Business Valuation and Natural Resources Valuation, Directorate General State Asset Management, Indonesia

International Real Estate Symposium (IRERS) 2018

Day 2  : 25 April 2018 (1100am – 1300 pm)

Parallel 3  : Industrial Session

Venue  : Dewan Nusantara, Ground Floor, Institut Penilaian Negara (INSPEN)

LATEST AMENDMENTS TO THE VALUERS, APPRAISERS AND ESTATE AGENT ACT 1981 (ACT 242)

In August 2017, the Parliament of Malaysia had passed a bill to amend Act 242 to include the profession of property managers into the administration of the Board of Valuers, Appraisers and Estate Agents (recently renamed as the Board of Valuers, Appraisers, Estate Agents and Property Managers). With this amendment, the Board will provide a Registrar for Property Managers and will be responsible to regulate the profession.

The latest amendments also revised some provisions related to estate agents and empowers enforcement agencies to take actions against individuals who performed offences stated in the Act.

This forum will discuss the improvements made to the Act to strengthen the valuation, estate agents and property management profession. It also creates an opportunity for Property Manager from a non-property related background to attain more information regarding the newly established Registry of Property Managers.

Sr Adzman Shah Mohd Arifin (Moderator)

Chief Real Estate Consultant, ExaStrata Solutions Sdn Bhd

Pn
 R Mahaletchumi

Registrar, Board of Valuers, Appraisers, Estate Agents and Property Managers, Malaysia (BOVEAP)

Sr Haji Ishak bin Ismail

CEO, IM Global Property Consultants Sdn Bhd

Sr Lim Boon Ping

Director of Training and Development, Kim Realty

Registration details as below:

Mode of payment:

Kindly make immediate payment (except Local Order) upon registration to secure your participation. Registration without payment will not be considered.

The mode of payment are as follow:

Bank draft

Local Order

Telegraphic Transfer (International Participant only)

Bank draft should be crossed and made payable to:

PENGARAH INSTITUT PENILAIAN NEGARA

Or via bank transfer:

Bank Name: Affin Bank Berhad

Bank Address: Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia

Swift Code: AIBBMYKL

Account Number: 105990040172

Account Name: Jabatan Akauntan Negara Malaysia Negeri Selangor

Note: Please provide us the proof of payment (receipt / telegraphic transfer form and etc.)

The Organising Committee will be in touch with you with more IRERS news as we progress. In the meantime, please feel free to get back to me with any queries you may have. Once again, a very warm welcome and looking forward to meeting you at the conference.

Join us and register now to secure your seat and guarantee your participation in IRERS. Please note that registration is based on first come first served basis.

Thank you.

Ms. Nur Hafizah Zahari (Treasurer of IRERS)

Institut Penilaian Negara (INSPEN)

Persiaran INSPEN

43000 Kajang

Selangor, MALAYSIA

Email: irers@inspen.gov.my | irers.malaysia@gmail.com

Telephone: +603-8911 8888 | +603-8911 8800

Facsimile: +603-8925 0640

Feel free to read more about some of the presenters from
 inspen.gov.my
. You can also
download the brochure here.

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International Real Estate Research Symposium 2018 is here. Register asap!

IRERS is a well-established international real estate conference in Malaysia. The theme for IRERS 2018 is Emerging Trends and Evolving Diversity in Real Estate. This is an event that I will be attending personally. For everyone from the real estate industry, this is an event not to be missed.
IRERS has also obtained Continuing Professional Development (CPD) hours by the Board of Valuers, Appraisers & Estate Agents, Malaysia. 10 CPD Hours.

The International Real Estate Research Symposium 2018 will be held on 23-25 April 2018. This is an event recommended for the following:  Valuers, Property Managers & Estate Agents, Bankers & Financiers, Real Estate Player, Academia & Researchers, Government Agencies & Local Authorities, Postgraduate Students and any individual related to Real Estate. Time to get to know the movers and shakers in the industry.

National Institute of Valuation (INSPEN) is the training and research Institute of the Valuation and Property Services Department (JPPH), Ministry of Finance Malaysia (MOF). INSPEN is the host of International Real Estate Research Symposium (IRERS). IRERS is a real estate research forum held in collaboration with several international universities and property organisations. IRERS 2002 is the Malaysia’s first international symposium on real estate research. IRERS was conceived out the awareness that the real estate industry must embrace research and development (R&D) as a way forward. IRERS has never been intended to replace, but rather, to complement similar efforts already in place in the Asia-Pacific region.

INSPEN is hosting the 9th International Real Estate Research Symposium (IRERS). The main objective of this symposium is to provide a platform for discussion and exchange of ideas on the changing faces of today’s real estate market dynamic. The symposium will provide an excellent opportunity for global networking, discussions and exchange of information across a broad spectrum of issues related to real estate and allied subject. It will bring together experts, practitioners, policymakers, academics and institutions on an international level to focus on the emerging issues of real estate and outline appropriate principles, procedures and tools to face the challenge of global change.

IRERS is structured in Plenary Sessions, concerning keynote speech, and Parallel Sessions, dealing with the following topics specified:

Valuation and Pricing

Valuation of Special Properties

Real Estate Development

Real Estate Performance Measurement

Real Estate Appraisal

Real Estate Market Analysis

Real Estate Investment

Real Estate Forecasting

Real Estate Construction

Real Estate Cycles

Real Estate Law

Real Estate Portfolio Management

Real Estate Finance

Land Use Planning

Intellectual Properties

Property & Facilities Management

ICT in Real Estate

It is our great pleasure to welcome you to the
9th International Real Estate Research Symposium (IRERS) at INSPEN in April 2018.
Email to register here
 or
via this email.

Registration details as below:

Mode of payment:

Kindly make immediate payment (except Local Order) upon registration to secure your participation. Registration without payment will not be considered.

The mode of payment are as follow:

Bank draft

Local Order

Telegraphic Transfer (International Participant only)

Bank draft should be crossed and made payable to:

PENGARAH INSTITUT PENILAIAN NEGARA

Or via bank transfer:

Bank Name: Affin Bank Berhad

Bank Address: Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia

Swift Code: AIBBMYKL

Account Number: 105990040172

Account Name: Jabatan Akauntan Negara Malaysia Negeri Selangor

Note: Please provide us the proof of payment (receipt / telegraphic transfer form and etc.)

