MAPEX 2009

Still Waiting For Interchange

Puchong Utama residents have been waiting eagerly for an interchange that is yet to materialise.

The proposed Puchong Utama interchange, located between the Puchong Perdana interchange and Kampung Baru interchange on Damansara-Puchong Highway (LDP), is much needed due to the increase in traffic.

United Residents Association Puchong chairman Chik Chum, who is also the Taman Puchong Intan Residents Association chairman, pointed out that the traffic at the Puchong Perdana interchange was bad during peak hours.

The residents and business communities in Taman Puchong Intan, Taman Puchong Indah, Taman Puchong Permai, Puchong Perdana, Taman Perindustrian Puchong Perdana, Taman Puchong Prima, Taman Perindustrian Puchong Utama and Puchong Utama have been sharing the two interchanges all these while, and the new interchange is expected to reduce the traffic congestion.

“It has been four to five years since the plan about the proposed Puchong Utama interchange was first brought up, but nothing has been done until today,” Chik said.

Litrak, the LDP concessionaire, confirmed the proposal.

“It was the Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ) that mooted the idea, after considering the traffic volume due to the massive development in this part of Puchong,” Litrak communications head Bhavani Krishna Iyer said. She added that the project had been approved by the Malaysian Highway Authority.

“The developers in the area will have to contribute to the fund before MPSJ builds the interchange,” she said.

“It will help in reducing the congestion at the two existing interchanges,” she said.

MPSJ could not be reached for comments but it is learnt that the council has yet to collect sufficient funds from the developers to start the project.

Source: The Star

Selangor Police To Launch Its Website Soon

The Selangor police will soon have a website of its own.

Selangor police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar said the police were looking into setting up a website.

“Once our site is up, we can link these two websites together,” he said, referring to the website of the community policing of the Seri Serdang constituency, which he launched at the IOI Mall in Puchong recently.

The trilingual website (http://cops.org.my/) is the latest effort by the community policing team to reach more people.

The public can get information like crime prevention tips, or submit complaints and commendations for the police through the website.

“The police officers can also blog on their experiences, if they want,” said Kuan Chee Heng, special assistant to Seri Serdang assemblyman Datuk Satim Diman.

Khalid commended the team for their efforts.

“It gives us a chance to interact directly with the public. Crime prevention is a responsibility that can be shared together by the police and the people,” he said.

Currently, there are 65 community polices in Bandar Bukit Puchong and 25 in Bandar Puchong Jaya, five months after the community policing project took off.

“We are focusing on disseminating crime prevention information through website, seminars or dialougues.

“We are working on crime prevention, rather than taking care of the problem,” Kuan, who represented the community polices, said.

Kuan welcomed more Puchong residents to take part in the programme.

“Interested people can apply through our website and they will be vetted by the police.

“Anyone can join us as long as they do not criminal records,” he said.

Source: The Star

The Zest Service Apartments

The Zest Service Apartments @ Bandar Kinrara 9 is another exciting addition to the vibrant and already established Bandar Kinrara Township. From its lavish facilities to its spacious,highly visible setup and great location, The Zest @ Kinrara 9 will amaze you with its sophistication, lavish offerings & attainability!

A stylish home with services design for the executive lifestyle

The Zest Service Apartments is a unique living concept that provide the convenience of 5 star hotel-like services, in the comfort of your very own home. Specially designed for today's demanding executive lifestyle, The Zest Service Apartments offers the best of contemporary residential design for your comfort and convenience. Welcome to your dream home!

Superb Frontage

AccessibilityThe thriving neighborhood of Puchong attains an air of sophistication with the arrival of The Zest @ Kinrara 9. This impressive FREEHOLD 5.6 acres mixed development brings a touch of grandeur with its glamorous setup, ample facilities and great location

This month, The Zest @ Kinrara 9 is unveiling its 720 units service apartments with built-up areas ranging from 1100 sq feet to 1419 sq feet (Price ranging from RM225,000 to RM350,000) and exclusive 44 units of Shops and Retail Offices come with individual strata titles and offer built-up areas ranging from 5,170 sq ft to 18,981 sq ft. Indicative pricing is set at steal, at RM 1.76 million for the 3 storey blocks and RM 2.3 million for the 4 storey blocks, which even come with comfortable lift facilities.

Whether you are here for work or play, the aura of glamour and prestige is immediately discernible once you arrive. With its polished offering, The Zest @ Kinrara 9 is not just an elegant and powerful business base, but also a great investment for savvy buyers,seeking prestigious properties at a pricing within reach.

The Magnet for Attention

The Zest @ Kinrara 9, luxury accommodation, hotel style facilities and round the clock security would be a draw for discerning locals & expatriates. Highlights of a home at The Zest Service Apartments include spacious 3 & 3 + 1 bedroom,(Type A, B, C,D,E) either facing the KLCC view- East or facing Pool View-West, covered by 2 x 2 Porcelain tiles flooring, dedicate air-conditioner compressor area, utilities room, elegant glass balcony, spacious “Lanai” Balcony (Type B), 2 private car parks to a unit, easy access to the Retail shops and Shop lots via smart access card is a total package for comfort & convenience!

