issue 76 - march 2016

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EAST MALAYSIA’S LEADING PROPERTY PORTAL, MAGAZINE & EXPO

LADY BOSS Wong Chui Ling

E Residence: Hidden Gem Of KK’s Northern Corridor | Hap Seng Welcomes The Monkey Year At Plaza ShellITCC Penampang Ready By End Of 2016 | Maya@Likas Launching At The Riverson | The BLT Sandwich In Property

Home Renovations For Better Rental Yields

ISSUE 75RM9.50(Inc GST)

FEATURED INTERVIEW

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COVER PHOTOThe Atkinson Clock Towerat Kota Kinabalu Sabah

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Featured property | 16

Featured eVeNt | 24

Featured eVeNt | 26

Featured eVeNt | 28

Featured eVeNt | 30

property SHoWCaSe | 34

INterVIeW | 40

LIFeStyLe | 42

Hot topIC | 62

Hot topIC | 68

CoFFee taLK | 74

E RESIDENCE: Hidden Gem Of KK’s Northern Corridor

HAP SENG WELCOMES THE MONKEY YEAR AT PLAZA SHELL

ITCC PENAMPANG READY BY END OF 2016 MAYA@LIKAS LAUNCHING AT THE RIVERSON

SKYVUE RESIDENCE LAUNCHED THEIR NEW SALES GALLERY

TAMAN RIMBA:Diamond In The Rough

LADY BOSS - WONG CHUI LING

DRIVENew ‘Alphard’ And ‘Vellfire’ By Toyota

TIMELongines

LIVINGHome Renovations For Better Rental Yields

FURNISHMaximizing Minimalism

THE BLT SANDWICH IN PROPERTY

BUILDING A CAREER IN REAL ESTATE

• BalikPulauVersusMainlandPenang?• MoreFirmsGoingUnderNotNecessarilyBadForFuture

CONTENTS

16 www.PropertyHunter.com.my16 www.PropertyHunter.com.my

HIDDEN GEM OFKK’S NORTHERN CORRIDOR

FEATURED PROPERTY

Development By Cahaya Hartamas Sdn Bhd

A peaceful enclave that marries reasonable pricing and modern minimalist design, a location that is far enough from the hustle and bustle of the city yet close enough to conveniences that matter. Without having to pinch your pocket, you can enjoy a well-

planned practical space in a pristine living environment.

Sound attractive to you? Welcome to E Residence @ Telipok, Sabah.

www.PropertyHunter.com.my 17www.PropertyHunter.com.my 17

E Residence offers a peaceful, eco-friendly community living


Discover the New Hotspot of Sabah Property prices in Sabah have escalated rapidly in recent years, making it the second most expensive in Malaysia. Homebuyers suffer from a combination of weak household incomes, high property prices, plus shortage in the low- and mid-cost properties on offer. Industrial development, however, has slowly awakened the northern corridor, fulfilling its earmarked role as the industrial centre of Kota Kinabalu. The supply of workforce for the commercial and industrial businesses has spurred a sizeable population of lower and middle income groups.

Apart from commercial industries, the northern corridor houses some premier resort destinations in Sabah that leverage on the view of the South China Sea. The increasing number of luxury hotels will surely raise the northern corridor’s profile, eventually increasing the lifestyle standard and availability of higher salaried job opportunities. As the average income escalates, so does the opportunity to obtain higher rental yields.

Quality living made affordable In an enclave near Telipok town in Tuaran, sits E Residence, a 1,280-unit residential apartment with 24-units of commercial lots and a supermarket plot that spreads across 40-acres. These low-rise apartments offer a peaceful, eco-friendly community living that is a rarity nowadays. Designed and built to offer conveniences yet remain practical, the selling price starts from an affordable RM288,000.

Boasting spacious interiors Each residential block offers five storey apartments with lifts and each pair of apartments is separated, to provide better ventilation and to give comfortable space for its residents. E Residence features a simple 3-bedroom 2-bathroom design, and comes in 2 sizes, 1,029 sq. ft. and 1,176 sq. ft.

Each unit is designed to incorporate a living space, a dining hall and a kitchen as one interconnecting area. This layout offers a seamless flow, making it appear more spacious. The developer is also currently building a sales gallery cum show unit on site, which is expected to be completed by March 2016 for interested buyers to experience a better feel of the actual unit.

FEATURED PROPERTY


Every unit is designed as one interconnecting area, making it more spacious


FEATURE PROPERTY

Each block is five storeys and comes with lifts

About The DeveloperE Residence is developed by Cahaya Hartamas Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Eng Han Group with its roots as a construction company dating back to 1992. With decades of respectable track record of residential and commercial projects across Malaysia, Eng Han Group has ventured further and bolder over the years. Its base in Sabah particularly is constantly growing and evolving, both as a developer and construction company.

Some of Eng Han Group’s construction arm projects in Sabah include Alam Damai @ Luyang, D’Banyan Residency @ Sutera Harbour, Grand Merdeka @ Menggatal and Sutera Avenue. Besides E Residence, its property arm is currently rolling out another two developments in Sabah as well, namely SkyVue Residence @ Kobusak and Idamansara @ Lahad Datu.

For details on E Residence and other developments by Eng Han Group, please visit www.ehproperty.com.my.


Developer Office Address Metro Town, Block E, Unit 1-3, 1st Floor, Lorong Metro 3, Jalan Bunga Ulam Raja, 88300 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia.

+6088-382 814A Subsidiary of:

Cahaya Hartamas Sdn Bhd

In the famous words of Donald Trump, “Location is everything” - and this cannot be any truer when it comes to real estate. Located off Tuaran Road, merely a 25km drive away from the city centre, E Residence offers convenience of access for those who are commuting to work via the Tuaran Road.

Convenience of access will also be improving in the future once the Pan Borneo highway begins its construction this month. As part of the construction project, Tuaran Road will be undergoing a facelift and E Residence home owners will ultimately be reaping benefits.

The location of E Residence is also strategically planned to maximise the integration of its residential with commercial and leisure facilities. Some amenities nearby include, the Giant Hypermarket at Sepanggar, the 1 Borneo Hypermall - the largest lifestyle hypermall in Borneo - as well as the Likas Hospital. In the near future, home owners of E Residence will also enjoy commercial and leisure facilities

at the Grand Merdeka mall, an up-and-coming retail, business and lifestyle hub just outside the city centre of Kota Kinabalu. Expected to be opened to the public within 8 to 10 years’ time, the Grand Merdeka mall is destined to change the neighbouring landscape and upgrade the lifestyle of the surrounding community.

In addition to its strategic location and pricing, E Residence also offers the benefit of being a gated and guarded community. Being a gated community makes E Residence a more secure residential area, due to its controlled entrances for both pedestrians and motorists, which will discourage outside interruptions and promotes a peaceful living environment.

Excellent Accessibility with Urban Conveniences


PROPERTY, INVESTMENT & BANKING NEWS

KEEP TRACK OF THE TRENDS IN PROPERTY AND REAL ESTATE

PROPERTY NEWS

Sabah Sarawak West Malaysia

International Banking & Investment

SB SW WM

IN BK


The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), one of the world’s biggest multinational trade agreements, was signed by its 12 member nations yesterday in New Zealand, reported The Straits Times.

The signing marks the end of the negotiating process, but the member countries now have two years to get the deal approved at home before it takes effect.

The TPP is a far-reaching agreement involving 12 countries making up 40 per cent of the world economy. They are Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United States and Vietnam.

The countries represent a large market for Singapore, accounting for 30 per cent of its total trade in goods in 2013, and 30 per cent of foreign direct investment here.

The TPP has its roots in the P4 (Pacific four) partnership from a decade ago, which Singapore inked with Brunei, Chile and New Zealand. This formed the core of the TPP.

US President Barack Obama hailed the signing of the deal yesterday and said the TPP would give the US an advantage over other major economies, notably China. “TPP allows America - and not countries like China - to write the rules of the road in the 21st century, which is especially important in a region as dynamic as the Asia-Pacific,” he said in a statement from Washington.

The agreement has been fraught with controversy. On February 3, protesters blocked roads outside the signing venue, Auckland’s Sky City Convention Centre.

Those against the deal have expressed concern about the secrecy in which the negotiations were conducted and the threats

it poses to some local sectors. They also argue that it will likely protect the rights of large investors and corporations.

The TPP will enter into force once at least six original signatories, accounting for at least 85 per cent of economic activity across the TPP countries, have ratified the deal. This is by no means certain, with the deal being seen as a lightning rod in countries like the US and Canada.

An earthquake has toppled buildings in the south Taiwanese city of Tainan, killing at least seven people, reported BBC.

Rescue teams have been trying to reach people trapped in rubble since the magnitude 6.4 quake struck just before 04:00 (20:00 GMT Friday).

A baby was among four people killed when a high-rise block collapsed. At least 155 people have been injured.

President Ma Ying-jeou promised an “all-out effort” to rescue people when he arrived in the city.

Shelters would be set up for those who had lost their homes in the city of two million people, he said.

The fifth death was caused by objects falling from a water tower, officials said.

The quake was shallow, meaning its effects would have been amplified, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said.

There have also been at least five aftershocks.

Beijing has offered assistance although at the moment at least, given the relatively limited scale of the disaster, it does not look as if much outside help is needed, the BBC’s John Sudworth reports from the Chinese capital.

TTP AgREEmENT SigNED

DEADLY EARThqUAkE STRikES TAiWAN

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Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) assistant secretary general Datuk Herbert Lagadan has expressed his disappointment with the federal government on its decision to bring in 1.5 million workers from Bangladesh, reported The Borneo Post.

The decision, according to Herbert, was very worrying to most Sabahans.

“Our bitter experience with foreigners residing here in Sabah all these years must be sufficient reasons to disagree with the federal government’s move to allow the Bangladesh workforce to come to Malaysia”, he said.

PBS, he stressed, must make its stands on this issue as the party cannot afford to be

silent if PBS’ existence is to be relevant with the people of Sabah.

“PBS must not allow itself to be taken for granted on this issue. PBS must stand on the side of the people’s wish and not with the unpopular decision of the federal government,” he explained.