The Organising Committee will be in touch with you with more IRERS news as we progress. In the meantime, please feel free to get back to me with any queries you may have. Once again, a very warm welcome and looking forward to meeting you at the conference.

Join us and register now to secure your seat and guarantee your participation in IRERS. Please note that registration is based on first come first served basis.

Thank you.

Ms. Nur Hafizah Zahari (Treasurer of IRERS)

 Institut Penilaian Negara (INSPEN)

 Persiaran INSPEN

 43000 Kajang

 Selangor, MALAYSIA

 Email: irers@inspen.gov.my | irers.malaysia@gmail.com

 Telephone: +603-8911 8888 | +603-8911 8800

 Facsimile: +603-8925 0640

Feel free to read more about some of the presenters from
 inspen.gov.my
. You can also
download the brochure here.

Additional details for the Plenary Sessions for IRERS 2018 as below:

Plenary 1: Papers Presentation

Theme: Emerging Trends And Evolving Diversity in Real Estate

Date : 24th April 2018 (Tuesday)

Time : 11.00 am – 01.00 pm

Venue : Jubli Hall, INSPEN

Moderator :
Sr. Mohd. Khairudin Abd Halim, Valuation and Property Services Department, Ministry of Finance, Malaysia

Presenters:

Professor Dr. Graeme Newell – Western Sydney University (WSU), Australia. Paper entitled “The Increasing Significance of Asia Pacific Real Estate Investors”

Professor Sr Dr. Ting Kien Hwa – Universiti Teknologi MARA, Shah Alam, Malaysia. Paper entitled “A Market Study Framework for World Class Property Development Projects”

Prof. Dr. Hishamuddin Mohd Ali – Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Malaysia. Paper entitled “Formulation of Housing Strategy From the Perspective of Property Market Efficiency”

Plenary Speaker Profile

Professor Dr. Graeme Newell
 is Professor of Property Investment in the School of Economics, Finance and Property at Western Sydney, University. He has published over 130 papers in the leading property research journals, including Journal of Real Estate Research, Journal of Property Research, Journal of Property Investment and Finance, and Journal of Real Estate Portfolio Management. He has extensive experience in supervising PhD students and examining PhDs for a large number of universities. Graeme has strong links to the property industry in Australia, USA, United Kingdom, Europe and Asia. Graeme also has strong links to Malaysia and has attended all of the IRERS conferences since established in 2002.

Professor Sr Dr. Ting Kien Hwa
 is currently the Head of Centre for Real Estate Research (CORE
Research
), Universiti Teknologi MARA, Shah Alam, Malaysia. He is the Vice President of the Malaysian Institute of Professional Property Managers (MMIPPM), Academic Member of Asia Public Real Estate Association (APREA), a Board member of the Pacific Rim Real Estate Society, RICS Malaysia Board member, a Council member of the Royal Institution of Surveyors Malaysia and a member of the NAPREC Expert Panel (INSPEN). He is an established researcher on Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs). He was the founding Editor of
International Surveying Research Journal
and Editor for
The Malaysian Surveyor
 of Royal Institution of Surveyors Malaysia from 2011 to 2016.  He is also an Editorial Board member of
Journal of Corporate Real Estate (UK), Journal of Real Estate Literature (USA),

Pacific Rim Property Research Journal (Australia)
 and
Asian Journal of Knowledge Management.

Prof. Dr. Hishamuddin Mohd Ali
 is Professor of Property Asset Management in the Faculty of Geoinformation and Real Estate at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM). He holds a PhD in Property Investment and Finance from the University of Salford. Currently, he is the Deputy Dean of Research, Innovation, Community and Industry Linkages at the same faculty. He is actively involved in property research and has led many research and consultancy projects and has published in various publications and proceedings. He has been appointed as a consultant for many projects in real estate valuation, market and feasibility studies for more than 30 years. His research interest covers asset management strategy, property market dynamics, investment and valuation

Dr. Suraya Ismail
 is a Director of Research in Khazanah Research Institute. Before joining the Institute, she was in Think City (a city-making initiative of Khazanah Nasional Berhad), and had previously taught at the University of Malaya. Her research interests include theories of the firm, the economics of governance and the history of economic growth. Suraya was educated at the universities of Malaya, Reading and UCL. She holds a PhD in Institutional Economics and Governance.

Plenary 2: Real Estate Forum

Theme: Emerging Trends And Evolving Diversity in Real Estate

Date : 25th April 2018 (Tuesday)

Time : 02.30 pm – 04.30 pm

Venue : Jubli Hall, INSPEN

Moderator
:
Sr. A’zmi Abdul Latif – Valuation and Property Services Department, Ministry of Finance, Malaysia

Panellists:

Sr. Sulaiman Akhmady Mohd Saheh – Head of Research, Rahim & Co International Sdn. Bhd. Paper entitled “Disruption in the Real Estate Landscape”

Dr Jasmine LC Lim – Senior Lecturer, Ulster University, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom. Paper entitled “Real Estate: A Digital Transformation”

Sr. Khaidzir Abdul Rasip – Senior Vice President, Urban Observatory, IRDA. Paper entitled “Towards a Diverse and Sustainable Property Market in Iskandar Malaysia”

Mr. Arik Hariyono – Tenaga Pengkaji Privatisasi dan Efektivitas Kekayaan Negara Dipisahkan (DJKN).

Please do register online.
 There would also be parallel sessions running throughout the symposium.

Seats are based on first come first serve basis.

Schedule is as follows:

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iResidenz.com: Resident portal for owners, tenants and management offices

This article is a must read for JMCs, Property Management Companies and even Developers who wants to ensure residents benefit from the services of the management office and all the facilities without wasting too much of the residents’ precious time. In fact I would recommend that residents read it to understand why smartphones may be all you need to book your next session at the tennis court.  In fact everything can be done transparently and disputes are minimised as to who booked first. If you like the introduction, do call the number stated. Visit their website here:
iresidenz.com
Quoting my name does not get additional discounts because… it’s free anyway.