Yet another aspect of The Zest Service Apartments is the lush greenery, contemporary Landscape Oasis such as Grand entrance signage, The Piazza, Water Oasis, Water Curtain, Pattern paving blocks and Recreational Landscape such as Reflexology path, Funky Play mounds, Designer seatings, Garden of Senses and Vertical Garden which will be a perfect retreat for rest & relaxation.

Developed by Darul Dinasti Sdn. Bhd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Trinity Group, The Zest @ Kinrara 9 comprises of contemporary facade, 24 hour vigilant security , 3- Tier Security, high speed Broadband WiFi, and lush landscaping to ease the mind and rejuvenate the spirit. This prestigious development also comes with the comprehensive clubhouse facilities, including Swimming pool,Wading pool,Gymnasium, Changing room, Reading room, Convenience Store, Sauna, Jacuzzi, Cafeteria, BBQ Cabana, Exercise Lawn, Jogging Track, Kid's Playground, Launderette, Surau, Nursery, Squash Court and Reflective Pond Designed by Award Winning Landscape Architect, Praxcis Design Sdn. Bhd..

So, while children are happily engaged in their activities, parents can safely indulge in their own relaxation with little worry. While waiting, parents can savour a cuppa at the Cafetaria, Surf the net or even engage in shopping at the Retail shops.

Shopping Convenience at your doorsteps

Inhabitants will find it convenient to shop as soon as they step out of the door. The fully-integrated retail Piazza is easily within reach from the the service apartments. Residents can also easily access the commercial areas through a special-built walkway.

Its assortment of stores includes fashion boutiques, telecommunication retailers, grocery outlets, news stands and stationery suppliers. Service-oriented outlets such as F&B restaurant, hair styling saloons,slimming centres and laundry outlets shall be available.

A Location to Fulfil all of Life's Needs

The Zest @ Kinrara 9 is strategically located approximately 20 minutes from Kuala Lumpur City Centre, 10 minutes form Seri Petaling and 5 minutes from Bandar Sunway. It is situated in the heart of the Bandar Kinrara with easy accessbility via KL- Shah Alam Expressway ( Kesas), Damansara-Puchong Highway (LDP), KL-Seremban Highway and Sungai Besi Highway. Future residents shall enjoy the convenience of walking distance to the extension of Ampang—Sri Petaling LRT line, which is expected to have a station in Bandar Kinrara.

Those interested in self-improvement will find this elegant hub well-paced for enlightenment and education, with its enviable selection nearby of Elite Universities (including Sunway University College, International Medical University, APIIT, and Limkokwing University of Creative Technology) and International Schools (Alice Smith International School and Australians International School of Malaysia)

Leisure and recreation can be sought at any one of the nearby Golf courses (Kinrara Golf Club, Bukit Jalil Golf Club,Mines Golf & Country Resort, UPM Golf Club and Palm Garden Golf Club). In fact, the Service Apartments residents in this development will enjoy a scenic KLCC & Golf Course panorama.

The sophisticated mixed development counts among its neighbours such established and thriving townships as Puchong Jaya, Puchong Utama and Pusat Bandar Puchong to Bandar Sunway, Sri Petaling, Bukit Jalil, Bandar Kinrara and Taman OUG. It is also within easy reach of Old Klang Road, Midvalley city, Seri Kembangan and Serdang

The Zest @ Kinrara 9 is schedule for completion in 2012.

Those interested in its elegant FREEHOLD Service Apartments units should call NOW to enjoy Free Legal Fees on SPA and early bird shall enjoy RM3888 discount. For more information visit http://www.thezest.com.my/.

Zen Residence @ Asplenium Condominium

Sentral City Development Group recently launched its maiden condominium project Zen Residence in the highly evolving township of Puchong. Since its soft launch in mid-November last year, support from purchasers has been overwhelming despite the current economic slowdown.

Many have seized the opportunity to invest in this landmark property in a prime location of Klang Valley. Zen Residence has won much praise for its distinctive building design and product innovation; some have labelled it ambitious while others have hailed it inspiring.

Prime location

Zen Residence’s location, which is within the ‘growth centre’ of the fast developing Bandar Puteri and Puchong commercial centre, is a key factor and major driving force for the project’s exceptional take up rate. IOI Mall, IOI Boulevard, Setia Walk and Puteri Financial Centre are all mere minutes away.

