Property Insight September 2018

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SEPTEMBER 2018

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SEPTEMBER 2018

REBRANDING OF BANDAR SERI PUTRA

THE RELEVANCE OF I CHING TO THE POST 100 DAYS OF NEW MALAYSIA

LOCAL LANDSCAPE DESIGNER LIM IN CHONG SCORES AT THE SINGAPORE GARDEN FESTIVAL

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contents

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Rebranding Bandar Seri Putra’s Blueprint

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Investing In Residential Properties In Malaysia

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Malvest Group Makes Its Mark

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Green EcoBuilding Trends Around The World

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Buying Homes With Low Budget

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What Do Your Financial Ratios Say About Your Financial Wellbeing

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The Relevance Of “I Ching“ To The Post 100 Days Of New Malaysia

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What Many Do Not Know About Islamic Home Financing, Muslims Included

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Winning With “The Wild & The Restless”

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Flipping For Profit In Real Estate

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The 4 Focus Areas For Maximising Leadership In The Property Sector

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I Am Just A Simple Employee, Is It Wrong For Me To Be Different?

AUGUST 2018

Old Is Intrinsically & Truly Gold

EDITORIAL Publisher/Editor-In-Chief Dato’ KK Chua kkchua@propertyinsight.com.my

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Senior Designer Megat Khuzamir

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Sales & marketing enquiries support@propertyinsight.com.my +6012 3788 683

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Youth is a prized characteristic of modern day society. Everywhere, visions of youth are promoted as seen splashed on billboards and advertisements. Glossy magazines wax lyrical over images of youth and its youthful exuberance everywhere you look.

Therefore, is it any wonder that the older generation can feel a bit left out. However, just as youth is celebrated and glorified to a certain extent - interestingly, there must be a reason why the term Golden Years has found its way into the expressions of our modern times. Hence, there must certainly be intrinsic value in the older generation - given their vast experience and wisdom. After all, as goes one inspirational saying:“Life is all about finding those silver lingins and turning them into gold.”

And, just as the expression that “Wine (only) gets better with age”, what more and more property investors are discovering is that real estate also yields its harvest of gold in the form of capital appreciation over time.

The case is true of townships that have the propensity to mature over decades to being about a steady yield in terms of capital appreciation of properties. In real estate, it is true that properties have a tendency to double given every decade or so based on past track records.

United Malayan Berhad or better known as UMLand Berhad has seen the sleepy old hollow of Bangi steadily rising in terms of property prices over the two decades. Its subsidiary in Bangi Heights Development Sdn Bhd has certainly taken great efforts now to rebrand the entire township it has developed since 1997.

The former palm oil plantation land has grown by leaps and bounds to become a stellar ground for its property development to thrive. Now the next step to elevate the township from good to great is seen in the rebranding efforts for the township that will see new and swanky as well as more upmarket eateries coming to the township.

Property, like wine, is now the new benchmark for old being gold. So, despite the real estate climate needing time to recuperate and pick up pace once again, property, though not performing at its peak as per the hey days of old, remains a good hedge against inflation and great ground for investment.

With that, till we meet again next month, here’s wishing you happy investing!

DATO’ KK CHUA PUBLISHER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF PROPERTY INSIGHT

On The Cover

HADYAN IBRAHIM

Head of Subsidiary of Bangi Heights Development Sdn Bhd

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Although every reasonable care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this publication, neither the publisher, editors, writers nor employees or agents can be held liable for any errors, inaccuracies and/or omissions. The contents of this publication do not constitute investment advice. It is intended only to inform and illustrate. No reader should act on any information contained in this publication without first seeking appropriate professional advice that takes into account their personal circumstances. We shall not be responsible for any loss or damage, whether directly or indirectly, incidentally or consequently arising from or in connection with the contents of this publication and shall not accept any liability in relation thereto. The views by our contributors expressed here are their personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect Property Insight’s views. The publisher does not endorse any company, organisation, person, investment strategy or technique mentioned in this publication unless expressedly stated otherwise. The publisher does not endorse any advertisements or special advertising features in this publication, nor does the publisher endorse any advertiser(s) or their products/services unless expressedly stated to the contrary. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means, including photocopying and imaging without the prior written permission of the publisher.