My wife hates to walk from our unit to the management office. Sometimes under the sun and sometimes she would have to wait for her turn if there are other residents there. These days, she asked me to download the necessary forms, fill it up and send it back to the management office. All from the comfort of our own unit and anytime. Come to think of it, I have not been to the management office in my condo for a very long time. I could refer to announcements from the management office via my smartphone. Booking of facilities can be done and confirmed online within minutes. In fact I think if I were to move to another condo, I would want the same kind of resident portal. So, does your condo have one, yet? You can always tell your management office
about it.

This is what they have to say.  iResidenz is a web-based resident portal that’s ideal for condominiums, serviced residences, and gated communities. Owners and tenants just need to login to the portal to connect with management office. Getting things done has never been easier. Payments, bookings and everything else can be done at your own comfort & convenience — anytime, anyplace, anywhere. Getting started is a breeze. Once all information is provided to us, we can quickly setup within 3 days. You don’t have to worry about anything and you don’t have to be tech-savvy — it’s just that easy to use. Join over 40 properties using iResidenz for FREE. No deposit. No installation. No hardware. No hidden costs. See if you qualify.
Find out more.

Happy enjoying what you love best.

written on 21 Jan 2017

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Maintenance fees and sinking fund a stumbling block to condo

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Iringan Bayu presents “Playground of the Wind” (Do not miss it!)

Do you feel excited when you see pinwheels? I do. My kids do. My wife too. Well, how about seeing 20,000 pinwheels at the same time? Bring your family and loved ones to feel the magical moment on 27
th
 January 2017 (coming Saturday) when you attend the launching of Iringan Bayu, Seremban. For families, this is a new township featuring a natural and holistic living concept. Everyone in the family gets to enjoy a better living quality. From safety to modern building design and even green-living, Iringan Bayu has all of these covered. Beyond these important features, Iringan Bayu has one of the largest Verdant Central Park in Seremban featuring 22-acre lush green landscaped park that focuses on a variety of outdoor activities for the well-being of the residents.

Gone are the days when staying in landed homes meant driving some distance away for a public park. Finding parking in a public park may not be easy too. Here in Iringan Bayu, the park is accessible easily and yes, for your kids, they can enjoy it daily! For couples, it’s time to get healthier; a few kilometres of brisk walking every weekend will be great for the body and relationship too. For families with kids, it’s time to ask the kids to leave their smartphones at home and go out to explore what the Verdant Central Park has to offer.

In celebration of the official launch, Iringan Bayu presents “Playground of the Wind” featuring more than 20,000 pinwheels in 10 Wind-spired theme park! Bring your family and friends for a weekend of a colourful journey surrounded by 20,000 pinwheels in the Forest of Chimes, Pavilion of Wishes and Pinwheels of Purity along with a parade of fun-filled activities for your family! From food trucks to artsy workshops; Instagram contests to children games and activities .. You do not want to miss this, especially the shutter-bugs!

Some important links for you:

Website:
http://www.iringanbayu.com.my/

Facebook 1 :
http://www.facebook.com/iringanbayuseremban

Event page:
Iringan Bayu – Playground of the Wind

AND

Register here
or contact 06-630 4656 now. Scanning is possible too!

See you there!

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Competitively priced, overall township development and maximumly sized

Iringan Bayu is OSK Property’s latest new development in Negeri Sembilan. This is a 308ha development and is located along the Seremban-Port Dickson trunk road. This development would be completed over the next 10 years. OSK Group executive chairman Tan Sri Ong Leong Huat shared,“Iringan Bayu will be an ideal township envisioned with a country living concept and where residents can enjoy suburban serenity with urban design and comfort.” Phase one is known as Pastura and there are a total of 221 units of 20ft by 60ft double-storey terrace houses. The layout of these four-bedroom-four-bath units, to cost RM435,000 onwards, would range from 1,997sq ft to 2,020sq ft. Bumiputra lots would cost from RM390,000. Construction of these units would be completed within 2 years.

OSK Property Holdings Chief Executive Officer Mr. Ong Ghee Bin also shared that the most popular units are corner units as it’s limited and with very competitive price given the reasonably spacious extra garden that families can utilise for multiple purposes. He shared that when it comes to size, units in Pastura are fully extended to maximise use of space for functional and practical layout. In terms of the demographics of buyers, Ong shared that there were a number of small families who bought Iringan Bayu. He said, “This is in line with our target as well because the township is thoughtfully built for budding families creating a healthy environment for their growth. During the launch, most of the buyers were
interested to find out about overall township concept and differentiation factor, size and as well as package.” Ong further shared that Pastura has seen a good balance of locals and even professionals who work in KL but moving to Seremban too.

In terms of accessibility, Iringan Bayu is accessible via the North-South Expressway, Kajang-Seremban Expressway and the Elite Highway. Besides that, the upcoming construction of the KL-Singapore high speed railway with the station located a short distance away in Labu will be another advantage too.  The total houses to be built within this new gated township is over 3,000 units. Beyond just the home, there is also a 8.8ha park for the residents. An earlier article here:
Iringan Bayu township

Iringan Bayu is also designed along the lines of a safe city or “Bandar Selamat. The concept of Bandar Selamat is a set of design principles used to prevent crime such as installing a safety green buffer walkway, designated bicycle tracks and driveways to create a traffic-free environment.

In conjunction with the launch, a month-long celebration with the theme “Playground of the Wind” where people can visit the Green Building Index-certified show village and experience 20,000 colourful pinwheel garden in Iringan Bayu.  There will also be a parade of fun-filled activities throughout the month including during the Wind Festival on Feb 10 and 11. For more information, visit
www.iringanbayu.com.my
 or contact 06-630 4656.

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Irresponsible and unethical and ‘just forward’

I received a few WhatsApp messages stating that Malaysia’s sovereign rating has been downgraded days ago. Later another friend informed me that she has also received a similar message. The whole message was about how Malaysia’s sovereign rating has been downgraded, thus the exchange rate is going from worse to worst and every other negative news. The fact that it’s continuously forwarded meant NO ONE bothered to verify the authenticity. From earlier report, I knew that the earliest Fitch would decide would be end of June. Thus, I checked online and found no such news, not within Malaysia or out of Malaysia. It’s FAKE.