Herbert was also of the opinion that it is shameful that the government has to tell the people that it was the industries that requested the foreign workers and not government policy (to bring the workers in).

In a statement made on February 16, Herbert said such reasoning was purely an admission that the Barisan Nasional government was

weak and incapable of making good and sound policy decision to the point of it being dictated by the industries.

He added that the federal government should have the courtesy to ask PBS for its opinion and stand on this matter.

SABAhANS UPSET WiTh FED. gOvT FOR BRiNgiNg iN 1.5 miLLiON BANgLADEShi WORkERS - PBS

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1. Datuk Herbert Lagadan2. Effect of the earthquake in Taiwan3. TTP Info Graphic Map


HAP SENG WELCOMES THE MONKEY YEAR AT PLAZA SHELL

FEATURED EvENT

By Property Hunter

Hap Seng Group, a developer with over 50 years of proven track record in property development celebrated Chinese New Year on February 12 at Kota Kinabalu’s newest landmark, Plaza Shell, which is also the company’s

regional headquarters.


“This is our first Chinese New Year celebration in our new building and we would like to share the joy and historical moment with our tenants and members of the public,” shared Hap Seng spokesperson Ms. Yani.

Plaza Shell is the first building to be conferred the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certificate, making it the first truly rated green building in Sabah, featuring advanced technologies to ensure energy-efficiency in the office space.

The building was officiated on 13 November last year by Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman. It signifies the strong bond between Shell, Hap Seng and the State of Sabah in general.

Amongst the highlights of the event were the performances of the symbolic lion dance and gimmick with the Monkey King Sun Wukong, Wushu, the classic Chinese musical, and the appearance of God of Wealth – Caishen.


FEATURE EvENT

ITCC PENAMPANG READY BY END OF 2016

By Property Hunter

The anticipated International Technology and Commercial Centre (ITCC) is expected to be completed by the end of this year.

FEATURED EvENT


“We understand that although the past year has been a bit of a challenge to the Malaysian economy, we are very excited this new year and expect the investor trend to improve,” said its developer Sabanilam Enterprise Sdn Bhd Group General Manager Ceasar Mandela Malakun.

He said although they are a local-based Bumiputera company, he believed they will be able to provide world-class facilities, living and amenities to the market in Sabah.

“What we want to provide our customers is an international standard of SoVo right here in Sabah,” he said.

“The construction for the ITCC Shopping Mall is now 95 per cent complete. Of course, the air-conditioners are not installed yet but, hopefully, in three to four months’ time, we’ll get the shopping mall to run,” he said, adding that the Manhattan Suites is now 30 per cent complete.

Malakun said this during the ITCC Chinese New Year open house and the launching of the Manhattan Suites in ITCC Penampang, last Saturday (February 15).

Upon completion, the RM500 million development will consist of a 330-room premier hotel, 295 units of ITCC suites, 16-storey office tower, a modern four-storey shopping mall, a multi-purpose commercial centre, including a 170-table banquet hall and a modern convention centre.

According to him, the Manhattan Suites consist of two types of SoVo (Small Office Versatile Office) units for sale at a special price for this festive season.

“The two types are Type A at 771 square feet and Type B at 510 square feet. The price ranges from RM600 per square feet,” he said, adding that the suites also offer 24-hour security and state-of-the art closed-circuit television monitoring for the safety of owners and residents.

Owners of Manhattan Suites, he said, will also be given a free one-year exclusive membership to Club M which shall give them access to the hotel‘s facilities like the swimming pool, spa and fitness centre.

“And, of course, each unit is furnished with its own allocated on-site parking spot,” he said.

According to him, ITCC Penampang has currently provided job opportunities to about 500 staff.

“But throughout the construction, we have offered job opportunities to more than 3,000 people and upon completion, we aim to offer more than 10,000 jobs to the people here.”

“We have 170-table banquet hall and imagine once it operates, there’ll be more than 500 staff operating at the same time,” said Malakun.

In terms of flood mitigation, he said they have already implemented flood mitigation steps during the foundation level.

He said ITCC was not affected in the last flood incident as the building sits on a high ground with the basement sharing a similar height with the main highway, besides being part of the Pan Borneo Highway.

Meanwhile, property analyst Ronald Pua explained the State Government’s role in promoting Sabah to attract foreign investors.

“I believe everyone has heard that Malaysian property, especially in Kuala Lumpur, has not been doing very well with rumours saying there is oversupply in certain areas and local buyers can no longer afford to purchase Malaysian property,” he explained.

However, Pua said, foreign investors from Hong Kong, China, Taiwan and Singapore are still very keen and interested to come over to invest in Malaysia, especially in iconic places such as Kuala Lumpur, Malacca, Iskandar Johor and Sabah.

He explained this is because Malaysia, especially Sabah, is rich in its natural resources and well known tourist destinations.

“That is why we need the Government to work hand in hand with developers or else it will be difficult for any development to occur,” he said, adding that most investors do not understand the local culture here.


FEATURE EvENT

MAYA@LIKAS LAuNCHING AT THE RIVERSON

By Property Hunter

Tower Paradise Sdn Bhd launched their first major project for 2016 – Maya@Likas on February 18 in conjunction with the company’s

celebration of Chinese New Year at The Riverson.

FEATURED EvENT


“We have chosen this date to launch our Maya@Likas project to take advantage of the Chinese New Year festival mood,” said Managing Director, Datuk Kong Kwok Wah.

“We would also like to take this opportunity to showcase what we are going to offer to the public in one of the few leftover prime lands in Likas,” he added.

Maya@Likas, located just ten minutes away from Kota Kinabalu city centre is a residential condominium with a total of 483 units.

The new project is surrounded by lush greenery, matured housing facilities like Taman Fantasi, Taman Manikar, Taman Prestige, E33 Industrial Park, Wisma Wanita, and the Likas Sports Complex.

According to the developer, Maya@Likas has been specifically designed with greater resistance to earthquakes according to localized conditions, and all 483 units will come equipped with pantry units and two air cons.

Besides the standard features like a gym, swimming pools, children’s playground and function rooms, Maya@Likas also offers additional features like bicycle parking, private lockers, and disable-friendly circulation.

The three residential blocks of Maya@Likas are designed like ‘a folded dragon reaching for the sky’, with built-in connectors which can be utilized to suit various leisure and recreational activities.

Every space within the compound is thought through and will be utilized for specific functions.

The ground level is gated and guarded, providing ease for residents to play and interact with each other. A unique jogging track that lines the whole perimeter connects the three building blocks with an outdoor setting that stimulates serenity to promote a healthy and well-balanced lifestyle.

The development of Maya@Likas consists of three main parts – Playhouse, Treehouse and Lighthouse.

Playhouse is suitable for entertaining and socializing by the pool. Three modern tipi shelters offer protection against the sun whilst giving closeness for residents to hold parties and other lively social settings.

Tree House is described as a place to meet, as this is a quiet retreat of space and tranquility overlooking the pool. Meanwhile, Light House is elevated between two residential towers and offers spectacular panoramic views. It is the ‘heart’ of Maya@Likas.

This new residential property is the latest project helmed by father and son team, Datuk Kong Kwok Wah, his son Ben Kong and friends.

Datuk Kong Kwok Wah has been in the housing industry for 35 years. He was the Managing

Director of Wah Mie Group for 32 years and notable projects under him in Kota Kinabalu are Puteri Damai, Alam Damai and Bukit Sepangar. He has since retired from the group. This is the first project in Kota Kinabalu by him under Tower Paradise Sdn Bhd.

This project is financed by United Overseas Bank (Malaysia) Bhd.

To ensure quality assurance and timely delivery, China State Construction Engineering (M) Sdn Bhd, an international Fortune Global 500 Company has been appointed as the main contractor for Maya@Likas.

According to Datuk Kong, Maya@Likas was well received by property buyers.

“I am happy to announce that upon launching, we have already secured 50% out of the 483 units offered for sale. With such encouraging support, we are determined to work extra hard to deliver timely and with quality,” he concluded.


NEW CONDOMINIUM IN PENAMPANg

SKYVuE RESIDENCE LAuNCHED THEIR NEW SALES GALLERY

By Property Hunter

On February 21, the subsidiary company of EH Group, North Borneo Land Avenue Sdn Bhd launched their first residential project SkyVue

Residence’s Sales Gallery, in conjunction with the celebration of Chinese New Year 2016.

FEATURED EvENT


The new condominium is located in Kobusak, Penampang, a sought after location for many home buyers and investors in Kota Kinabalu. It is accessible from Jalan Penampang with close proximity to excellent amenities, shopping and dining experiences.

SkyVue Residence is also located just minutes away from the bustling Kota Kinabalu International Airport and Kota Kinabalu City Centre.

The condominium features 22 storeys in total with 200 residential units including eight penthouses and a four-level multi-storey car park. Each unit has a built-up area that ranges from a cozy 1,200 sq.ft to a very generous and spacious 3,500 sq.ft.

Designed to cater to the different needs of each home owner, the new residential development offers a level of convenience and security in style.

The structural design of SkyVue Residence has also taken the seismic loading requirement into consideration.

Among the highlights of the event include the Chinese New Year iconic lion dance performances and the appearance of God of Prosperity. Invited guests were also treated with ang pows giveaway.

The sales gallery was officiated by Penampang District Land Officer Mdm Lovita Koisun.

For more information about SkyVue Residence and the location of their Sales gallery, please visit www.nblandgroup.com or call 088-448 008.


NEWS

The Home Ministry’s ‘rehiring’ programme, set to kick-start on Feb 15, aims to register around two million undocumented foreign workers nationwide, reported New Straits Times.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the first phase would be carried out for three months, during

which time the ministry would gauge the programme’s effectiveness.

“The exercise will be carried out nationwide, including Sabah and Sarawak, where it will be implemented by their respective immigration authorities.”

On Jan 28, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had announced that the programme was to enable illegal foreign workers to be given valid work permits, as well as to establish their numbers in the country for security monitoring.