Affordable entry cost, zero financial burden

The popularity of Zen Residence is due in part to its innovative financing package. Purchasers can own a piece of the property with a minimal RM8,000 only and enjoy zero financial burden during the construction period, as the developer is funding all interest payments until handover. Almost 100 per cent loan packages with low interest rates are available by end financiers. Other goodies thrown in to the purchasers are two free covered car parks, high quality floor and wall tiles, built-in kitchen cabinets with solid surface counter tops, tempered glass shower screens for all bathrooms, centralised water heaters for bathrooms, branded air-conditioners with ionizers for the living room and bedrooms, and a home alarm system.

Zen living concept

Zen defines the concept of living lifestyle, which embraces nature, peace, purity and tranquillity. At Zen Residence, minimalist architecture and landscaping with serene water elements have been incorporated to accentuate the Zen living concept. It strives to inspire the mind and brings into physical presence the sense of refuge, safety, sanctuary and well-being.

Tallest condominium building in Puchong

The architecture of Zen Residence is an expression of minimalism in the form of two identical gleaming white towers. The architecture seeks to project simplicity and structural clarity, while the incorporation of large glass panels and a series of cantilevered structures in its façade lend the building a feel of transparency and lightness.

The use of predominantly white and grey shades heightens the architectural concept of purity and unpretentiousness, which is the very essence of Zen. Each of the 21-storey twin tower features an oversized roof structure soaring high over the building to impart the notion of ‘floating’ crowns, thus glorifying the building’s status as the tallest residential towers in central Puchong.

Quadrant security

Zen Residence aims to provide a safe haven and refuge from the chaotic and unruly world outside. The building control incorporates a multi-tier security system, which utilises CCTV, card access and guard tour at all the six access points via the guarded entrance/exit, multi-level car park, lift lobby, lifts, quadrant access and main doors of condominium units.

This system deserves special mention as it is another first for condominium design. All units are clustered into groups of four with each group sharing a common access door. To reach an individual unit’s main door, a resident who lives within the quadrant must first access through a common secured door with CCTV and card access, providing an additional level of private security.

Low density

Zen Residence comprises 286 units on a 4.1 acre site. In the effort to preserve more green space at the ground level, only two towers with 21 floors were conceived. There are only two quadrants or eight units per floor, accessible by means of three high-speed lifts equipped with CCTV and card access system that take residents only to their respective floor.

Spacious unit with lanai

Zen Residence is available in various unit sizes ranging from 1,178 to 1,493 sqf with three or four bedrooms each. Instead of offering a standard condominium unit, the developer set out to impress by providing an extra large living hall that measures 12 to 14 ft in width. The living hall opens to an enormous lanai purposefully designed to enable resident to carry out landscaping or add a water feature. The idea that they will be able to enjoy nature despite living high up is definitely reflective of the Zen living concept.

The most impressive innovation from the architect is, however, the enormous master bathroom with a glassed external wall. The overall effect is a light-filled and airy bathroom interior as opposed to the conventional gloomy, wet and musty bathroom in most other apartments or condominiums. By making some of the units cantilever over the edge of the building, the architect has managed to turn its bathrooms open to the sky and admit rain into the interior. This so-called ‘sky shower’ is an unusual creation and surely a first in condominium design.

Clubhouse facilities and Zen-inspired hot springs

The 12,000 sqf clubhouse at Zen Residence houses two squash courts and a cantilever gym on the first floor. A café is provided on the ground floor with an extended dining deck, practically hanging over a huge free-form swimming pool.

To provide further impetus to an exclusive Zen experience, the developer is presenting two Japanese Zen-inspired hot springs for the enjoyment of residents. These hot springs are housed in a separate single storey Japanese style building set amidst a Japanese rock and bamboo garden. Though not mineral-rich pools, they nevertheless bestow the atmosphere the soothing affects of real hot springs.

To find out more about Zen Residence, please visit www.zenresidence.com or www.sentralcity.com.my. You could also call (603) 8061 1238 to make an appointment for a visit to the sales office and show unit.

A Responsible Development

YTL Land's Lake Edge development in Puchong, Selangor, has won the award for Best Residential Project (low-rise) in the Malaysia Property Award by FIABCI-Malaysia. By Kenneth Cheong The key to a successful business is to create something that everybody wants out of nothing. In the business of property development, YTL Land in Lake Edge, has transformed a piece of parched land into a thriving oasis. At 80 acres, the Lake Edge Development in Puchong, Selangor, consists of 420 units of luxury terraces and villas. Lake Edge achieved two very important goals as a successful development - creating an upper-class community in a less than desirable neighbourhood and transforming a feature-less landscape into a thriving 'lakeside living' community. As a developer, there is a dire need for convention to be constantly reassessed and challenged. The clean-lines aesthetic of the architecture is a clear trajectory from the traditional pitched roof designs favoured by other property developers in 2004, at the time of Lake Edge’s launching.

Hitting a hot spot, Dato’ Yeoh Seok Kian, Executive Director of YTL Land Explains, ‘insights from our market research showed that our target buyers are for homes that can offer them unconventional lifestyle experiences. They tend to be those from the younger generation who have been exposed to the kind of lifestyles found in the West, and therefore know what to look for and how to appreciate it.'