Another friend then remarked that sooner or later this will happen anyway. I looked at him and told him, these are two very different matters. When it happens, I have no qualms about sharing my views but if it has yet to happen, I would not forward such news. Oh yeah, the final few sentences of the message says this, ‘Diversify your investments now.’ Haha. So, now do you know why was the message forwarded? Yes, it was to create some panic buying of some form of investment products. Just like how some unit trust agents tell you that you better take out all your EPF money and invest in unit trust because EPF’s returns are way too low and all the bad news about EPF having insufficient money etc. Sorry, all my money in EPF remain in EPF. I do have quite a lot in unit trust but all of it are from my extra savings. Please, be very objective.

Coming back to the issue, well, following are the latest statements from the three major international rating agencies.

Moody’s. Senior analyst Christian de Guzman confirmed that the rating agency’s stance on Malaysia remained the same with no downgrade.

Fitch Ratings. Fitch’s Asia-Pacific sovereign ratings head Andrew Colquhoun would make no further comment on the ratings. “We have said we expect to review the ratings again before the end of this month,”

Standard and Poor’s Rating Services in February had affirmed an A- rating with a stable outlook.

If there are changes, I would surely write about it. In the mean time, seriously there are LOTS of things that we can do as a Malaysian. It does not include forwarding fake news. It only shows the world how ‘awesomely’ clever are us, Malaysians. Happy forwarding any future unverified news if you disagree.

written on 11 June 2015

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A little positives, at 28th May 2015

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Stop looking at a home as a liability or asset. For some, it’s still a must.

Someone searched this term “Is house a liability or an asset.” and Google referred them to kopiandproperty.com  Haha. I know, there’s a super famous book which says that as long as the house does not give you any returns, then that’s a liability. Only when a house gives you a positive return that it should be considered an asset. I think from the perspective of n investor, the view is pretty true. However, let me share from the perspective of a B40 household who has just about enough for monthly expenses and nothing else.

We are often told that if we could not yet afford a home, we should just rent. After all, rental is so affordable these days. This cannot be more wrong because with rental, it’s totally and absolutely not an asset regardless of how people want to argue whether it’s a liability or expenses or whatever. When we pay rental of RM600 per month for a year, that’s RM7,200 to the owner. When it’s over 5 years, that’s over RM35,000 to the owner. Even assuming the rental we pay is NOT enough to cover the owner’s monthly mortgage, do we want to think the owner is ‘suffering’ from this liability which continues to give the owner money every month?

Now, imagine paying the rental for the next 30 years and suddenly the time to retire has arrived. What has happened to all those rental money? Gone. Imagine however if we have that “liability” where the monthly payment is higher than rental by RM200. The home does NOT give us any returns and in fact the banks are earning interest from our mortgage payments. However, the home ensures what over the long run, the money paid do not all go to the owner or the bank or anybody. Some of those money, together with the capital appreciation do come back to us. Actually, not a lot. A RM250,000 home would only become RM500,000 at the end of 30 years with a 3% increase on average every year. However, this B40 household has a fully paid home worth RM500,000 which is now an ASSET, perhaps? Happy understanding that even the most cash-rich companies today borrow money and it has nothing to do with whether it’s a liability or an asset. If you could afford an affordable home for own stay, get one. Waiting and doing nothing is not going to turn nothing into an asset anyway.

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written on 8 Jan 2019

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Dropping and increasing prices at the same time, depends on how we see it, really.

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Is it doom and gloom or boom and vroom?

Singapore property market. Is it doom and gloom or boom and vroom? All the statistics are pointing to a downturn in the Singaporean market. All the statistics from Urban Redevelopment Authority of Singapore. The HDB prices are down, the luxury prices are down. The total number of transactions are down. There’s already more than sufficient units of HDB flats and next year, the HDB will build less units compared to earlier estimates. Some are even selling at a loss compared to the price they paid earlier. Read here:
Singapore property, prices continuously declining into 2015
  Despite all these negative news, one executive condominium showed that instead of doom and gloom, it might just be boom and vroom! Within 2 days, the 546-unit Lake Life executive condominium (EC) had 98% booking. In other words, remaining units are just 12 units. If one of the readers who are reading this buys another unit, then there would be just 11 units left! Haha.

Okay, is it because of the price? The project’s average price is S$857 psf. I checked online. This is not considered a low price. In fact, it’s 10-20% higher than the typical prices for ECs in Singapore today. (Based on propertyguru.com.sg search results). So, what happened? Well, even the Managing Partner of the developer, Vincent Ong had no answer. Their projection was just to sell half of the units over the weekend. Well, after selling 98% of the units, the reasons given included Jurong which is considered a prime location as the next hottest address and the condo’s first-of-a-kind active living concept. I will believe his words for it. The total number of e-applications received before this launch was 1,853 applications. As usual, most of any project in Singapore would be near to a MRT station. This one is nearby Lakeside MRT and is expected to be TOP in 2017. TOP means getting the key. In full it’s Temporary Occupation Permit.

My personal belief is still the same. Today, if you intend to be a good developer, you need to really do your homework well and when it comes to really telling the world about your launch, you have better really tell the whole world about it. The last thing that should be on any developer’s minds today is, whether they should advertise in which newspaper. If you still have that thought, all the best. It should be done comprehensively once you have determined that your pricing vis-a-vis the location is sufficient to sell once the potential buyers come.

Be reminded, the worst project even if you tell the world, it will still not sell. However, a new project, even if location is not the best but just acceptable, it will sell. The reason? How many units are we talking about? 500? Well, if you are able to tell 500,000 people about this project, just 0.1% buying would mean your units are fully sold within the weekend of launch. Oh yeah, even today, despite the gloom and doom in the Klang Valley property market, there are still many projects which are mostly sold within a short period of time. So, is it all gloom and doom or still boom and vroom? Haha. All the best to the good developers.

written on 11 Nov 2014

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Singaporean economy, property prices down and Iskandar

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So, is property an asset or liability? How about ‘compulsory?’

Still wondering whether a property is an asset or a liability? It can only be counted as your asset if you have fully paid for it and if you are still paying for it, then it’s an asset to the bank and a liability to you. Someone famous said that a house is an asset only if it gives you positive returns. So, if you bought a home and let it sit idle, it’s not considered an asset. Well, how about if we look at it from another perspective? It’s not a liability and it’s not an asset. To many, a home is just a necessity and owning one is compulsory.