Zahid, who is also Home Minister, said the programme’s online registration system aimed

to eradicate the middleman or agents between employers and the ministry.

“It was made known to the ministry that these agents take money from employers to pay the levy but usually do not pay on time, if at all,” he said.

The ministry is expected to meet with the stakeholders in the industry including employers and agents in two weeks to discuss details of the programme.

gOvERNmENT TO REgiSTER 2 miLLiON UNDOCUmENTED FOREigN WORkERS

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Sarawak state government is studying the feasibility of reducing assessment rates on properties in Sarawak, in hope to lessen the burden of Sarawakians, said Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem as reported by The Borneo Post.

“If we have funds left, I would want to reduce property assessment (rates), as a way to help the people. But this depends on the funding (that) we get from the federal government. This is still being studied.

“I will only dare to make the promise once I have the funding,” he said at the opening of ‘Kuching North City Commission (DBKU) Agenda 2016’ on January 17 in Kuching.

Apart from abolishing bridge tolls, the move to lower the state’s electricity tariffs and reduce ferry charges to RM1 were among the measures by the state government to take some burden off the people said Adenan.

He also highlighted the meeting with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak scheduled for this Wednesday, where he (Adenan) would discuss devolution of powers to Sarawak.

“We want the powers surrendered previously to the federal government to be returned (to Sarawak). Currently, it (devolution of power to Sarawak) is still at negotiation level, but we have achieved success on two things – first, the federal government has agreed not to issue any deep-sea fishing licence without agreement by the state (government).

“Secondly, in three years, 90 per cent of teachers serving in the state will all be Sarawakians. This is a start. Others, I will

report to Sarawakians (later on).” Adenan also said in the Wednesday meeting, he would request for allocations to Sarawak to be increased, adding that the federal government must admit that the state was still backward compared to Peninsular Malaysia.

“We have a lot of catching up to do. We also want Sarawak to have whatever that is available in Peninsular Malaysia because we also sing the same national anthem ‘Negaraku’ as those in Peninsular Malaysia.”

However for the time being, Adenan said he would not want to press the federal government on oil royalty in view of the drop in world oil prices, which affected the revenues of both state and federal governments.

“I don’t want to press the matter now. But when the prices of oil increase later, I would repeat it. We should face hardship together. If the federal government is facing hardship, we share that hardship. But once things have brightened up, don’t forget Sarawak.”

On the plan by DBKU to improve Reservoir Park to become a ‘Garden of Unity’, Adenan said the state government would look for allocation towards making the plan a reality.

“We have other long-term projects, but we have to look for funding. We want to build a bird park somewhere near Bukit Siol, which will house various species of birds, particularly the Hornbill.”

He was confident that DBKU, under the leadership of Datuk Bandar Datuk Abang Abdul Wahap Abang Julai, would be able

to implement various plans that the state government had in store for the future.

“You (DBKU) can be assured that you have the full support of the state government. Recently, I gave you (DBKU) RM27 million – that is a lot of money. Build good roads and various facilities (using the fund). I’m sure it will be done. If not enough, I will increase (the allocation) again.

“Don’t worry.”

Adenan attended the ceremony with his wife Datin Patinggi Datuk Jamilah Anu. They were accompanied by State Secretary Tan Sri Datuk Amar Mohamad Morshidi Abdul Ghani, Second Resource Planning and Environment Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, Housing Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg, Works Minister MP Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, and Assistant Minister in Chief Minister’s Office (Islamic Affairs) Datuk Daud Abdul Rahman, who is also the commission’s minister-in-charge.

LOWER ASSESSmENT RATES mULLED

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1. Most of the illegal workers are found in construction sites.

2. Kuching, Capital of Sarawak


TAMAN RIMBA Diamond In The Rough

Development By Wah Mie Group

PROPERTY ShOWCASE

It is everyone’s dream to own something valuable that is going to remain with them for the rest of their lives - something that can withstand the power of

time, at the same time enhancing its value with less hiccups.

With that in mind, in terms of owning a property, buyers should look beyond the present and consider the potential and appreciation of a residential

property in years to come.


T aman Rimba, a project with 2-storey terrace houses by the renowned developer – Wah Mie Group, matches that description. This newly completed residential area has been designed to adapt the needs of the people who are looking for a place that is convenient to their

daily lifestyle, and sustainable to the environment.

Located at Mile 13, Jalan Tuaran, Taman Rimba is blessed with lucrative opportunities of lifestyle and investment, being surrounded by the soon-to-be-completed commercial buildings such as Grand Merdeka Shopping Mall and Sierra Biz Hub Industrial Park. The project was very well received and its first and second phases were fully sold out within a year

of its launch. Also, the first two phases were completed three months ahead of schedule with the Occupational Certificate (OC) obtained.

Within the short period of time, the market value of Taman Rimba Phase 1 and 2 has appreciated about 15% since its launching.

Such achievements proved that Wah Mie Group is able and committed to bring the best of the best, and have confidently flourished from their vast years of experience towards creating the ideal property development.


PROPERTY ShOWCASE

THE GREENTAMAN RIMBA IMPERIALWith their marvelous success on the first two phases, Wah Mie Group expands their creativity with the final phase of the residential area – Taman Rimba Imperial.

Perched on higher ground, which unlocked a better view of its green surroundings, Taman Rimba Imperial offers a bigger built-up area with better designs to ensure the comfort of its future residence. It comprises a total of 171 units of 2-storey terraced houses.

Also known as Phase 3, Taman Rimba Imperial has been enhanced to provide larger bedrooms which are similar to those available in semi-detached houses. The master bedroom on the first floor has a larger space with sliding glass doors and a balcony area which could be turned into a mini garden.

On top of that, the developer also adopted a semi-detached design for the rear area which allows natural lighting and better air ventilation. According to the developer, shingles roofing will continue to be used, similar to the first two phases as the system will help to reduce heat, rainy noises and leakage problems.

Deemed as “Top of The Diamond” for the project, the selling price of Taman Rimba Imperial is much cheaper when compared to the condominiums in town. Starting from RM530,010 onwards, Imperial is a worthy choice for people to own.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONSThe creative and innovative ideas generated by Wah Mie Group has brought Taman Rimba to the stage of recognition, as the project has been awarded with Quality Assessment System in Construction (QLASSIC) Certification.

QLASSIC is a system or method to measure and evaluate the workmanship quality of a building construction work based on Construction Industry Standard (CIS). It has a stringent scoring system that assesses samples selected from drawings and plans of the relevant construction project and covers all locations to ensure that the adequately represent every aspect of the construction.

Taman Rimba’s QLASSIC score of 77% earned it a 4 Star ranking and has set a new benchmark for construction quality standards, breaking the developer’s own record which previously set by their past project, Alam Damai.

To conclude, Taman Rimba has met the highest standard of quality.

Wah Mie also recently scored themselves a huge success by being awarded in the South East Asia Property Awards (Malaysia) 2015 under the Best Residential Development for Taman Rimba Imperial (Phase 3).

With all of these remarkable achievement by Wah Mie, buyers can rest assured that every aspect of Taman Rimba’s construction has been assessed to meet their highest expectations and excellent value for money.

Grab the last opportunity – to find out more about the few remaining units of Taman Rimba, please contact their sales consultants at 088-252177 or visit Wah Mie Sales Office at Asia City, Kota Kinabalu.


NEWS

The current slow market is actually the best time to get the best deals in properties, said Ideas Makeover Sdn Bhd Managing Director Joseph Chiu.

“Lots of people playing the sit and wait game. The buyers would not have the chance to negotiate deals with the developers during good economy,” he added.

According to Chiu, most people would usually venture into the property market when the market is booming, but in his opinion, that should be the time for buyers to pull back.

He shared his opinions on January 31 in an interview during the “Creation of Wealth” roadshow, a one-day event organized by SMART-IDeas, a partnership between Ideas Makeover and SMART Financing. SMART IDeas provides a one-stop centre for property investors and provides services, including identifying good properties in the market, consultation on financial planning, property management and interior design to enhance property value.

SMART Financing Chief executive officer Gary Chua said a key aspect after identifying property to invest in was low to secure financing.

“SMART IDeas would not just consider investment in good properties, but also how to obtain financing, as well as what could be done to enhance the property value so that it can be sold and rented out at higher price and faster in the market,” he shared.

Meanwhile, on his view to the current market

situation, Chua said that the properties in the country is still affordable. However, many buyers complained about housing affordability because they are looking at properties beyond their reach.

“If you’re earning RM5,000 per month, logically it doesn’t make sense if you aiming for property that is worth RM1 million.”

Chua said he often tell people that they could find properties between RM300,000 and RM500,000 in Kuala Lumpur, but they often dismissed the advice as they wanted to stay at a better property.

“To put things into perspective, the property price in our country is definetly not as expensive when compared to the rest of the countries in Asia such as Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan , China, Japan and many others,” he said.

According to Chua, in Singapore the starting pay is RM2,000 to RM3,000, but the Housing Development Board (HDB) flats cost around SGD 1 Million - people can find a lot of flats starting at RM100,000 to RM200,000 in Kuala Lumpur.

In his personal experience, Chua preferred affordable and medium priced houses because those were the demands and market need of the masses. High-end properties, on the other hand, were more niche though he would consider investing in one should there

be a gem in the project.

Asked on his view on the 1Malaysia People’s Housing Project (PR1MA), Chua said many buyers were denied housing loans by the bank because of the tightening rules or policies for the people earning less than RM5,000.

“Those who want to buy their first home or PR1MA are typically from the low income group, earning below RM5,000 a month, and they are being denied financing. This is the critical issue we see,” he told Property Hunter.

The demand for affordable home was huge given the growing Malaysian population, and that over 56 per cent of the population were citizens below the age of 30, Chua said.

“The government need to look into the location of PR1MA and how to help the first time buyers to get their homes financed for them to really own a house,” he suggested.

On another note, Chua said that property prices in Sabah were getting higher and more foreigners were acquiring the properties in here, plus the depreciation of the ringgit made everything more difficult for the locals.

“For the locals, the property prices were just too expensive, but for foreigners, they don’t feel the same,” he emphasized.