With 45% of the land devoted to landscaping, Dato’ Yeoh tells us that the landscaping was a very conscious and a major concern at the onset of the project to transform the perception of the site. ‘Our first order of business was to preserve the 12-acre disused mining lake that bordered the 80-acre development. But we faced a huge challenge of making the lake the focal point of the development, as many homeowners found undesirable. To turn around this perception, we transformed the lake into a lifestyle feature (through landscaping and masterplanning) that would influence a different kind of living concept, where the homes, the outdoors and the community come together in a beautiful neighbourhood.

The landscaping was the final touch in completing the development.

Ms. Yap of Praxis Design was enlisted to materialize Dato’ Yeoh’s vision from the inception of the masterplan. In what was a piece of land bordering a disused tin mining lake, is now a lakeside community extensively interwoven with intricate landscaping.

At such a large scale, a framework of key ideas became the basis for more detailed features. The lake itself was developed as a focal point. Swathes of land were designated as green zones and developed into individual feature landscaped parks. The housing lots were planned to line curved streets terminating at cul-de-sacs to achieve a more organic masterplan, a departure from traditional linear row-planning of typical terraces.

In designing the landscaping, Ms Yap sees the green spaces as breezeways. The main parks are extrapolated into a web throughout the development bringing cool air scented by fragrant hedges into each home. This web of green also provides a landscaped vehicular-free pedestrian network to each home, giving the community convenient and direct access to green parks.

The lake, which was restored and gentrified naturally, became a focal point within the masterplan. Man-made water features carried the waterfront theme beyond the constraints of the lake to bring the calming and cooling effects of this central feature to the overall development in snaking water trails along landscape parks.

The finishing touches to the masterplan were the injection of humour and colour by Ms Yap through her details. Playful themed spaces were introduced. Of particular delight are zones for kite launching and sculptural pieces of street furniture, which line the streets.

As a community-driven development, Ms Yap also focused on educationally themed spaces. Enlarged educational write-up displayed in panels in primary colours tell the story of each activity-specific park or space and serve to balance learning and playing.

One of the criteria for this year’s FIABCI awards is to focus on ‘Environmental Impact’. Dato’ Yeoh points out that ‘YTL has been practicing environmental responsibility as a company philosophy for over a decade now, and with that consciousness in mind, lake Edge was designed as a responsible development that would create a sustainable community in harmony with its environment.

As an exercise in successful property development, the heavy investment on peripherals of the development, as landscaping in the case of Lake Edge, has obviously paid off.” ‘…our efforts have indeed paid off from the start when all 192 units of the Courtyard Homes were snapped up within three days of its official launch in 2004. Following launches continued to draw increased interest and demand, driving further the price of Lake Edge homes and its appreciation value,’ says Dato’ Yeoh.

As a property developer, YTL Land has clearly figured out a winning formula in the business of property development.
In addition to being awarded Best Residential Project (low-rise) in Malaysia Property Award 2008 by FIABCI-Malaysia, YTL Land has also picked up the Best Residential Project (high-rise) for The Maple at Sentul West, sweeping all residential awards presented this year.

MPSJ Orders Developer To Rectify Problem At Taman Mutiara Puchong

Chanelling the rain water into the lake is not the proper way to resolve the soil erosion problem at bank of the lake near Taman Mutiara Puchong, according to Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ) engineering department deputy director Adnan Derahman.

“There should be no outlet discharging water into the lake. It is an offence under the law and it will also further induce the soil erosion problem,” he said.

Adnan said this during a meeting of the MPSJ with residents of Taman Mutiara Puchong and nearby housing estates and the developers of the housing projects around the lake.

MPSJ deputy president Mohamad Yusoff Ghazali chaired the meeting held at the MPSJ complex in Subang Jaya on Wednesday.

The soil erosion problem was first highlighted in StarMetro in July last year.

The developer’s company was featured in another news report on Jan 6 this year that the problem was caused by rain water flowing from the landscaped area into the lake.

The company has proposed to collect the water into a sump and then channel the water through pipes directly into the pond.

The residents have confirmed that the company has installed the pipes but they want the council to come out with a permanent solution to the problem.

In response, Adnan instructed the company to cover up the drains at the landscaped area.

“The level of the land should be raised so that the water will flow in an opposite direction, instead of flowing into the lake and worsen the soil erosion problem,” he said.

The residents, however, expressed concern that flooding would occur should the water flow into the residential area.

“Due to clogged drains, flood happens during downpours and the water covers up the roads and back lanes,” resident Michael Yeoh said.

Yeoh is the Taman Mutiara Puchong residents’ association assistant secretary and JKP Zone 9 vice-chairman.