Renting is a good option they say. Especially nowadays when the rental is even lower than the mortgage. In other words, the owner is LOSING money by renting his property to you. However, you are definitely NOT earning money by renting that property from him, okay? By paying rental, you are still LOSING that money every month. Anyone here pays rental and the rental gives you return every year? The money you used to pay rental is lost forever yeah.

Let’s look at numbers for someone who believes very strongly that he just want to work in this new city for a few years, so why bother to buy? Let’s just assume he will only stay for 5 years, okay? We also assume he wants to stay at some place comfortable, certainly not the luxury ones but at least an old condo with facilities. The price may have now reached RM450,000.  The rental may have stayed at just RM1,600.  This meant that owner is suffering losses every month. As for the tenant, RM1,600 x 12 x 5 years = RM96,000.

Yeah, the owner is losing money every month because his mortgage is definitely higher than RM1,600. Example below:  Mortgage is RM1,819 and the maintenance fee another RM250.  Thus in total RM2,069.  He is losing RM469 every month. 5 years later? RM469 x 12 x 5 = RM28,140.  Losing so much money… So, better rent instead?  Remember yeah, the owner is technically paying just RM469 per month for a RM450,000 home… (as long as the tenant continue paying).

Now, imagine paying the rental for the next 30 years and suddenly the time to retire has arrived. What has happened to all those rental money? Gone. Meanwhile the owner would have completely paid in full for his RM450,000 condominium by then. We assume the condo price stays the SAME. This meant that the owner gained the following: RM450,000 / 30 years = RM15,000 per year.

Assuming he kept losing RM469 throughout (in other words, rental stays the same for 30 years), that’s RM469 x 12 x 30 years = RM168,840.   If you were given a deal where you pay RM469 per month for 30 years and at the end of the 30-year period, you get a RM450,000 home, would you take it?  🙂   With the value of money on a downtrend due to inflation, the price will continue to rise to make up for the fall in value…  This is why RM3.50 could buy you a bowl of noodle 10 years ago but you need to pay RM7 today for a bowl of noodle.

Last but not least, as a landlord, how many of you will say to your tenant that since you have paid me for the last 30 years, I will now let you stay for free for the next 20 years? As a landlord, my answer is, ‘please continue paying.’  I rest my case. This is why the debate of whether a property is an asset or liability does not make a lot of sense because a home / a roof over our head is compulsory. Cheers.

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7 things a homeowner must know before collecting your keys

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Is the property market really ‘coming back’?

I just came back from Singapore. It is still as clean and as efficient as ever. Roads, MRT and even the airport. During this trip, my colleague bought me good local coffee with customisation of Gao Siew Dai. (it means thick and less sweet). The price per cup ranges from S$1.20 to S$1.60 Surprisingly though, the S$1.20 one is more aromatic and nice! Haha. If we use the local coffee as a benchmark, my Singaporean colleagues are enjoying a cheaper cup. A typical cup of coffee in Malaysia is usually RM2 already, if not RM2.20 I am not using the exchange rate because they earn in S$ and spend in S$, just like us. Economy rice wise, the price is also cheaper. 3 dishes plus rice would typically be around S$5 while the ones I had in KL is around RM6 or higher. If this is the case, why is Singapore always ranked as one of the most expensive cities in the world then? Well, these surveys would typically include the price of properties too. Plus it is usually calculated in US$ which meant that once the price of the local coffee is converted, then the price of the cup of coffee in Malaysia is now nearly 3 times cheaper than in Singapore. Within the calculation would be property prices which is the biggest component within all these calculations.

Speaking about property, it has not been great for the Singaporean property market but this is likely be ending, even if cooling
measures are unlikely to be lifted so soon.

Does this mean the market is NOT going to recover and start going upwards? An article in
business times.com.sg
 seems to provide more signs that the institutional investors are looking at the property market’s recovery. The most important data compiled by Real Capital Analytics and Knight Frank Research shows that the number of outbound investment deals dwindled to 34 in the first half of 2017. The figure was 144 for last year, and 503 in 2015.
(In brief, it was saying that local (Singapore) funds now favour buying within Singapore as compared to buying externally. 34 vs 144 is crazily clear and the year before was even 503. )
 In terms value, it was S$6.7 billion for 1st half 2017, from S$14.6 billion last year and S$37.7 billion in 2015. Total transactions for the private property market is growing tremendously too.
Do refer to the full article here.

The article also shared the many land deals, especially those from out of Singapore. It quoted some from China and Malaysia and many of these bids were very positive. Looking at Singapore as a barometer of confidence, would this also mean that the Malaysian property market is about to have a rebound? I just answered a good friend the other day. I told him that due to the
affordability factor,

it is harder for property prices to jump. For RM300,000 to jump to RM500,000 within a few years is by far easier for RM500,000 to now jump say 30 percent higher. There are just not many Malaysians who can afford a RM600,000 home loan plus having the money to
renovate and buy electrical goods.
 I am guessing that these renovations and electrical goods would easily be another RM100,000 which would usually be cash or credit cards. So, I personally think we need a bit more time to catch up. Plus there are now so many new affordable units being offered even if they are usually 850 sq ft or lower. Good time for potential buyers though. Happy viewing.

written on 20 July 2017

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Is stock market scary for many? It does seem so.

Gen-Y in the stock market? Well, Gen-Y has shown keen interest in properties thus far but when it comes to the share market, not yet. Though much has been done to encourage them the participation has been low. Most of the players in the market are older people. One key reason, the older you are, the more savings you have and thus the more flexibility when it comes to buying stocks. J One example, my father buys and views his portfolio daily. Furthermore, not everyone loves penny stocks too. Majority of the typical blue-chips are already high priced. Buying 1,000 units may set you back even RM10,000. Gen-Y is not likely to have such savings and if they have such savings, I would still advise them to buy a roof over their head first before venturing into stocks. The reason is because buying stocks are actually much more complicated. Do you at least know what an Annual Report is and how to understand its content? For those who said, this is not needed, I just need to rely on the research houses and analysts, this is where investment turns into ‘gambling’. Not true?