“We have to act before we are unable to buy even our dream home. Maybe our next generation will have to rent from foreigners in Malaysia, especially in Kota Kinabalu, where a lot of foreigners are investing,” he continued.

The event, held in Grandis Hotel, was attended by more than 50 members of the public. Previously the event was held in Sibu, Kuching and Miri in Sarawak.

“This will be our first time appearance in Kota Kinabalu, and we are planning to do another one in the nearest future,” Chua concluded.

DO NOT PLAY ThE ‘SiT AND WAiT’ gAmE

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1. Gary Chua (third left) and Joseph Chiu (fourth right)


What would inspire a Hong Konger to come to Kuala Lumpur to pursue a career in the entertainment industry? For many Malaysians, especially the Chinese, Hong Kong would be the ideal place to chase their dreams as a celebrity, given the chance. It was quite the contrary for Chui Ling, co-anchor for Melody FM’s breakfast show, Morning Boss. Here, she has found not only success and a great career, but here she has also found home.

Chui Ling, who is fluent in Cantonese and English, is a graduate from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology in Genetics Engineering. She’s not only smart, she’s also very perceptive. She has raised the bar for Chinese radio by discussing about other subjects, such as current affairs, education and property.

A popular choice as emcee, she is a chameleon when engaging audiences in any event or situation. She has hosted a variety of events, from product launches to annual dinners to seminars and even sports; commentating in Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Macau and Thailand.

When one has successfully built a brand around themselves, it is only natural to expand into entrepreneurship, and in her case, apply her vast experience as an influencer and share it with many others, by co-founding a personal branding and public speaking school, School of Charisma.

This creative and multi-talented businesswoman also helms a boutique media and production agency, aW Communications; which has over the years, grown impressively due to its capability to deliver competitive and relevant solutions.

LADY BOSSWong Chui Ling

iNTERviEW


Q&A


Q&AHi Chui Ling, can you share with us what a typical day is like for you?I usually wake up at about 4a.m, get myself ready and go to the studio by 5.30am, as my show starts at 6a.m. After wrapping up the morning show at 10a.m, I’ll go to my own office to start the second half of the day circa 11a.m. Work usually continues until around dinner time, unless I have events or evening engagements. Otherwise, I’ll go home and spend time with my family. This is basically my routine from Monday to Friday.

How do you manage your time and busy schedule?I do a lot of leveraging because I understand that I need to do a different level of work. I leverage on my producer for the production part. And then I leverage on other people because I also have a school called the ‘School of Charisma’. That’s how we grow, because one pair of hands and one person won’t be able to do much. By leveraging, I can buy a lot of time to concentrate on other things like strategic planning. Secondly, I know how to steal time. Or as we call it, “borrow time” (laughs). For example, I make use of technology. On average, I read about eight newspapers a day. I rely on technology a lot, by using newspaper apps. So, wherever I am and no matter what I do, I will be able to catch up on the latest headlines.

I’m curious to know, as I’m sure many of your fans are too. Why did you decide to go with the name Wong Chui Ling instead of Angel Wong?The name Angel was used when I was in Catholic school back in Hong Kong. As I grew older, I started to feel that this name Angel didn’t suit me. So when I came to Malaysia, I decided to drop the ‘Angel’ and just go by Chui Ling.

Let’s discuss why you decided to move to Malaysia. Why here instead of pursuing your career back home?I used to be a serious backpacker when I was in uni, and when I graduated, I realized that I haven’t been to any Asian countries at all. So, after graduation, I borrowed some money from my parents and went travelling, first to Singapore, where I stayed on for six months and then to KL. What I noticed about KL was that the city was so different from where I grew up in. I ended up getting one job offer after another and soon, I found myself stuck here (laughs).

On your show, Morning Boss, not only do you talk about entertainment and pop culture, but you also touch on other subjects like current issues. How did you start doing this, was it ever supposed to be a major part of your show?I travel a lot to countries such as China, Korea, Japan and Taiwan and what I noticed from my travels and observations is that the people from all these countries actually have very good general knowledge and grasp of what’s going on in their countries. For example, if you were to strike a conversation with an auntie in Hong Kong, she will be able to explain to you pretty well about the political and financial situations in the country. I, then, wondered why it is in Malaysia, the general knowledge among the people is averagely weak. And I soon realised that in Malaysia, people are very much influenced by the media. So, I proposed to my producer to create a show that will discuss current affairs and promote general knowledge amongst the public. The aim of the show is to educate the public with info relevant to them.

What advice would you give the gen Y-ers on property investment?I’d say that you need to do a lot of homework and you’d need to know how to differentiate between investment and speculation. When I bought my first property at age 23, it was all based on speculation. Needless to say, I lost a lot of money. So, I started following the current news and trends relating to property investment. Buying property is not like window shopping where you can just open a newspaper and pick something. You must actually go and ‘feel’ the property yourself. You can do this each week and later decide if you like the property enough to buy it. Once you have committed to a mortgage, you will have less flexibility, so be sure to make a safe choice. Do plenty of research and do make a safer purchase as your first property investment.

Have you been to Sabah before? If so, what do you think about it?Yes, I have been there a couple of times and I still look forward to being there again soon.

What do you want to achieve in life, even after everything that you have accomplished?I have different targets for different phases in my life, and I don’t think I will have all the time to accomplish all I want, because as soon as I’ve accomplished one thing, there would be another thing to accomplish. But that is exactly the driving force that makes life so much more interesting and exciting. Now, that I have my family, I have a bigger picture to work on and it will be more meaningful.


NEW ‘ALPHARD’ AND ‘VELLFIRE’ BY TOYOTA

LuXuRY AND BOLDNESS

DRivE

Toyota has launched the redesigned Alphard and Vellfire minivans on the Japanese market, with the new models promising a roomy interior, a comfortable ride and

“exceptional handling stability,” thanks to a newly developed double-wishbone suspension at the rear.

The two models share the same underpinnings, but offer different exterior designs: while the Alphard focuses on luxury, the Vellfire aims to convey boldness.


The Alphard gets a large front grille with thick mesh ornamentation which is integrated with the lower grille, while the rear features a U-shaped structure that merges the rear combination lights with the license plate garnish.

The Vellfire’s front grille is made of wide plated bars intertwined with dual headlamps, while the blacked-out taillamps mesh with the license garnish to form a wide rear view.

Inside, the new minivans offer up to 8 seats in many configurations and combine sculpted metal surfaces with wood-grain ornamentation for a premium feeling. Toyota promises a quiet ride at all speeds, thanks to extensive sound and vibration dampening, as well as an aerodynamic wind-noise reducing body shape.

The new minivans are offered with three engine options. The first is a hybrid powertrain combining a 152PS (150hp) 2.5-liter Atkinson-cycle engine with a six-speed Sequential Shiftmatic and an E-Four electric four-wheel drive system consisting of a 143PS (141hp) front electric motor with a 68PS (67hp) rear electric motor. The hybrid model returns 19.4 km/L (5.1 l/100 km or 45.6 mpg US) according to Japan’s JC08 test cycle.

The second option combines a 182PS (180hp) 2.5-liter engine with a seven-speed Sports Sequential Shiftmatic and Super CVT-i and the optional Stop & Start system to provide fuel efficiency of 12.8 km/L (7.8 l/100 km or 30.1 mpg US).

Finally, Toyota also offers a 280PS (276hp) 3.5-liter V6 gasoline engine combined with a six-speed Sequential Shiftmatic with 6 Super ECT which returns 9.5 km/L (10.5 l/100 km or 22.3 mpg US).

Extensive Advanced Equipment Made Possible by New Technology

Safety and Peace of MindIntelligent Clearance Sonar (with eight sensors) with new functions supports collision avoidance during low-speed maneuvering regardless of accelerator or brake pedal operation and mitigates collision damage.

The sonar’s sensors were improved and the object detection range increased. The control software was updated, and now, in addition to mitigating collision damage resulting from pedal misapplication, the system supports collision avoidance and mitigation of damage caused by low-speed collisions with other vehicles or obstacles in front.

The Pre-collision System uses millimeter wave radar to detect vehicles and obstacles on the road ahead and helps avoid risks. If the system detects a high likelihood of collision, it triggers an alert while activating the automatic pre-collision brake assist and pre-collision brakes to prevent a collision or mitigate damage from impact.

DRivE


To celebrate its partnership with the resort of St. Moritz, Longines unveils the

Conquest 1/100th St. Moritz

TimE

Official Watch of the Alpine village of St. Moritz, the Swiss watchmaking company is proud to present a new chronograph keeping time to one

hundredth of a second to add to its Conquest collection: the Conquest 1/100th St. Moritz. This special edition, created in the context of the new partnership between Longines and the Swiss ski resort houses a unique movement using

the latest-generation technologies.

www.PropertyHunter.com.my 47www.PropertyHunter.com.my 47


TimE

Longines, timekeeper for sporting

performances since 1878, is launching

a new line of watches that have been

specially created for sports which require

high precision timing. The Conquest

1/100th series responds to the needs

of athletes, professionals and sports

fans, besides many others, since it measures multiple

intermediary times and has an intuitive analogue

display that shows the time to one hundredth of a

second using a separate hand. All of this is possible

thanks to a latest generation movement.

Longines is now the Official Watch of the Alpine village

of St. Moritz, which is renowned worldwide as the

epitome of elegance, a value dear to the Swiss watch

brand. The spectacular ski resort hosts FIS Alpine

World Ski Championships and World Cup stages

all timed by Longines. It is also avenue for stylish

equestrian events, such as the Longines CSI St. Moritz

or the Night Turf St. Moritz and its Longines Show-

Sprint Race. To celebrate this new partnership, the

winged hourglass brand is launching an exclusive

edition created especially for St. Moritz: the Conquest

1/100th St. Moritz. Touches of yellow and blue on the

hands, the dial or the flange subtly hint at the iconic

logo of St. Moritz, which is also engraved on the case

back.