Adnan then told the company to clean up the drainage system, giving it three days to submit its work programme to the MPSJ and a further 14 days to rectify the soil erosion problem. During the meeting, it was also revealed that the third phase of the housing project in Taman Mutiara Puchong has yet to be handed over to the MPSJ.

Adnan said the MPSJ would study and evaluate the clogged drains and soil erosion problems before receiving the project from the developer.

“We will conduct checks on the project based on the residents’ complaints,” he said.

Source: The Star

Hap Seng Looking For Strategic Properties To Acquire

Property developer and plantation owner Hap Seng Consolidated Bhd is still looking to acquire commercially viable properties or land in the central Klang Valley despite the slowdown in the economy.

It wants to repeat its success with the 22-storey Menara Hap Seng (formerly MUI Plaza), which the company acquired from MUI Properties Bhd for RM190 million in 2004 and which is fully tenanted after a RM60 million refurbishment that was completed in December 2007.

Hap Seng Land Sdn Bhd chief executive (property division) Datuk Paul Ng Jee Seng said at a media briefing Tuesday that the company has good credit facilities and cash reserves to acquire properties or land in the Klang Valley. Hap Seng Land is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the company.

Ng had said in earlier reports that the company was pursuing property development in the niche segment for the Klang Valley compared to developing affordable housing in Sabah, where it is the state’s largest developer.

He added that rental rates for office space in Menara Hap Seng was between RM5 psf to RM6psf while for retail space, it stood at RM5 psf to RM20 psf depending on location.

Besides Menara Hap Seng, the company has 76.30 acres of leasehold land in Puchong where it is developing landed property.

Source: The Star

Rush-Hour Crawl At LDP

For many who use the Damansara-Puchong Highway (LDP) to get to work and then return home, it is a daily ritual to crawl through the rush-hour traffic chaos.

The congestion can be unbearable at times, especially when there are inconsiderate and impatient motorists trying to cut queues.

The worst scenario is when there is an accident, whether major or minor, which could hold up traffic for quite some time.

The daily rush-hour traffic havoc is unavoidable as the LDP is at present the only North-South connection linking Sri Damansara in the north and Putrajaya in the south.

Work in progress: Upgrading works are under way at the Taman Tun Dr Ismail interchange in a bid to reduce congestion in the area which is plied by some 110,000 vehicles daily.

When the LDP was completed in 1999, the only other highways in place were the Federal Highway and the New Klang Valley Expressway (NKVE). The MRR2 was then still under construction.

According to private traffic planning consultant Goh Bok Yen, the entire LDP corridor was originally designed with alignment identified during the 90s, and from that period till now, developments had been rapid and vibrant.

“The LDP is an early highway, among the second batch that was built after the North-South Expressway,” Goh said.

“The important characteristic of the LDP is that it is built through the expansion and widening of an existing road where the old alignment was already there,” he said.

“Certain sections are already in built-up areas along Petaling Jaya till Sunway (which was then PJ South), so it is no surprise this stretch is often congested,” Goh said.

“Hence, there are physical constraints in the interchanges, taking into account matters like land and property acquisition. The corridor’s design is itself constrained by the existing alignment,” he said.

Goh recalled how Damansara Intan used to be a cowboy town in the 90s, and further up north then, was a quarry.

Over at the Puchong side, cattle rearing used to be a common sight which has been replaced by massive developments on both sides.

Goh said that while the IOI Mall was already there before the LDP was built, many intersections had also appeared in Puchong over the years.

“There is the problem of timing, where land owners are bringing forward their development projects now after the plans were approved earlier,” he said.

“Many development projects are fronting the LDP as everyone wanted to cash in on it as the main artery and disposal road,” Goh said.

“The interchanges, meanwhile, are messy and too close for comfort, which is the start of the problems,” he said.

“But I would like to think that the LDP has stimulated the growth of these development projects, especially in Puchong, with developers and land owners bringing forward their construction plans,” Goh said.

“Before the LDP was built, few would want to go to Serdang or the Equine Park,” he said.

Too many developments: In recent years, the mushrooming of many developments along the LDP have contributed to traffic congestion on the road, and one of the many is this way heading to Bandar Utama.

According to Lingkaran Trans Kota Sdn Bhd (Litrak) chief executive officer Sazally Saidi, while there has been an expansion in the highway networks over the years, such as the Sprint Penchala Link, Sprint Damansara Link, MRR2, NPE and the Kesas highway, all of them connect routes on the East-West direction.

He pointed out that till now, there are no other North-South links to serve traffic movement in this direction.

Goh agreed with the observation, saying that vehicles on the East-West link do make use of the LDP to get onto the next East-West highway.

Sazally said that when LDP was first opened in 1999, there were already 169 junctions (ingress and egress) along the 40km stretch of the road, but the number has increased to 180 today with new junctions coming up.