I did a check around my colleagues and friends. 12 out of a total of 20 said they have not bought any before. Another 5 said they have bought before but have stopped. Only 3 said they are still actively buying. Says a lot right? Participation in Bursa Malaysia Stock Exchange is definitely low amongst the younger than 40s amongst my friends. Personally, I started when I was 23 years old, 2 years after I started working. Within the first two years, the overall result? One word, LOSS. I was buying at the wrong time, most of the time too late. I was selling too early, most of the time way too soon. I am not sure what happened but one day, I came to realize that to buy, I better start knowing more. That was when I took a more keen interest and started to read more. Business Times of NST, The Edge newspaper and whatever material I can come across including online. Then, I started to buy fewer stocks but with a larger quantity. Targeting mostly technology stocks as I was working in the manufacturing sector. The results were slightly better. In my mind, I thought this can be better than FD but it would never be something I would ever be good at.

Fast forward to the past few years. I have started to come up with my personal blue-chip list consisting of companies which are not popular but has a good business which I understand as well as close to or debt free. One example, if the manufacturer is selling pharmaceutical products and you can see that it is popular or derives its profits from exports to many countries plus has many patents and a strong R&D team, why not buy them? Even if, many people have never heard of them before?

Debt free is important because it meant that the company’s financials are strong and during downturns it can withstand and during good times, it can quickly invest to build up its business. It also meant that the company is well run. Thus, growth is likely to be continuous even if not as fast as those with huge debts. I love to read the board of directors too and more often than not, it gives an inkling of what to expect as well from the management team.

When I have money, I buy a few and as this went on, I realized that whenever I sell, the profits were pretty good! In fact, I only watch them once every few weeks and most of the time, I did not bother. Reason? They are not popular stocks! Haha. Thus, their prices go up only when they release a good quarterly result. Perhaps I am lucky for the past few years? I think it is more likely that when we buy things objectively with a good knowledge of what we are buying, the chances for profits are much higher. That’s my learning for the past 14 years. I love stocks. I think Gen-Y should too.

written on 22 Nov 2014

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Is the worst over for the economy?

Someone I would like to have coffee and learn from in the near future posted this in his FB page. It’s a good snapshot of Malaysia’s economy. So, the question is this, “is the worst over for the economy?’

One important takeaway if the worst is over:  What are the decisions we want to make if we know the worst is over. Move quickly into the stock market? Aim at buying below market value properties? Whatever it is, better start thinking about it. One recent action by BNM gave some clues.
BNM kept rates unchanged

If the worst is NOT over, then we need to ask ourselves, what are the signs that will provide us with the answer. The reason is a simple one. Everyone wants to invest at the start of a recovery because that’s where they will get better returns. if they were to only invest when the market is halfway to the peak, their returns would be lower and their risks would be higher too.

Would the job market provide a clue? Since people could only spend if they have a job right.
Please do refer to the image from theedgemarkets.com

image from theedgemarkets.com

Briefly:

Consumer Price Index has showed that the demand for goods are not strong. It’s in the negative. Retail sector is also not doing well but this is also expected because of the MCO followed by the CMCO. We are now in RMCO… (recovery…)

Unemployment remains high compared to our past historical numbers. This is expected to continue it’s slow downtrend until end of the year with an analyst predicting it to
be 4.5%. (read here)

Exports are still ahead of imports which meant that we have trade surplus and ACTUALLY the ringgit should strengthen but it has not. Somehow people still believe that a country with trade deficit should have a strong currency. Whatever…

There’s FDI too and it came from the Netherlands, British Virgin Islands and Singapore… Perhaps in the near future, China will be back in the top 3. We will wait for a while. Let them recover strongly first.

What do I believe? I believe the worst is over even if we have seen the number of COVID-19 cases going up. I believe with sufficient identification of new clusters as and when they happen, we do not need to lock down the whole country. It’s way better that we deal with the issue at the source. We are not in the blind these days. We have immediate info to take immediate action. So, my thinking is a simple one. Unless our cases suddenly went up due to some unforeseen circumstances, MCO will not make a comeback. Happy buying.

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5 questions on property investment in Greater KL.

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Is your home size ABOVE or BELOW average?

Image source: edgeprop.my

Ever wondered if a home of 160 sq ft is enough for a couple? Actually, there are homes of this size in Hong Kong which are being purchased by working professional couples. The major reason is due to price. Here’s one earlier article:
Tesla vs micro-sized flat?
 What about Malaysia then? How much space is enough as a home for a couple? 500 sq ft? One room, one bathroom and a cosy living room?

What about a family of 4? The affordable 900 sq ft? 3 rooms, 2 bathrooms and a cosy living room? Well, the image shows where Malaysia is when it comes to average house size within ASEAN countries. We are TOP in terms of size.
Article in Edgeprop.my here.
Size of homes in Cambodia is only 1/3 that of Malaysia. Our neighbour, Singapore and Thailand has average home sizes which are also smaller by 100-200 plus sq ft too. Does this mean the home prices are still low here? Haha. For the purpose of this article, we talk only about the size then.

When it comes to historical numbers, the average home sizes have always been hovering above 1,500 sq ft for the past few years. 2018 is the first year that the average size has dropped to 1,264 sq ft. When we look at what
our KPKT Minister has announced,
I think this average size of homes will continue to drop. Imagine 1,000,000 new affordable homes which are mostly below 1,000 sq ft over 10 years or 100,000 units per year.

For those who does not know, the median price of a home in Sydney is over AUD1 million. Then, why is the average size of homes still so huge? Actually, all the newer homes are being built in suburbs and not within the city centre anymore. When they are built further away, the sizes can be much larger too. This is why the average size remains huge. However, as soon as we zoom into the city centre and we look at the high-rise units being built, it cannot be over 2,500 sq ft as per the image. 🙂

When it comes to the world, Malaysians have home sizes which are within the top 10 largest in the world. So, let’s be proud of this fact yeah. We are not living in cramped spaces. At least not yet anyway and if we look at the MRT coverage, I think we could also afford to stay further too which helps in the average size of homes too. Take a look at the image yeah. As for full reference to the
Article in Edgeprop.my click here.
 Last question is this. Is your home LARGER or SMALLER than the national average? Happy following.