The demands required for Longines to reach such an

extreme level of precision have led to the development

of a new quartz movement, the L440, developed

exclusively for Longines by the manufacture ETA. This

new model includes a microcontroller with a flash

memory that allows the watch to be reset instantly

and allows intermediary times to be recorded. With

a diameter of 41 mm, this steel model has a silver

face that displays hours, minutes, small seconds at 6

o’clock, the date and other chronographic functions:

a central seconds hand, a 30-minute stopwatch at 2

o’clock and a 12-hour stopwatch at 10 o’clock. The

hand in yellow displays time to one hundredth of a

second and is the watch’s crowning glory at the centre.

The model is also fitted with a steel bracelet and a

butterfly clasp.


HOME RENOVATIONS FOR BETTER RENTAL YIELDS

LiviNg

By Property Hunter

Property investment is one of the most lucrative and safest investment options out there. This is due to the fact that property values appreciate

over time -- especially when it is located within a strategic neighbourhood with good facilities and convenient access. The best part about owning a

piece of property is that you will be able to lease it out for a steady stream of fixed income. Enter home renovations.


W hen it comes to leasing out a piece of property, a well-maintained rental property will be able to attract more

potential tenants, and therefore, provide more competitive rental

yields in the long run. Here are some tips on how to renovate your property for better rental yields:

FRESH COAT OF PAINTNever underestimate the power of the humble paint! Just a fresh coat of eggshell paint over a yellowed

or mouldy wall can ultimately transform the interiors of your home. When renting out your home or apartment, always stick to white, or neutral colours throughout your home as these colours will most likely suit the rest of the tenant’s furniture (if they have any) and can help brighten up a space. Don’t

forget to wash clean the walls before painting as this will ensure the longevity of the paint.


LiviNg

BuILT-IN WARDROBE AND KITCHEN CABINETSCompared to an empty, unfurnished home, a partially furnished home will be able to attract better rental yields, hands down. A built-in wardrobe (usually hardier than those purchased separately), and kitchen cabinets will help ease potential tenants’ burden of buying or moving bulky, heavy furniture. Keep to minimal and clean designs that will be timeless and will suit any taste.

LIGHTING AND FIXTuRES Opt for energy-saving light bulbs with low-maintenance fixtures that are easy to replace and clean. Give those accustomed opulent chandelier fixtures a miss and opt for simpler ones - unless it is for a house. Elaborate looking lights can bog down small spaces like apartments and make the space look more outdated than fresh.

BATHROOM TILESIf you have some extra cash to spare, you can re-tile your bathroom - and just like the walls, stick to white or neutrals. But if you’re on a budget, you can paint the tiles using special paint just for the purpose. Old buildings usually come with gaudy bathrooms in bright pink or dingy blue tiles. A new coat of white paint will totally transform your bathroom and up the value.

Nothing is more off-putting than the sight of stained, old tiles in a bathroom or shower area. Scrubbing and bleaching old stains and soap scums take extra effort, but is worth it when tenants are happy. Nobody likes to see dirty bathrooms.

In addition to new tiles, your bathroom can also use some plumbing maintenance should there be any water leakage.


FANS AND/OR AIR-CONDITIONERSSeeing that Malaysia is hot and humid year-round, renting a home that is well-ventilated and equipped with ceiling fans or air conditioning units is top priority. Although not every tenant will want or need an air-conditioner, it’s always best to put fans in all the bedrooms and living hall. This gives the tenant the upper-hand on deciding between installing an air-conditioner or not. If the potential tenant asks for air-conditioners, be flexible about it. This way you can increase your rental yield by a certain percentage just by adding them alone.

ADDITIONAL EXTRASInstead of equipping your investment home with furniture - which might not suit most tastes, and prevent you from attracting a tenant - a few conveniences would be far off better. A refrigerator, washing machine and/or a water heater can definitely up your selling point. This will save the tenant time and money to buy. Remember, convenience is key.

SECuRITYLast but not least, a house / apartment unit will not be a proper home without security features, such as security grilles on the doors and windows. For landed properties - and budget permitting - you can add additional security features like a CCTV or a burglar alarm at the home. This will make your potential tenants feel more at ease.

These are the basics that we think will help you land the right tenant. Avoid going overboard and over capitalizing unless it will increase your property’s value. Be frugal and just stick to the basics.

Having the right person(s) to live in your rented home is also crucial as they will be the ones to take good care of your investment for hopefully a long time. So don’t rush into getting a tenant right now - instead, get the right tenant.

Happy renovating!


FURNiSh

1

2

3

4

1. Tubeline Shelving Unit @RM6,356 (Journey East)

2. Scandinavian Table Lamp @RM209 (Fiska)

3. Wishbone Chair @RM499 (Fiska)

4. Copper Metal Basket @RM169 (Fiska) (continued to page 56)

Maximizing MinimalismSimple and spare designs can create some of the most soothing and fresh interiors, and it doesn’t

necessarily need to be monochrome all over and devoid of character. The key is to sparingly inject a little fun into that contemporary ambiance with accents like these that also become decorative pieces.


FURNiSh

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1

2

4

5

1. Tango Dining Table @RM4,379 (Journey East)

2. Doodle Cushion @RM50 (Joy Design Studio)

3. HANDVERK 2 Seater @RM2,799 (Joy Design Studio)

4. SKY Rug @RM270 (Joy Design Studio)

5. Dolly Sidetable @RM678 (Journey East)


Datuk Yeo Boon Hai is now the new Mayor of Kota Kinabalu. Yeo, who has replace Datuk Abidin Madingkir - is the first Chinese to hold the post as Kota Kinabalu mayor since the state capital was made a city in 2002.

In congratulating the new mayor on January

31, Musa said Yeo would carry out his task with a high level of dedication, responsibility and commitment.

Various political parties both in the Barisan Nasional and the Opposition have long called for a Chinese to hold the post of mayor.

The Sipitang-born Yeo, 59, an environmental biologist from the University of London by training, began his career in the civil service in 1980 as a state environmental officer.

He held various positions in the civil service including as Sandakan Municipal Council president, district officer for Kudat and Beaufort, and chief assistant director for the

state Civil Service Department.

His last position was a director-general of Kota Kinabalu City Hall.

Yeo, who is the fourth mayor for the city, could not be immediately reached for comments over his appointment.

Musa meanwhile thanked Abidin for his outstanding contributions for bringing about changes and progress to the city.

YEO BOON hAi iS ThE NEW mAYOR OF kOTA kiNABALU

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NEWS

Newly appointed City Hall Mayor Datuk Yeo Boon Hai’s vision is to make the city clean, green and liveable, reported The Borneo Post.

In his maiden speech as the Mayor, Yeo said City Hall’s mission had four important elements, namely to provide faster and better delivery services; to facilitate faster development plans, trading licences approval and others; to strengthen and improve personnel and financial management; collection of outstanding fees and control expenditure; and to coordinate and enhance development so that the people could benefit from it.

In order to achieve its mission and vision, Yeo said City Hall would implement four strategies, or 4Ps on ensuring better service, cleanliness, enforcement and development in the city.

Better service would mean faster approval of plans and licences, more business areas, better parking facility and also public meeting places like ‘balai raya’ and community halls, he said, adding the public would not be happy if the service was slow.

Touching on cleanliness, Yeo said there were more than 600 City Hall personnel involved in keeping the city clean and 300 personnel in landscaping as well as beautification of public parks.

On the issue of enforcement, City Hall, he pointed out faces problems with illegal rubbish dumping, illegal structures, squatter colonies, illegal parking, gambling, illegal roads and illegal hawkers among others.

“All this will be given priority by City Hall

in terms of enforcement but we will first refer and consult with the government and enforcement agencies before launching a major operation,” he said.

With regard to development, Yeo said all developments in the city would be given priority and implemented accordingly.

The District Action Committee would play a bigger role in ensuring that all developments would be sustainably coordinated, he added.

When met later, Yeo who was asked for his opinion on what would be the most challenging issues he would face as Mayor, said: “Keeping the town clean and safe. This is a great issue. That is why I put emphasis into the 4Ps – Perkhidmatan, Pembersihan, Penguatkuasaan and Pembangunan.

“Our vision is to make the city clean, green and liveable and my style is service comes first. We will therefore implement the 4Ps,” he said.

NEW mAYOR WANTS CLEAN, gREEN AND LivEABLE CiTY

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Malaysia’s exports grew 1.4 per cent in December, far slower than forecast by economists, due to continued weakness in global demand for commodities, reported Reuters.

The median forecast from a Reuters poll of analysts had predicted a 5 per cent expansion.

The global economic malaise has hit Southeast Asia’s third-largest economy hard, especially with the slowdown in demand for commodities in China, Malaysia’s biggest single trade partner.

The official data released on Friday (Feb 5) showed December’s earnings figures again showed sluggish earnings from liquefied

natural gas, reflecting the trend from November’s data, while electronics and electrical products - Malaysia’s mainstay exports - showed positive growth.

Malaysia has had to pare down its 2016 Budget late last month with estimated savings of up to RM9 billion after oil prices fell below US$35 a barrel, far off the government’s estimated average of US$48 a barrel for Brent crude.

mALAYSiA ExPORTS RiSE ONLY 1.4 % iN DECEmBER

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Sabah Education Department will ensure the wiring system in all schools in the state is upgraded from single-phase to three-phase to ensure there is adequate electricity supply, said its director Datuk Jame Alip, reported Bernama and The Borneo Post.

He said last year the Ministry of Education had allocated RM15 million to change the wiring system in schools throughout Sabah.

“Last year we spent RM4 million for that purpose and the remaining RM11 million we hope to use this year to complete the wiring upgrade work and ensure there are no more schools using single-phase wiring,” he said.

He was speaking to reporters after handing over donations to students who are victims of the Kampung Airport Lama fire at Dewan SK Bandar 1, on February 3.

He said principals and headmasters must ensure the wiring system in each school had

been upgraded and is in good condition.

He said school administrators and teachers should be alert to the dry season caused by the El Nino phenomenon and advise students not to start fires to avoid any untoward incident.

Regarding the construction of schools in Sabah, Jame said he will do his best to carry out all the development projects planned, including efforts to build and upgrade dilapidated schools.