“Ideally, for urban highways like the LDP, the intersections should be between 2km to 3km apart but we have junctions every other 400m. At the inter-city highways like the PLUS expressway, the intersections are 20km apart,” he said.

Sazally said that although the LDP had been built with a big traffic volume in mind, big-scale developments were not identified during the early days, and there had been little improvement to the existing infrastructure.

Since 1999, some 66 projects had been developed, with 37 of them major ones on sites of more than 405ha or involving 500 residential or commercial units.

According to Sazally, each day, nearly 400,000 vehicles pass through four Litrak toll plazas and about a million vehicles travel on the toll-free section of the PJ stretch from Sunway to Bandar Utama.

Goh, meanwhile, said that some of the ingress and egress identified by Litrak were perhaps minor, such as like those going into petrol stations.

He said that while Litrak had foreseen the burgeoning of population, it probably did not anticipate the current density.

He said there was a serious lack of coordination between the relevant parties, like Malaysian Highway Authority (MHA) and the local authorities.

“The local authorities usually do not make long-term plans, although they should, including planning relief roads parallel on both left and right sides to cater to what is termed as intra traffic,” Goh said.

“A good example is in Kinrara, which I learnt that the council has done a study back then,” he said.

Goh said the LDP was meant to cater to inter-settlement traffic but now it was also accommodating intra traffic.

A crawl: Motorists on the LDP route heading towards Damansara Utama and Bandar Utama moving slowly, a scenario that can be seen almost every other day especially during peak hours.

He said this had mixed up the road hierarchy where relief roads were not enough.

“The local traffic can actually be separated, like what we see in Puchong, where the service roads run parallel,” Goh said.

“It is no point to keep improving the highways while the councils keep approving. It won’t do any good by adding on to a highway which results in it being unable to function to its capacity,” he said.

Sazally said that on Litrak’s part, it had spent RM400mil to enhance and upgrade the road network like the building of new interchanges.

“The company completed six interchanges in 2004, and is spending RM300mil over the next three years to develop the road network, including the currently ongoing TTDI interchange,” he said.

“Litrak has also expanded the capacity at its toll plazas and increased the number of Smart Tag and Touch N Go lanes,” Sazally said.

Goh, however, said that the toll booth capacity was not in balance with the highway capacity currently.

“More electronic usage is needed, which can be done by making the Smart Tag cheaper to encourage people to use it,” he said.

“This will also benefit the company as its toll booth capacity can be increased,” Goh said.

Another point of contention is the same old story of the poor state of the public transportation.

Goh said that despite years of talk about the need for an adequate, effective and efficient public transportation system, even the basic requirements had not been improved to reduce usage of private vehicles on the roads.

Source: The Star

Change In Profile But Not Values

Lee Yoke Har's resemblance to older brother Datuk Lee Yeow Chor is uncanny. Soft-spoken and affable, her quiet strength and firmness are very similar to her sibling's when it comes to dealing with the issues of the day.

The children of IOI Corp Bhd's executive chairman and CEO Tan Sri Lee Shin Cheng, Yeow Chor is group executive director of the IOI group of companies and executive director of IOI Properties Bhd, while Yoke Har is the general manager of its legal and general operations department — a position that has enabled her to stay out of the public eye.

Two months ago, however, Yoke Har, who has been with the group for 13 years, donned another hat. She took over the marketing operations of the group's property division, which is a hot seat indeed, given the current tough property market conditions.

"I am not a corporate person," Yoke Har stresses to City & Country in what is her maiden media interview. "Please focus on the exciting projects and plans we have to share with you…

" She reports to IOI Properties' executive director Datuk David Tan, a trusted chieftain of the Lees and who has been with the group for ages. Then there are her brother and father.

With Yoke Har spearheading the marketing portfolio for the property division, Tan is free to focus on other equally demanding chores, with project management being a priority.

"He has a lot on his plate and he needs to juggle his time a lot," explains Yoke Har, whose newly put-together team oversees the marketing of key Klang Valley developments, comprising those in Puchong and Klang and IOI Resort in Putrajaya.

The changes being effected are aimed at coordinating and expediting decisions so that the developer can move at a fast clip. Raising the profile of IOI Properties — a brand that is synonymous with dependability and being conservative and low profile — is also in the works.

Says Yoke Har: "We want people to know us... It is high time there was coordinated effort to do this. Our style has always been to do things quietly; do it well and people will know. (But it has been) too quiet. This has been going on for years. But our values have not changed…"

For IOI Properties, indisputably a top Malaysian property developer that has been active since 1982, the changes are perhaps overdue, seeing how the demands of property investors have surged in recent times.