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written on 9 Feb 2019

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Another new mall. Isetan’s The Japan Store in Lot 10

I love new malls. Or perhaps I love visiting new malls. I do not revisit small malls without anything special which I could not find in big malls. I think majority is like me which is the reason why the big malls are here to stay while competition continues to heat up for small malls. So yes I am a believer that even when two huge malls are closely to one another, both should do just fine unless their brands are exactly the same. I think as a man, I could easily rival any lady when it comes to shopping. From apparels to shoes and all the way to groceries too. Haha. Yes, I know RM5.99 per kg for local papaya is considered expensive.

Speaking of new malls, another one is coming soon. As per reported in
Bernama dated 5th Oct 2016
, Isetan will be introducing a specialty concept store called The Japan Store to Malaysians on 27th October. This will be the first in the world and will be located in Lot 10 Bukit Bintang. The Japan Store will introduce Japanese history, culture, technology, diversity and lifestyle designs through a carefully curated selection of brands, products and services. There would be 6 floors featuring exceptional products from Japan including regional brands, over 200 of which are being introduced in the market for the first time. Each floor would have a thematic experience from food to culture, fashion to beauty and technology, namely The Museum, The Studio, The Room, The Cube, The Table and The Market.

Just 3 weeks away. Get ready to drop by for a new shopping experience.

written on 5 Oct 2016

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Expert Series with Khalil Adis: Iskandar, still attractive or totally negative?

Not too long ago, there were many Iskandar believers. In fact it became so hot that the big developers from China were launching number of units in the thousands. Well, these days, it does seem that these believers are in the background while the negative comments are now taking centerstage. While the foreign direct investment (FDI) is still continuing but perhaps it is too slow? Is it true that Iskandar’s magical story has ended, about to end or continuing? I tracked down Khalil who will share with us his thoughts about Iskandar. Let’s learn.

1) Is there really an oversupply currently? If yes, how long would this oversupply lasts. If no, why do you say so?

I do see an oversupply in the residential property market. Since majority of the projects were launched in 2014, I would say it could last up to 2020. Hence, if I were a property buyer, I would buy a property for my own stay. If I were an investor, I would buy near the RTS-MRT station in JB Sentral or the HSR station in Nusajaya as rent seekers generally want to live close to transport hubs.

 2) Will HSR be the catalyst that Iskandar needs or perhaps Malaysia and Singapore should quickly focus on increasing the number of links quickly instead?

The HSR and RTS will be the catalyst as right now, commuters are turned off from travelling to and fro due to the constant traffic jams at the causeway. Once the links are in place, cross border travel will become more seamless and hopefully this will encourage more people and investments to pour into Iskandar Malaysia. I think both sides should focus on the RTS-MRT link first as the HSR will only be ready in 2022. Most importantly, we need to see the 3 BRT lines in place as outlined by IRDA.

3) Is it true that Iskandar would benefit more if it is successful when compared to Singapore? Why?

Iskandar Malaysia is in itself the most successful out of the five economic corridors in Malaysia. It has nothing to do with it already being successful or not because it is strategically located just next to Singapore. What is more important is the political issues and policies in place in Iskandar Malaysia. As we speak, the political issue in Putrajaya and the reversal of policy in renaming Nusajaya to Iskandar Puteri have spooked Singaporean buyers as it seemed to confirm policies in Malaysia can change mid-stream. This is something the various stakeholders in Iskandar Malaysia will need to address.

4) In your opinion, the three things that IRDA must do for Iskandar’s continuous success are?

IRDA must do::

1. Address the various negative stories coming out from Iskandar Malaysia. Out of 10, 7-8 are negative. Perception issues need to be tackled head on.

2. Continue to reach out to Singaporean investors and MNCs at trade shows.

3. Have forum and question and answer sessions on the renaming of Iskandar Puteri, the progress of the BRT lines and RTS-MRT link to bolster confidence.

I personally believe that no matter what we invest in, due diligence is of utmost important. Even if we are firm believers of Iskandar, it does not mean that whatever we buy will increase in value. One real example, High Speed Rail (HSR) which was supposed to be a major catalyst is delayed. However, there are plans for many other links which to me seems more important than the HSR. Do watch these links instead of better signs. Yes, watch the manufacturing sector as well.

interviewed on 13 Mar 2016

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Khalil Adis is a property journalist who is also a sought-after speaker and real estate consultant known for his independent reviews and commentaries.He has his own consultancy business which presents a myriad of services which include property and market research, due diligence, editorial, content management and speaking engagements in the regional property market.

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That ‘SCARY’ article about US$100 billion Chinese investment in Iskandar

I just read an article with a rather negative outlook about Iskandar. Or is it just Iskandar? If the article is true,  it will not just be isolated to Iskandar alone. I HOPE this does not mean Singapore’s economy is also not growing because to expect them to grow further in population and even economically meant that Iskandar should play its part. Be realistic, there’s only so much reclamation Singapore can do and reclamation is also very expensive. Think objectively about the current HDB flat prices and a doubling of the population in Singapore.   Still okay? Then, forget about my article then. Keep following all these awesome articles then. Here it is:
 This $100 Billion Chinese-Made City Near Singapore Is ‘Scaring Everybody’

Sometimes I do wonder what’s the real motive in writing the article. If it is supposed to be a neutral article giving more information for people to decide, it has failed. To stop people from investing in Iskandar? To really scare everybody so that it is not affecting just Iskandar but the whole of Malaysia? Read the article carefully, when Iskandar falls, it may pull the whole Malaysia with it. Stop thinking that buying a condo in KL is safer. Do you really believe all these foreign investors know South East Asia? Or do you think they know us from the stereotypes they have about us? Seriously, if all the countries are down, would they really still come to one particular country to invest? Do we even believe that the China investments are here in Malaysia simply because of us and us alone? Or do you think they are also thinking of having a base within ASEAN to also expand within ASEAN?

By the way, when the regional sentiment is negative, every country within the region is affected. Yes, even if that particular country is a fully-developed country. Invest for what? That particular country cannot even be a base to export to all other ASEAN nations if all other ASEAN nations are in trouble! Anyway, does not matter. Just read more of everything and believe what we want. kopiandproperty.com is just a small property blog anyway. Cheers.

written on 23 Nov 2016

Next suggested article:
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Is Iskandar getting better? Or worse? Media reports.