Commenting on the reluctance of some schools to cooperate with the media in relation to a case or the success of the school, he said the State Education Department had

never forbidden principals or headmasters from cooperating with the media unless on specified issues based on policies.

At the event, 87 students from several schools in the district who were affected by the Kg Airport Lama fire incident received aid from the JPN Welfare Division, Tawau District Education Office, Sabah Umno Youth, Women Teachers’ Association of Sabah, and Headmasters Council of Tawau.

In the Kg Airport Lama fire last Saturday, 48 squatter houses were destroyed leaving 76 families homeless.

WiRiNg SYSTEm iN ALL SChOOLS iN SABAh TO BE UPgRADED

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Kota Kinabalu member of parliament Jimmy Wong applauded the appointment of Datuk Yeo Boon Hai as the new city mayor, citing the latter as “the best man to take up the role”, as reported by The Borneo Post.

Jimmy hopes that he will realize the many plans that are yet to be implemented to make Kota Kinabalu a better city.

“Datuk Yeo is the man with the right experience and has all the great characteristics of a great mayor,” he said during the Chinese New Year walkabout programme held in the city on February 2.

Wong added that through previous meetings with Yeo before he was appointed as a mayor, he had brought up wise suggestions to solve some of the issues in the city, including the setting up of a multi-storey car park, which will help to ease two of the city’s main issues – parking woes and traffic congestion.

“Building this multi-storey car park will provide more parking for the public. Plus, Kota Kinabalu City Hall can impose much cheaper parking charges than those imposed in shopping malls, and help to ease the people’s already burdened cost of living,” said Wong.

He also hoped that Yeo will look seriously into improving the city’s public transportation system, particularly the implementation of the Rapid Bus system, which he believed would help to solve another city’s long standing issue – poor public transportations service.

“It is understood that a RM1 billion budget had already been allocated to this purpose. So considering that the financial resource is already there, we hope to see this plan being realized under Yeo’s term as mayor,” he explained.

At the same time, Wong also made a call to City Hall on behalf of the hawkers operating their business daily at the city’s central market, to improve the condition and look of the market, which had been operating for decades without much effort to beautify the place.

“It is the oldest market and one of the oldest buildings in the city, which could be a nice attraction, but sadly looks so rundown and unkempt,” he said.

He also proposed that the first floor of the central market which is more than 70 per cent vacant, can be utilized by setting up a one-stop centre for paying of bills and other government related services.

“All in all, I am confident that Datuk Yeo has what it takes to realize these dreams during his term. We hope that he will not let the people down and lead Kota Kinabalu to greater heights, to become a city that other cities will want to emulate,” he concluded.

DATUk YEO iS ThE “BEST mAN” FOR ThE ROLE

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NEWS

Previous Page1. Port Klang2. Datuk Yeo Boon Hai3. Datuk Yeo Boon Hai

This Page4. Datuk Yeo Boon Hai5. Datuk Jame Alip


The BLT Sandwich in Property BANK, LAW & TAX

hOT TOPiC

The making of a BLT sandwich has brought three friends and business partners to come up with a very detailed guide book about property

investment. Using the sandwich as a metaphor, they have cleverly used the sandwich acronym “BLT” to form their own: Bank, Law & Tax.

A combination of their unique skills in their respective fields were the main “ingredients” of the book to equip and educate readers into getting the

best out of one’s investment.

By Property Hunter


And lastly, we have an amazing lawyer who founded CHUR ASSOCIATES, Chris Tan. He’s not just a lawyer, but also a life coach, business consultant, media columnist, entrepreneur, radio DJ, singer, songwriter...the list goes on. Chris proclaims to be a “keen student of life, active trader of experiences and addicted junky of perspectives as well as a committed challenger to known and unknown boundaries.” His proudest experiences was to address an audience at the top of the iconic Burj Al-Arab in Dubai, the Tsinghua University at the top of the Chinese Ivy League, the many business meetings of the international Real Estate Federation (FIABCI) as well as headlining the very first Facebook Developer Garage in Malaysia.

Miicheal Yeoh, the author of the book ‘Think like a Banker, Act like a Player’ has been involved in the business for more than 20 years. Hailing from Penang, Miicheal holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Marketing and Management from Deakin University, Australia. He began his career in the banking and finance industry with Standard Chartered Bank in 1997 as a mortgage officer, and has helped thousands of loan borrowers by providing comprehensive mortgage advisory and solutions. He regularly conducts mortgage seminars and courses for the public, developers and estate agents.

Next we have Richard Oon - the current National Tax Director of TY Teoh International in the menu. This is no ordinary guy. He sits on the board of two companies listed on the Main Board of Bursa Malaysia, as an independent non-executive director. With more than 25 years of experience in taxation and business advice, and his familiarity with the Malaysian property laws, Richard previously wrote a guide book ‘Every Property Investor’s Guide To How To Pay Less Legally’ and he is also the co-author of another property book ‘The Most Wanted Series : GST’.

The book – BLT, starts with a useful checklist to let you ponder and ascertain clearly your investment objectives for the identified investment opportunity. You will be guided to answer some valid questions from the perspectives of Bank, Law and Tax from the initial planning and research, making the investment, the management as well as the eventual exit that completes your entire property investment experience.

Get that copy of yours at MPH bookstores nationwide.

Miichael, Richard and Chris will be in Kota Kinabalu in March, for the first PH Expo this year. Held at the Sabah Trade Center on 18 until 20 March, grab this opportuity to meet them in person.


NEWS

Malaysia Airlines plans to begin heavily promoting Malaysia as an alternative holiday destination to Bali in the local market after having lost some of its Australian traffic by ending its popular flights to Paris and Amsterdam.

After having lost some of its Australian traffic, and with the recent cancellation of its popular flights to Paris and Amsterdam, Malaysia Airlines is now planning to heavily promoting Malaysia as an alternative holiday destination to Bali in the local market.

“We will introduce our new airline in the months to come in Australia, really doing roadshows and demonstrating what we can offer to nice places like Kota Kinabalu and so forth,” Malaysia Airlines chief executive Christoph Mueller told Fairfax Media on the sidelines of the Singapore Airshow Aviation Leadership Conference on February 15, as reported by The Sydney Morning Herald.

“But I would like to do that in conjunction with promoting Malaysia as a destination. The diversity in Malaysia is such that once you come here, if you like it, you can come back three or four times without repeating yourself because you can go to east Malaysia, you can go to Langkawi. And it is a good alternative if you have been 15 times to Bali and you want to see something else.”

Malaysia Airlines ended its flights to Paris and Amsterdam last month, leaving London as its sole European destination as part of a strategy of returning the loss-making carrier, hit by two aircraft losses in 2014, to profitability.

The airline has struck a deal with Emirates similar to the Qantas-Emirates alliance which will funnel most of its European traffic through Dubai, in a move that holds little attraction for Australian travellers because they wouldn’t want to stop in both Kuala Lumpur and Dubai.

According to Mr Mueller, Malaysia Airlines’s focus in Australian market would now shift primarily on traffic heading to Malaysia or other parts of Asia, and it would partner with Tourism Malaysia to enhance the home market as a destination.

“It is a nice byproduct that we still carry passengers to Europe, just to London from now on,” he said.

“But it is not traffic which is valuable enough to buy new aircraft for.”

Malaysia Airlines is refurbishing its existing fleet of A330 aircraft flown to Australian destinations with a new, more privately configured business class cabin with fully flat beds.

Mr Mueller said the first aircraft would go to the hangar to be refitted next month and an Australian destination would be selected for the first flight with the new product.

In addition to the new seats, Malaysia Airlines will roll out a new catering concept this year, add wi-fi on board its aircraft and refurbish its lounges.

Mr Mueller said the airline’s financial position was beginning to improve, with revenue per available seat kilometre now positive after the network had been restructured, including the end of flights to Brisbane last year.

“We just have capacity for existing demand,” he said. “I think we are not in the business to further shrink. I recently was flying back from Melbourne to Kuala Lumpur and I was downgraded to economy because business class was fully booked. That was good news.”

The airline is still considering whether to change its livery and its brand name, which was damaged after the losses of MH370 and MH17 in 2014.

Mr Mueller said discussions with staff would be undertaken about possible changes, but it was a difficult decision to make.

“It has to be done very carefully because still, half of our passengers are Malaysian and they have a lot of emotion when it comes to our kite and our name,” he said.

“That is normal. It is the same as the maple leaf for Air Canada and the kangaroo for Qantas. One has to find the right balance of being perceived in Malaysia as an evolution going forward but by the foreign travelling public really to be something new.”

FORgET BALi, COmE TO kOTA kiNABALU – mALAYSiA AiRLiNES BOSS SB

1. Aerial view of Kota Kinabalu city, Sabah

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1. Artist’s illustration of Prestige Residence.2. Artist’s illustration of Prestige Residence.3. Duty Free Shop

Telecommunications, alcohol as well as tobacco companies are the several sectors that may be affected by the recalibration of Budget 2016, reported The Star.

“While potential measures would address the oil revenue shortfall in Budget 2016 and help stave off the risk of ratings downgrade for the Malaysian sovereign debt, it could affect selected sectors or companies,” said UOB KayHian Research in a note on January 26.

StarBizWeek previously reported that the Government is possibly considering measures that could include a new round of spectrum auctions and the abolition of Labuan’s status as a duty-free zone.

If the Government called for a new round of spectrum auctions, the telco sector could face higher spectrum costs and hence potentially lower profits, the research house said.

“While we believe the regulators prefer to embark on a spectrum re-farming exercise, we do not completely rule out the potential threat of hefty spectrum auctioning.

“This follows in the footstep of regional peers, which have reported intense bidding war for spectrum allocation,” it added.

Meanwhile, experts said that although the

lifting of Labuan’s duty-free zone status starting with alcoholic beverages would boost the Government’s coffers, the overall impact may not be too significant.

However, the move to tax Labuan alcohol could help to plug leakages and minimize contraband issues.