SEPTEMBER 2018

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news & events

UMLand Launches Iconic M101 Treated Underprivileged Kids Development - Suasana Iskandar Malaysia To A Smurfy Show M101 Holdings Sdn Bhd (M101) together with PeopleGiving brought over 80 underprivileged kids from United Learning Centre and Agape Learning Centre based in Kuala Lumpur to The Smurfs Live on Stage show n Genting.

M101 Executive Director Datin Lea Chan who was present at the CSR initiative says, “We believe that building communities starts with the children. Hence, instead of letting their time go to waste during the school holidays, M101 together with PeopleGiving took this opportunity to bring the underprivileged children for a treat after working hard at school.”

The children arrived at Awana Skyway around 3 pm and rode the cable car up to Genting for the two-hour show. They were greeted by staff of M101 and were brought over to the showroom as they prepared for The Smurfs Live on Stage presentation.

United Malayan Land Bhd (UMLand) recently launched its iconic mixed-use development named Suasana Iskandar Malaysia (Suasana IM).

As the latest landmark of Johor Bahru city and located right at the heart of the city centre, Suasana IM comprises residential, hotel and lifestyle components. It is an integral part of the city’s progress as a modern, vibrant and culturally-rich city in line with the state government’s Johor Bahru Transformation (JBT) Programme.

Suasana IM features the first 5-star Amari Hotel in Malaysia.

Meanwhile, its residential component is the 35-storey Suasana Iskandar Johor Bahru serviced apartment tower which comprises freehold luxury homes featuring the latest in smart home technology in partnership with Samsung Malaysia Electronics.

Sime Darby Property Is Synonymous With Quality Sime Darby Property once again emerged as a major winner at the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) Malaysia’s annual QLASSIC Award 2018, by taking home 13 High QLASSIC Achievement Awards for exemplary quality of its developments.

Sime Darby Property was presented with top honours for its projects in Bukit Jelutong, Elmina East, Bandar Bukit Raja, Saujana Impian, USJ Heights, Bandar Ainsdale, Nilai Impian, Chemara Hills and Bandar Universiti Pagoh. The awarded projects comprise a mix of residential and commercial developments.

Sime Darby Property was also the most awarded developer at the

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event, bagging 13 out of 37 awards. The company also received four special awards out of which three special awards were given for Best QLASSIC Achievement Awards in the Residential and Non-Residential categories and Best of the Best QLASSIC Achievement Award.

Say “I do” At The Largest Convention Centre In Southern Klang Valley Coined as an “oasis within the city”, Bangi Avenue Convention Centre (BACC) was recently launched by Avenue Garden Hotel.

The largest multipurpose convention centre in Southern Klang Valley offers convenient and affordable services for wedding and event needs.

Strategically located in the burgeoning and modernised township of Bangi Avenue, BACC has a floor area of up to 27,000 sq ft for the Grand Ballroom itself and a surrounding floor area of 88,585 sq ft which comprise the outdoor and covered boulevard spaces.

It is an ideal venued for weddings and various types of exhibitions and carnivals. The outdoor fountain area meanwhile is ideal for private functions including mini concerts, dinners and more.

City Motors Group Celebrates Opening of Kompleks Wan Kien City Motors Group (City Motors), the first franchise holder of renowned Italian automobile Alfa Romeo distributor in Malaysia turned property developer, recently launched Kompleks Wan Kien with a glitzy parade of classic cars. Taking centre-stage was the Classic Cars Competition comprising a parade of 12 vintage cars with elegantly dressed ladies in them. The 400 guests in attendance had the opportunity to cast their vote for the “Most Admired Car”.