I have been to Johor Bahru twice within the past 3 months. I think I could see positive developments and certainly constructions are happening in many places that I go to, including even the city centre. The two malls that I dropped by was full of people. I visited City Square and KSL Mall. In fact the stall owners in KSL mall was asking if I am a Singaporean. I said, NO in Mandarin. During the drive from the airport to the city centre, I was pointing to my colleagues of those developments in Senai which were only starting 4 years ago and is now completed or completing. Generally, I was positive even if my Johorean colleagues are saying that many newly completed developments seem to be empty. They have read about the oversupply in the news and as usual, none of them have bought a second property after the one they were currently staying in. Well, perhaps the media has had its effects, be they good or bad. Earlier, there’s one article from Bloomberg about Iskandar. Here:
That Scary article about US$100 billion Chinese investment in Iskandar

There’s now another article which I think sheds a bit more light about Iskandar. This is the title of the article in
StraitsTimes.com “Concerns prevail, but Iskandar slowly taking shape”
 Do read the article in full if you like to read something positive about Iskandar. Else, some briefs here. It basically says that the concern of oversupply is still there but there has been positive developments. It quoted many people who are happy with their lives in Iskandar. From working professionals to international student in Marlborough College. Statistically, it shared the following which it said was provided by the Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA). Current population has reached 1.8 million. Back in 2015,it was 1.4 million. (400k up within 2 years is very healthy.) Investments wise, Iskandar has received RM222.4 billion as of December 31 2016 and this has exceeded its initial target of RM149 billion. IRDA shared that some 702,000 jobs have been created and 15 per cent of the jobs involve skilled workers.

After reading something positive, there’s another one which seems negative. Haha. Yes, this is the latest article in
TheEdge Markets.com
 In brief, the article shared that due to the tightening of Capital outflows has affected Iskandar’s property market. It quoted Professor Zhang Zun, dean of the economis faculty in Fudan Univeristy who said, “I maintain my view that the Chinese government will continue its stringent policy in these few years. Capital outflows have fallen recently, but that was mainly due to the government stepping up capital control. Besides, the renminbi is still under pressure.” (I think he can also include the recent downgrade of China’s sovereign rating by Moody’s.) Here:
Bad news? China’s credit rating cut because of ‘slowdown’ in economy

Reading the article,does it mean that people with properties should just hold it for a few years and ride off the slow times? Happy following.

written on 26 May 2017

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Iskandar: Let’s quickly have a BRT working shall we?

First of all, I still think more links would be useful FIRST if Iskandar is to be the choice for more middle income Singaporeans or Malaysians with Singapore PRs. Not many would be crazy enough to use 4 hours daily just to travel to work and back. Moving one step further though, for Iskandar to be a working place, then the public transportation has to be improved. Else, we will face jams worst than Kuala Lumpur. There seems to be a solution in sight. It may potentially have a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system. Total cost is likely to be lower than RM3bil according to
Iskandar Regional Development Authority (Irda) chief executive Datuk Ismail Ibrahim.

The lower than RM3 billion INVESTMENT for Iskandar covers infrastructure cost for building the line, operation cost including buses and several other application costs. It covers the shortfall during initial few years as well. Anyway first few years is definitely a loss anyway. In fact most of all public transportation are being run at a loss anyway as it is for the PUBLIC. The BRT will cover around 90 percent of Iskandar and will be developed over three phases. First phase should be operational by 2020. The funding would most probably come from public-private resources while it is hoped that the federal government will finance the infrastructure part. For the operations part, it will be funded by private sector’s participation. Ismail hopes that priority is given to the existing private companies in Iskandar Malaysia, especially bus operators with good track record.

I still think 2020 needs to be fast-tracked as this is just Phase One. Then again, perhaps it’s best that the
High Speed Rail
 and the
Rail Transit System

gets more visibility FIRST. After all, BRT is a great complementary system but it may not be the catalyst for more movements into Iskandar first. Come on, even for iskandar to be extremely successful as a new regional educational hub, we cannot hope that all the students would be driving. It will only create more jams compared to currently. I am not sure how many international students would love to drive and get jammed for hours everyday. Happy following.

written on 23 June 2016

next suggested article:
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Iskandar’s BRT: 90% coverage, 51km and operating in 2021.

Iskandar needs to be as integrated as possible to Singapore.

It benefits both sides.
Else, I am not sure how both sides could grow when faced with competition from the region and beyond. The Rail Transit System (RTS) is pretty sure since ministers from both sides are already meeting formally. There is a bilateral agreement to be signed for the RTS in December too. It is expected to be completed in 2024 and will handled up to 10,000 passengers an hour in each direction. The terminus stations are in Bukit Chagar, Johor Bahru and Woodlands in Singapore. There are an expected 80,000 to 100,000 people who commute daily via the Causeway today.

In fact a bill was introduced in the Singapore Parliament too in relation to the High Speed Rail.
However, the High Speed Rail is expected to only be ready in 2026. In the mean time, just to ensure the whole Iskandar is fully connected, the Bus Rail Transit would start first. Total cost of BRT would be RM2.6 billion. The BRT would provide connection to the RTS, HSR and komuter. The BRT will span 51km and willcover 90 percent of iskandar.
(If this is true, then it is pretty comprehensive. Now we just need to wait to see what’s the frequency like. Let’s just say if it’s even half an hour per bus, it does not work! I would safely say the waiting time should be at maximum 10 minutes for people to be really open to it) T
here are many articles about the BRT recently.
Read one of it by TheStar here:

Two good friends were speaking to me just days ago in Iskandar and they asked if Iskandar is just a white elephant which is going to fail. Until today, we still have people asking if Iskandar will fail? Well, I answered briefly that Iskandar will definitely fail without the support of the Singapore government. However, Singapore’s economic growth, especially if it needs to be powered by the SMEs will also fail because the cost of doing business in Singapore is already very high. It makes the SMEs uncompetitive. There are really not that many SMEs who can afford a manufacturing plant in Singapore costing SGD2 million, not to mention other costs of operations. However, it would be much easier for these SMEs to take up a RM2 million plant and having most of its costs in RM instead. It can then export to ASEAN or even the world from it. Anyway, one cannot succeed without the other succeeding. I have no idea if I am right. Still have to wait for even clearer signs. However, all the best to all.

written on 8 Oct 2017

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Iskandar property price to surpass Greater KL

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