UOB said the potential elimination of Labuan’s duty-free zone status should be seen as a moderate positive for the sin stock companies, given that historically some of the duty-free supply is sold back into the duty-paid market.

“While industry volumes and producers’ sales would presumably be unchanged, some substitution of duty-free with the higher-margin duty-paid products should lift margins,” it said.

At the same time, the research house believed Labuan’s tax free status would not be affected, should the Government decide to strip the duty-free zone status.

BUDgET REviEW mAY AFFECT ALCOhOL, TOBACCO AND SEvERAL OThER SECTORS

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Palmspan Sdn Bhd today celebrated the opening of their new sales gallery in Metro Town, Kota Kinabalu. The new sales gallery will allow visitors to preview and register their details for Palmspan’s first project in East Malaysia – Prestige Residence in Menggatal district.

The new project will consist a total of 48 exclusive units of double storey linked houses, surrounded by the natural beauty of the environment. It is located about 12 km from Kota Kinabalu.

Prestige Residence by Palmspan Sdn. Bhd is a joint venture project principally between the Osiris Group of Companies and Bomanite

(Malaysia) Sdn Bhd. Both partners have been in the construction and property industry for over 30 years and have successfully undertaken a wide range of projects from residential, commercial to civil engineering works as developer, investor, development consultant, project manager and contractor.

For more information about Prestige Residence, please call 088-426288 or visit their sales gallery in Metro Town, Kolombong.

SALES gALLERY OF PRESTigE RESiDENCE iS NOW AvAiLABLE iN kk

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NEWS

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hOT TOPiC

BuILDING A CAREER IN REAL ESTATE

hOT TOPiC

They are the ones who help people score their dream home; or find the best deal for renting offices, or commercial lots. They are also the right people to find

you a piece of land to build your commercial space.

They’re generally known as an ‘agent’, but in reality, it is divided into two distinctive roles – ‘real estate agent’ and ‘negotiators’.

Currently, there are more than 1,700 registered real estate agents in Malaysia and those ‘agents’ that have not been registered (yet) are called negotiators.

By Property Hunter


A real estate agent, or estate agent, is a professional who helps sell or rent out residential or commercial properties, or land for other people. The role generally involves valuing properties by comparing

the condition of property with others in the area to get the best price for potential clients.

A negotiator is a property salesperson who works for an estate agent to market the agency to potential clients using skills in negotiation, marketing and sales. One of their primary roles is to convince clients that their agency is the right one to handle the sale or lease of their property.

It seems like a simple career that reels in big bucks by selling property with the skillful eloquence of describing how “appealing” it is, but these professionals have a lot more to prove to themselves in the real world.

You could start your career path in real estate by owning a diploma or bachelor in Estate Management, Valuation, or Science in Land Administration and Management. The Malaysian Institute of Estate Agents (MIEA) is now offering holistic education to those that are interested in

the business.

With a partnership with Open University Malaysia (OUM), the courses are available at subsidized rates as MIEA is a non-profit organization and fees will be used to cover the institute’s basic costs and to continue running its secretariat.

BUILDING A CAREER IN REAL ESTATE “It is a lucrative business to be in,” said 31 year old Francesca Santiago from Kota Kinabalu who is presently working as a negotiator in a real estate firm.

Hoping that one day to become a qualified real estate agent and to manage a registered estate agency, Francesca had been through lots of obstacles before discovering her real passion.

“After I graduated from high school, I didn’t really know what I was going to do. I had an interest in Tourism and Hospitality, so I took the course and obtained a diploma for it but after a few years in the tourism industry, I realized that I actually had a passion in the real estate. So I decided to pursue it, and I think it was a good move for me,” she shared.

Francesca is one of many people who discovered their real estate interest after having gone through many years of trial and error. Her friend, Dolores Lilis Peter has the same story.

“I only ventured into the real estate profession in 2009, this was after I had worked in various businesses with different companies in the administration.”

Asked why she decided to pursue a career in real estate, Dolores describes that it was because of the flexible working hours and the chance to earn decent money as the reasons that attracted her the most.

44 year old Thales Chong, describes that it was his friend who encouraged him to venture into this business.


hOT TOPiC


“I had three ambitions after graduating from high school – to work in a hotel, as a travel agent and even a desire to be a banker. But I ended up working in investment, none of the mentioned three have been my actual career,” shared Thales, laughing.

“The passion in the investment field actually opened up the door to actually work directly in real estate. This is all because of my friend’s encouragement, he continued.

ANECDOTES IN REAL ESTATE Collin Wong, the President of MIEA Sarawak described that working in the field is really challenging than anyone would have imagined.

“I have been working in this field for the past 12 years. I was a sales executive at a developer’s office to begin with. Slowly, I adapted to the environment and eventually decided to get into a career where “the sky’s the limit”. I became a real estate negotiator since then,” he explained.

“Once, I spent two hours cleaning a very dirty apartment before showing it for viewing to prospective buyers. It got sold that day.”

“All these experiences eventually become your life lessons, and to really excel in the business you really need to have patience and perseverance. Your passion matters the most. As long as you have it, you will succeed,” he emphasized.

“I really didn’t enjoy working in an office and report to my boss all the time. Therefore, I decided to quit my job and go out looking for something that was more challenging,” shared Emily Loo from Sarawak, who has been in the industry for six years.

“I was an admin staff after I finished my Diploma in Business Administration and Management Course. After I quit my regular office job, I joined Hong Leong Assurance Berhad as an Insurance Agent before I got involved in property,” she continued.

“One day, I met a guy, Collin Wong, who was so enthusiastic in his property business and he helped me so much in the early days. I decided to quit as an Insurance Agent – which I was doing so well in by the way - and changed my career into a real estate negotiator.”

“The guy that introduced me to real estate is now my husband,” she shared with a smile.

Thales Chong Francesca Santiago

Collin Wong Dolores Lilis Peter Emily Loo


CREDIBLE AND RECOGNIZED PERSONNEL The requirement for getting into real estate is definitely lower than other professions like medicine, accounting and engineering, and it seems like because of this, many people think they can become an agent. But what they don’t realize is that there is a high chance for failure because of the immense pressure and hard work that is involved.

One has to start as a negotiator, and many people don’t actually make it past six months because they give up. This is due to unrealistic expectations and thinking that it might be a walk in the park. Once they are faced with the hard reality of the industry’s ruthless competition, they find that they are not cut out for it.

“It is a difficult course to get through,” said Dolly

“If you really want to learn something, you can pass the exam no matter how difficult it is,” added Francesca.

ILLEGAL ESTATE AGENTS One of the major concerns expressed by MIEA for the past few months was dealing with illegal property agents that seem to be a popular choice amongst property buyers compared to the licensed ones.

According to past MIEA President, Mr. Siva Shanker, if people do business with them and something goes wrong, they will not be protected by the law and it would be like blindly handing money to the thieves.

“People tend to respect you and treat you better when they know that you are working in a legitimate company,” expressed Dolly.

Under the Valuers, Appraisers and Estate Agents Malaysia Act 1981, an individual is not allowed to sell property for a fee if they were not registered or working for a registered estate agent. I strongly advise the public not deal with them if they don’t want the risk of getting cheated or misrepresented,” said Francesca.

“When you are sick, you will not choose an unlicensed doctor to treat you so why must you choose an unlicensed agent to handle your real estate transaction?” she added.


The Federal Ministry of Rural and Regional Development has allocated RM48 million for the construction of a water treatment plant in Penampang, reported The Borneo Post.

Its minister, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri in revealing this, said the plant would provide clean water not only to the rural folk of Penampang but also to those in other areas in the district, and even Kota Kinabalu.

Ismail, who said this during a meet-the-people event in the opposition-held constituency yesterday however did not reveal further details on the project.

The minister also announced that he had approved a project to build 30 units of Hard Core Poor Housing (PPRT) in Penampang.

“Should more PPRT be needed, Division UMNO chief Datuk John Ambrose could always get in touch to request for additional allocation,” he said.

He also allocated RM400,000 for building a new community hall and another RM300,000 for upgrading a road at Kampung Sugud where the event was held.

The management of Imago Shopping Mall has strongly denied claims that one of their customer elevators had allegedly dropped from the first floor to the basement. The allegation has gone viral on Facebook and

WhatsApp since Tuesday, reported The Borneo Post.

“What actually happened was that the elevator was undergoing maintenance work by our personnel and not what had allegedly been claimed by some

people on Facebook,” explained Carrick Chong, Branch Manager of Imago Mall.

“It was all a misunderstanding and an error on

the management’s part for not putting up a notice to inform customers that the elevator was undergoing maintenance,” he said yesterday.

Chong said the incident had also been investigated by the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) and the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH), and findings revealed that no untoward incident had been reported.

The Imago management has since apologized to its customers for the error.

ThE ELEvATOR DiD NOT DROP TO ThE BASEmENT - imAgO mALL

Rm48 miLLiON FOR PENAmPANg WATER TREATmENT PLANT

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1. Villagers holding their newly received land titles.

2. Imago Mall3. Sigah Roundabout - Icon of Penampang

The 50 years of wait for their land titles was finally over for 458 villagers from four villages here when Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Musa Haji Aman presented the titles to them on February 3 at the Sukau Community Hall, reported The Borneo Post.

Musa advised the recipients to appreciate the land titles given to them and not to sell the land for fast monetary gains.

“I was informed that most of recipients had waited for their land titles for over 50 years. Most have built houses and cultivated something valuable on the land.

“Therefore, the government gives what belongs to the people – the granting of land titles,” he said.

One of the recipients, Wahidah Binti Angau, who had waited for the land title for 28 years, expressed her happiness.

“I had applied for the land since I was still single and now I am a single mother with five children. I raised my children with income earned from cultivating my land.

“With the land title, I am relieved as the land belongs to me and for my generation,” she said to reporters.

Wahidah was one of the 458 recipients from four villages, namely Kampung Suan Lamba, Kampung Perpaduan Datuk Ugi, Kampung Batu Puteh and Kampung Sentosa Jaya.