No, the changes are not a knee-jerk response to the troubles ailing even the most established players across the globe, says Yoke Har. In fact, she sees the property market bottoming out in nine months. "There is liquidity; people are holding back for fire sales but this has not happened." With the property market getting more crowded and the investment climate more jittery, even the unobtrusive IOI Properties is reviewing its strategies, going forward. This is necessary because the developer plans to launch some RM500 million worth of properties in the Klang Valley this year. The offerings will come from Bandar Puchong Jaya, the newer Bandar Puteri Puchong and Bandar Puteri Klang. In Bandar Puchong Jaya, which sprawls over 1,000 acres, more upmarket homes, like the 2½-storey superlink Vistaria Residences, have emerged in the residential component. The next six months will see the launch of sixty 2½-storey semi-detached homes and light industrial units here. Meanwhile, almost 80% of the 930-acre Bandar Puteri Puchong has been developed. It will unveil thirty-six 2 and 2½-storey bungalows and seventy-eight 3 and 4-storey shopoffices over the next half year. Over in Bandar Puteri Klang, new homes and shopoffices will be rolled out from end-February. In short, IOI Properties is not about to put a stop to new launches.

PUCHONG FINANCIAL COMMERCIAL CENTRE

So, exactly what is going to be different about the developer? For starters, it will embrace fresh and compelling development concepts and designs. Add to the concoction a loyalty programme designed to reach out to and please both buyers and occupants to secure repeat buying.

The new and bolder designs are evident in the upcoming Puchong Financial Commercial Centre (PFCC) taking shape diagonally across the Damansara-Puchong Highway (LDP) from the IOI Mall. Work on two of the five PFCC towers on an eight-acre freehold tract is slated to be completed this April. "These are not very high — 11 and 20 storeys. But you will not miss them as you drive along the LDP," says Mohd Ezuddin Sami'an, IOI Properties' marketing manager.

"They are iconic… they stand out from the other buildings in Puchong.

" Puchong has too many traditional shophouses and offices, says Yoke Har. She is confident a "happening" PFCC, with its contemporary design incorporating environmentally friendly features, will lift Puchong's image to even that of Bangsar.

Looks and design aside, the developer is counting on the proximity of Cyberjaya as drawing point. However, a building can only be audited as a Cyberjaya Centre upon its completion. "We are confident of getting the status," says Yoke Har, adding that the building designs have incorporated the necessary criteria.

While the original plan was to build all the five towers in four to five years, the timeline had to been tweaked to seven to eight years in the light of the current global credit turmoil. So, the developer is improving the designs of Towers 3, 4 and 5, based on the experience and feedback from the nearing completion of Towers 1 and 2.

Combined, the five towers will offer a net lettable area of 1.15 million sq ft. The 12-storey Tower 1 (built at RM35 million) will have 125,000 sq ft, and the 20-storey Tower 2 (built at RM70 million) 253,000 sq ft. In all, there will be 1,920 parking bays in the basement, all of them interlinked.

The developer has tagged an average RM600 psf for Tower 1, while it intends to keep the LDP-fronting Tower 2 for investment. Office space in Tower 2 is being leased out at an average of RM4 psf, while the retail space is going for RM6.50 psf or so.

It is worth noting that weak market sentiment notwithstanding, two local parties have shown interest in the buildings, with talks already in the second stage. One party is looking at leasing Tower 1 en bloc while the other is exploring a buy-and-lease-back option for Tower 2.

"We are flexible; we cannot be leaving the buildings empty for six to nine months, so if the price is good, we don't mind selling..." says Yoke Har, without disclosing the numbers now on the table. One of the parties is looking at relocating its operations, while the other is expanding and relocating its business.

IOI BOULEVARD

About a kilometre down the thoroughfare from PFCC, workers are putting the finishing touches to IOI Boulevard, a hybrid office-retail/lifestyle development modelled after London's Covent Garden. "Business sophistication" and "stylish entertainment" are some of the developer's taglines for this development that comprises six blocks of office-cum-retail space. Enclosed within is the Palette, which comprises thirty-six 2-storey retail outlets that look into a 108ft by 240ft courtyard. "This will be a platform to promote arts. Budding artists, musicians and photographers, for example, can showcase their work here free of charge. We will also build a stage in the courtyard, which will be shielded by a tinted, high glass ceiling," says Yoke Har, adding that they have factored into the design the need for air to circulate.

The developer has tied up with LimKokWing University, whose students will paint two murals in the Palette. IOI Properties is also working with the Puchong Orchestra to explore ways to promote the latter.

Of the six office-retail blocks, all equipped with individual lifts, the developer plans to keep two, both fronting the LDP for recurrent income. Since its launch last June, 60% or 262,000 sq ft of the total saleable area of just under 446,000 sq ft have been sold at an average of RM450 psf, with the ground floor retail space going for RM980 psf. Space at the Palette is leased at an average of RM6 psf. In all, IOI Boulevard offers a total net lettable area of about 730,000 sq ft, with another 133,000 sq ft in retail space at the Palette.

IOI Boulevard is targeted for completion in April and is likely to be opened in May. It will be interesting to see how much IOI Properties can do to bring arts to live in Puchong.