The grand opening of Kompleks Wan Kien signifies the first of many buildings to come bearing City Motors Founder and Executive Chairman Dato’ Foo’s name. Formerly known as Kompleks Penchala, the complex spanning across 2.2 acres of land was bought over and refurbished by City Motors this year. The refurbishment project costing approximately RM2 million and spanning a total rentable area of 130,000 sq ft took one and a half years to built.

LBS Unveils Rentak Perdana At The LBS Alam Perdana Township Following the overwhelming response of its first two phases, LBS recently launched Rentak Perdana which is the third phase of its highly anticipated affordable landed homes at the gated and guarded LBS Alam Perdana Township.

Rentak Perdana comprises 856 units of double storey terrace homes and 28 units of double storey semi-detached homes with a Gross Development Value (GDV) of RM475 million. The terrace unit built-up area is 1,420 sq ft (20’x60’) and offers home buyers a cosy layout featuring four bedrooms and three bathrooms.

The homes are priced affordably from RM 509,900. The built-up area for the semi-detached unit is 1,847 sq ft (35’x90’) and comes with four plus one rooms and four bathrooms. The semi-detached unit will be priced from RM 888,000.

The development capitalises on spacious bedrooms and open living

spaces, surrounded by lush landscaped greenery which makes it an ideal home for families. Being part of the community-centric LBS Alam Perdana Township, Rentak Perdana homebuyers have access to over 40 facilities catering to all lifestyles and age groups.

SEPTEMBER 2018

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cover story

REBRANDING BANDAR SERI PUTRA’S BLUEPRINT After two decades, this township rises from its slumber to become a unique thriving hub of activities, given the new marketing initiatives for the area

BY YVONNE YOONG

Bandar Seri Putra is a strategic residential location suited for elite Malays in the Southern Klang Valley. Sitting in the developed town area of Bangi, it is one of the ideal townships and preferred location for many home buyers, especially elite Malays.

The Malays have an endearing quaint but pertinent saying - “Tak kenal maka tak cinta” which resonates with a truth that can be applied to Bandar Seri Putra. To the unacquainted, the township spanning 898 acres of freehold land which is developed by Bangi Heights Development Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of United Malayan Land Bhd (UM Land Bhd) since 1997, is viewed as being situated in a rustic, far flung area in Bangi tucked within the Hulu Langat constituency in Selangor - some 2.5km from the Selangor-Negeri Sembilan border.

To the astute though, this unchiselled raw jewel has all the makings of a thriving township in the future - given its easy accessibility via the dedicated Putra Mahkota Interchange EXIT 213 from North South Highway (PLUS). In addition to this, the township which includes Bukit Mahkota, Taman Impian Putra, Bangi Avenue and the Nilai Industrial Park in the border state of Negeri Sembilan as its neighbour has also seen its population count rising throughout the years – with the younger generation and first time homeowners choosing to stay close to their parents in this township.

The township which originated from a rubber and palm oil plantation estate 23 years ago – when its master layout plan was first approved - is now a township brimming with infinite potential.

Hadyan Ibrahim, Head of Subsidiary of Bangi Heights Development Sdn Bhd says:- “We started selling 261 bungalow lots and shop offices in 1997 before the construction of the PLUS Toll Interchange which is a joint development with LION Group was completed.

Bangi Heights Development, a subsidiary of UMLand Berhad incidentally represents a joint venture company between UMLand and Capitaland from Singapore.

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Properties in Bandar Seri Putra have a propensity of fetching promising capital appreciation over the years given the potential of the township.

He adds that the first handing over of vacant possession was in 2000 and in the beginning, it was an uphill task trying to sell the bungalow lots. Over the years, things have improved and as to date, 85% of the township has been developed and handed over to its purchasers.

In terms of completion of its project, to date - 4,822 units of residential and commercial units have been handed over in this self-contained township which comprises terrace houses, town houses, bungalow lots, semi-detached units, bungalows, cluster homes, shop offices and apartments.