The land titles presentation was witnessed by Land and Survey Department director Haji Safar Untong, Sukau assemblyman Datuk Saddi Abdul Rahman and Kinabatangan district officer Yassin Nasir.

Also present were Sabah State Secretary Tan Sri Sukarti Wakiman, Minister of Special Tasks Datuk Teo Chee Kang, Rural Development Minister Datuk Radin Malleh, Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Haji Noor, Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun, Assistant Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Zakaria Haji Mohd Edris and Assistant Youth and Sport Minister Datuk Masiung Banah.

458 viLLAgERS FiNALLY RECEivED LAND TiTLES AFTER 50 YEARS OF WAiTiNg SB

NEWS

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By Charles Tan

www.kopiandproperty.com


I was in Penang with my family a few weeks ago. When I was driving past a huge billboard, my mother asked, “Only RM700,000 for a double-storey landed house in Penang?” She asked because my condo in Sungai Ara was sold at RM645,000 2 years ago. How could a landed property within Penang be only slightly more expensive? “That’s Balik Pulau”, I replied. I told her that Balik Pulau is considered a secondary choice for Penangites because of the distance as well as the development. No malls, no trendy cafes, no proper entertainment outlets and not a ‘preferred’ residential area since the day I first arrived in Penang back in 1998.

Even though I love Sungai Ara, I personally think Sungai Ara had suffered from the same typecasting. I definitely still prefer Sungai Ara over areas such as Tanjung Tokong (hey, I have a condo there too), Gurney or even Georgetown. Perhaps Gelugor and Greenlane have their advantages, but both places are by far more expensive than Sungai Ara or Balik Pulau which brings us back to the question of “affordability or size and location?” Coming back to Balik Pulau, there’s not much happening there apart from the best durians in Penang as well as cheap laksa and ais-kacang. She nodded in agreement. I just don’t think she wants me to buy and stay in Balik Pulau.

Has Balik Pulau been forgotten? Well, all the news about the mainland of Penang seems to

point to that direction. When it’s island versus mainland, somehow the island does not really include Balik Pulau. Just look at the prices of the landed properties in mainland versus Balik Pulau today. Hey, the differences are actually negligible and some projects in the mainland, especially those by famous developers are already priced higher than the one my mother asked me about. WHY? Second bridge, Penang Transportation Master Plan (PTMP), IKEA (though it’s 2018 or further) and many others. Basically, the focus is on affordability in mainland versus island without including Balik Pulau.

Personally, for those who really do need a decent landed property home and is working in the Bayan Lepas Industrial area, I do think Balik Pulau remains a viable choice where landed and affordability is concerned. Please do not say it’s far because it’s definitely not further than crossing the Penang Bridge 2. In terms of choices, just drive there during the weekends, view a few and enjoy a bowl of ice-kachang. Perhaps it might just be that home sweet home that you are looking for, without burning your wallet.

Happy property searching in “Back Island.”

What goes up must come down and what goes down will slowly come back. Oil prices have caused havoc to many businesses when it was over US$100 per barrel. However, once it dropped below US$50 per barrel, all of a sudden, many businesses related to oil and gas started to shiver and some have scaled back or even closed shop. The bad news continues as oil prices are still at a level considered extremely low for many producers. It’s at US$29 per barrel (10th Feb 2016). According to a media report, about 150 oil and gas companies tracked by energy consultant IHS Inc. would be the next ones to close down due to huge oversupply and low prices.

Just days ago, Royal Dutch Shell announced that it will be selling its shares of Shell Refining Company in Malaysia to a unit of a private Chinese refiner for US$66.3 million (S$94.4 million). I think this is just one of the hundreds and thousands of deals coming up as oil & gas companies struggle to make ends meet and lots of ‘vultures’ with cash waiting to snap them up. Within the past two years oil prices have already dropped 70 per cent because US shale producers boosted output and the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is trying to drown the higher cost suppliers by producing even more. Even at current prices, there are no signs that OPEC will curb production.

Once many of these producers go bust, the production should start to go down. According to Goldman Sachs in January, “The global oil surplus that fuelled crude’s decline to a 12-year low will shift to a deficit as output

falls and a new bull market begins before the year is out.”

Before everyone thinks that oil prices would rise to the levels of two years ago, lets understand some new facts. Due to low oil prices, many producers are getting even more efficient and according to IHS, some producers in the Permian Basin in western Texas can break-even, drilling oil at US$35 a barrel. Many months back, I read that the US shale oil producers would lose money with anything below US$50 per barrel. Now, it’s just US$35! As soon as production drops too much and prices start recovering, the supply would either push prices back down or at levels closer to what these producers can produce instead. I think this is good for many businesses but many governments would have to adjust their budgets to cater for these low oil prices which should continue for a long time.

Malaysia’s budget recalibration was based on oil prices of US$30 to US$35. It would have to go for another recalibration once oil prices touch US$25 a barrel. Fortunately, oil and gas now accounts for around 22 of the GDP and with even more push, Malaysia has no choice but to be even more diversified and perhaps stop relying on oil in the future. Think below 15 percent of GDP as a very good number. Seriously, I think it’s possible, as long as oil prices remain near to current levels. Be reminded, low oil prices affect all countries in the world and once the majority of every country has adjusted, everything would be normalised with just ‘lesser efficient’ companies shutting down which is good for the economy anyway.

Balik Pulau Versus Mainland Penang?

More Firms going Under Not Necessarily Bad For Future



Kinsabina Group of Companies – the local property developer has formed a strategic partnership with Airworld Travel & Tours Sdn Bhd to promote inbound tourism in Sabah through Borneo Airworld Sdn. Bhd, reported Sabah Times.

According to Kinsabina executive officer Datuk Francis Goh, Airworld has been around since two years ago but remained inactive, and this would be the kickstart for the business to be on track again.

Borneo Airworld was originally formed by Airworld Travel executive chairman Dato’ Seri Winston Liaw.

For starters, he said they will sign memorandum of understandings (MoUs) with eight travel agents in Chongqing, China in March this year with the purpose to mount direct charter flights to Sabah.

Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Masidi Manjun will be invited as the guest of honour to witness the ceremony.

The programme in Chongqing also includes the launch of a newly produced monthly magazine by Kinsabina called Sabah Leisure,

Property & Tour in Mandarin to help market the state in China, he said.

Goh said together with Liaw, they will put their respective years of experience in property developments and travel industry together to boost the inbound tourism sector in Sabah.

“This is a strategic alliance as both of us have our own expertise

to create different market products,” said Francis whose company had started the diversification exercise into the tourism sector two years ago.

“Tourism is a non-smoke industry and we decided to diversify to focus on building hotels and resorts such as the Royal Kinabalu Mountain Resort located next to Kinabalu Park and Wisma Tiong Hua Sabah in downtown Kota Kinabalu which is a joint venture project,” said Francis.

Both the projects will start work after the Chinese New Year celebrations, he added.

He disclosed that either in April or May, they will launch a new housing project called Aman Persona in the beachfront of Sabandar, Tuaran targeting high-end foreign investors looking for a second home in Sabah.

“We want to target the foreign leisure property buyers who want to own a home in Kota Kinabalu. I have travelled almost half the world and realized how beautiful Sabah is when compared to Bali or Koh Samui.

“The coastal areas in Kota Kinabalu are actually as beautiful as Gold Coast in

Melbourne, Australia,” noted Francis who is also the president of Sabah Housing and Real Estate Developers Association.

“We want to encourage more foreigners to stay in Sabah under the Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) programme but the response was not encouraging at the moment because we don’t have enough products for the people to buy,” said Francis.

“We have to know the buyers expectations; for example, the Japanese or Korean would not want to buy a condominium like what they already have back home.

“They want something special or different maybe a property with a beachfront or paddy field view. Imagine if we can get 10,000 foreigners to stay in Sabah under MM2H programme, we can generate RM1 billion revenues for the state,” said Goh.

Liaw who has 30 years of experience in the tourism industry said the eight MoUs they are looking forward to sign in Chongqing later is expected to bring in some 100,000 Chinese visitors to Sabah throughout the year.

“Assuming each person spend RM3,500 during their visit to Sabah, we can generate a tourism receipt of RM350 million for the state,” said Liaw who is also the chairman of Sabah Association of Tour and Travel Agents (SATTA).

“The spin off derived from the inbound tourists are very huge for Sabah’s economy as I was told recently; a group of 30 businessmen from Heilongjiang, China had spent RM600,000 during their six days here in Kota Kinabalu as each spent RM20,000,” disclosed Liaw.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has reiterated his confidence that Malaysia’s economy can weather the global challenges and will ensure it stays strong, stable and on track, as reported by Bernama. He said Malaysia posted a gross domestic product (GDP) growth of five per cent in 2015, despite the challenging and uncertain economic scenario.

In his latest posting on his blog, NajibRazak.com, Najib said the economic success last year had placed the country among the best in the Asean region.

“However, we should not take things easy, but work instead on proactive measures to ensure the interest and well-being of the people is not neglected in the context of the nation’s development,” he added.

On February 18, the Statistics Department in a statement, announced that Malaysia’s full year GDP was five per cent compared to six per cent in 2014.

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kiNSABiNA FORmS ALLiANCE WiTh AiRWORLD TRAvEL & TOURS

mALAYSiA’S ECONOmY CAN WEAThER gLOBAL ChALLENgES – NAjiB

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1. Datuk Francis Goh 2. Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak

NEWS

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CONDOMINIuM FOR SALE Extracted from PropertyHunter.com.my

*Listing are accurate at the time of print. Kindly contact the respective agents for updates.For more real estate listings, please visit www.propertyhunter.com.my



APARTMENT FOR SALE Extracted from PropertyHunter.com.my




COMMERCIAL FOR SALE Extracted from PropertyHunter.com.my



BuNGALOW/VILLA FOR SALE Extracted from PropertyHunter.com.my



SEMI-DETACHED HOuSE FOR SALE Extracted from PropertyHunter.com.my


CONDOMINIuM FOR RENT Extracted from PropertyHunter.com.my




APARTMENT FOR RENT Extracted from PropertyHunter.com.my


issue 76 - march 2016

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