SIERRA PUTERI

Outside the Puchong boundary closer to Sepang, earthworks for a 485-acre mixed development township with a gross development value of RM1.6 billion called Sierra Puteri, have been completed. Construction will start as soon as the authorities approve the building plans. The gated development on undulating grounds will boast designs in departure from IOI Properties' norm. However, the layout will still be functional, says Yoke Har.

The lower-density units will be designed after precincts, each of which with its own park. There will be lots of buffer parks, she continues. The maiden launch, featuring the traditional 2-storey 2ft by 75 ft terraced homes, has been slated for the second quarter this year at a pricing she declines to reveal immediately.She would however only say that it will be priced at a premium to the conventional link homes in the close by Equine Park.

IOI Properties' move to go slightly up markat at Sierra Puteri makes sense given the abundant traditional offerings coming up in Equine Park. IOI Properties' target market: Puchong and Kajang upgraders and those staying in Serdang of course.

IOI FAMILY

Fostering loyalty in customers is an integral part of marketing and it is no different for developers. Come late March or April, IOI Properties will unveil its loyalty programme, which will see some 85,000 IOI Privilege Cards distributed, in the developer's two townships of Bandar Puchong Jaya and Bandar Puteri Puchong.

The cards will be given out free to those in the catchment area to shop, dine and enjoy other services for less in participating shops in Puchong, where the developer has built some 1,700 commercial units.

The developer will also take on the role of promoting the participating outlets, which are expected to offer 10% to 15% discounts or privileges in kind for a year. So far, 60 outlets have signed up. Potential candidates are tenants in IOI Mall — 199 in the old wing and another 100 in the new extension, which at press time was awaiting its certificate of fitness. The extension expands IOI Mall's 650,000 sq ft of net lettable space to about a million sq ft.

Yoke Har is particularly excited about the loyalty programme and it is easy to see why. A thriving township can only equal an appreciation in capital values and yields. And happy investors could potentially translate to repeat buyers. So clearly, IOI Properties is the ultimate beneficiary of the programme, if it works.

The community-based programme, Yoke Har points out, is an extension of the developer's community services which it undertakes seriously and with commitment. "We have been working a lot behind the scenes. Do you know we have someone dedicated to working with the residents' associations in Puchong? Besides our website, we also publish a bi-monthly residents' newsletter called Reach Out…"

"We want to make residents feel privileged. At the same time, we are supporting the business operators in our townships as part of our after-sales service. The programme makes sense — these are self-contained townships; everything one needs one can find there. The convenience, the variety, now the pricing with the discounts offered," she adds.

Yoke Har does not discount the possibility of the IOI Privilege Card being used by third parties, which augurs well for the participating businesses. Obviously, the plan to extend the coverage of the loyalty programme is on the cards.

IN THE PIPELINE

Traditionally a township developer, IOI Properties has withstood the test of time and thrived on the legacy of its developments. Recurrent income from property investments and property management fees now help make up the property division's 30% or so contribution to IOI Group's earnings. The ratio, Yoke Har says, is going to change with more emphasis on property, but she is unable to immediately provide the numbers.

IOI Properties is also active outside the Klang Valley, for example Singapore, although plans there have been deferred given the current downturn.

Another project to look out for is a mall planned for Putrajaya, the details of which the developer declines to divulge for now. All said, IOI Properties is geared to give competitors a run for their money.

Source: The Edge Daily

2009 Year Of Ox

Happy New Year!

Good Dates To Start Work In 2009
28/01/2009: 11am - 11pm (except those born in year of Rabbit)
30/01/2009: 7am - 9am (except those born in year of Snake)
02/02/2009: 7am - 9am (except those born in year of Monkey)
06/02/2009: 9am - 11am (except those born in year of Rat)

Inauspicious Dates In 2009
31/01/2009: 1pm - 3pm
25/02/2009: 7am - 9am
17/03/2009: 7am - 9am
07/07/2009: 11am - 1pm

General Guide For Feng Shui Of 2009

Southeast - Good financial returns and the possibility of career advancement. The primary wealth sector for the year. Activate this sector with water / activites / renovation.

Southwest - Year breaker. Good for career progress. Changes in work environment. Possible medical complications.

West - Potential for real estate and property gains. Nagging health complications.

Northeast - Grand duke. Constant arguments and heated disagreements. Legal complication and lawsuits. Keep this sector quiet. Do not hack the walls or dig the ground in this sector.

East - Three killings. Turbulent of emotions. Medical complications. Competitive work environment. Keep this sector quiet.

Northwest - New ventures and new beginnings. Couples can tie the knot or start a family. Secondary wealth sector for the year.

North - Five yellow. The most negative sector of the year. Avoid important activities. Beware of accidents and mishaps. Keep this sector quiet.

South - Good studies and scholarly pursuits. Travel. Romance. Activate this sector with water.

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