Promoting the 4Ps of Price, Product, Promotion and Place His four-pronged strategy encompasses the 4Ps of “Price, Products, Promotion and Place” represented by four pillars of the strategy he has put in place to be implemented for Bandar Seri Putra’s rebranding exercise.

“Under my tenure, I have plans to develop another 15 per cent of the remaining land of approximately 150 acres within 10 years’ time,” he says adding that the initiative would include redeveloping, revamping and rebranding the entire township.

Hadyan, being a result-oriented person, has again demonstrated his accomplishments and in getting things done for the recently completed development of Putra1 Apartment.

SEPTEMBER 2018

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cover story

Putrajaya Station project. Since the project is still in KIV stage, we are hoping that the project will proceed, as it will contribute significantly towards this area – and especially Putrajaya, Cyberjaya, Nilai and Bangi’s future economic growth.

“This will help to transform Malaysia as a whole, into a “high-income developed nation” he opines.

Elaborating on the finer points of his rebranding strategy, he intends to reposition Bandar Seri Putra as the nearest township to Kuala Lumpur by capitalising on its location – being situated in the heart of the South Klang Valley.

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Sales of Putra1 Apartment which was initially slow, has picked up and the take up rate as of now is 86% since he spearheaded the operations for Bangi Heights Development.

“This is a brownfield area and Bandar Seri Putra is a self-sustained township that has been here since 20 years ago.

Moving forward, we are now in the midst of rebranding the township with 150 acres worth of land to be developed,” he adds.

“In terms of place or location, Bandar Seri Putra’s growth will be enhanced by the proposed upcoming High Speed Rail (HSR) Kuala Lumpur – Singapore –

In terms of the product and pricing, he opines that properties at Bandar Seri Putra are attractive for first-time home buyers given its attractive positioning.

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For instance, its Putra1 Apartment freehold low density units are priced at a competitive RM376 per sq ft.

“When we talk about property development and strategies – we talk about the 4Ps. The pricing for Putra1 Apartment units with built-up areas ranging from 854 sq ft to 1,224 sq ft are priced from RM351,000.

“Each of the unit comes with two parking bays and three swimming pools,” he says highlighting the value added offerings for the low-density apartment development spanning across 8.9 acres.

The tallest block is 23 storeys high offering elegant “semi-dee” layouts which is designed for the upper floor levels to provide more privacy and to enhance resident’s lifestyle through the competent use of space for comfort and convenience.

The highlight of this development that was launched in December 2013 is its strategic location situated just a short drive away from the Putra Mahkota toll plaza and Seri Putra (SP) Retail Centre which forms the township’s commercial hub.

The development is centrally located between KLIA, Putrajaya, Cyberjaya and the Bandar Baru Bangi education hub where educational institutions such as Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kolej Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Selangor and Universiti Tenaga Nasional are located.

The project with a gross development value (GDV) of RM216 million comprises a total of 505 units spread across six blocks. The total development comprise five low rise blocks and one high rise tower complemented by value added features including a three-acre garden courtyard and full condo-style facilities.

Hadyan says the developer’s competitive edge lies in its quick delivery, with units in Blocks 3, 4 and 5 being handed over in end of April this year.

Blocks 1, 2 and 6’s units were fully sold and handed over to purchasers in September 2017.

Putra1 Apartment enjoys direct access from the Kuala Lumpur - Seremban Highway via the dedicated Putra Mahkota interchange.

In addition to this, it is situated within nearby distance of major highways such as the Kajang Dispersal Link Expressway (SILK), North-South Expressway and the North-South Central Link (ELITE).

Hadyan (Standing third from right) with the senior management team of Bangi Heights Development Sdn Bhd (From left: Assistant General Manager of Sales & Marketing Au Kar Sheng, Senior Manager of Contracts Mas Ayu Manan, Deputy General Manager of Finance Mun Choong Jan, Deputy General Manager of Projects Wong Weng Sing and Assistant General Manager of Township Management Yasmin Daud.

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cover story Meanwhile, 42 units of three-storey Putra Sentral shop offices that was launched on 11 August are priced competitively from RM1.47 million as compared to others in the surrounding area. Some are selling twostorey units at around RM2.1 million respectively.

“Our future development comprises terraces, cluster residences, semi-dees and bungalows. Our ‘super bungalows’ of the future development named Sebayu Hill Villas that will offer 81 exclusive units with built-up sizes ranging from 4,188 sq ft to 6,413 sq ft will be launched in the second quarter of next year and have a bigger land area spanning from 13,000 sq ft – 20,000 sq ft. Currently, other competitors are offering a smaller land area while their biggest land size is only 10,000 sq ft,” he adds.

The highlight of the bungalows lie with the Samsung Smart Homes and rainwater harvesting as well as security systems put in place.

Besides the value added benefits, the developer ensures that all of its developments will follow a quick turnaround delivery time.

Quick Turnaround Time The unique selling proposition of the developer lies in its quick ability to deliver ahead of time.

“One good thing is that we target owner occupiers and will start construction even before selling. Most of our products are already 50 per cent in construction progress before we start to sell in order to instil confidence in our purchasers. For instance, Block 4 of Putra1 Apartment has already been completed so the moment the bank

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approves the loans, buyers don’t have to pay interest,” he shares.

“We have already started the construction of Sebayu Hill Villas prior to sales. The first phase comprising 17 units have recorded construction progress of some 70 per cent. We ensure that we only deliver quality homes and aim to address all of our customers’ needs,” he asserts.

Promotion-wise, Hadyan says events are frequently organised for purchasers such as the recent Putra1 Ice Cream Fiesta, with a Lantern Festival event to be held on 22 September to attract Chinese purchasers in conjunction with the Mid-Autumn Festival as currently, around 90 per cent of Malays reside here.

“We are maintaining a ratio of 70:30 of landed versus high-rises within our residential components as we feel this is reflective of the demand here. We will be concentrating on design, quality and branding elements to differentiate our products as we believe in design elements that promote health and well-being.”

Growing Township Attracting Younger Buyers The township he says, has grown by leaps and bounds over the two decades and now has a total population count of over 26,000 people.

This is a far cry from the year 2001 – when people first started moving into Bandar Seri Putra which had a population back then of less than 500 people after the completion of the Group’s first strata development here called Vista Seri Apartment.

The capital appreciation of the prices of properties here he says is

Rising Through Reputable Real Estate Ranks Hadyan Ibrahim, Head of Subsidiary, Bangi Heights Development Sdn Bhd may just be 39 but already, a steady list of achievements precedes him. To his credit, he has a penchant for understanding what works in real estate – having transformed greenfield developments into townships with thriving property potential.

promising, with the example of the double-storey Anjung Suasana bungalows launched in October 2009 that was priced within the range of RM800,000 – RM843,000 now fetching over RM1.6 million.

“Being in the heart of the Southern Klang Valley, we are focusing on the location factor and easy accessibility to all the other surrounding major highways,” elaborates Hadyan.

“We intend to invite established food and beverage (F&B) outlets including Toastbox other than the standard fast food chains such as McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, Dominos and KFC as well as convenience stores and more banks to open up their branches at Bandar Seri Putra to properly address all of the residents needs.”

Above all, Hadyan intends to reposition the township by striving to create a niche for Bandar Seri Putra in the middle to high range income group. He reckons that Bandar Seri Putra can be compared to the Kota Kemuning, Bukit Jelutong, and Cahaya Alam townships given its potential.

“Our landed properties are usually 100 per cent sold upon the issuance of the Certificate of Completion and Compliance (CCC).

In our area, the transaction of sub-sales is less as compared to other areas showing that people buy to stay here. We have many repeat buyers as they are happy to stay here and are willing to buy the second or third house within BSP for their children. Some also represent upgraders,” he sums up attributing the target market as mostly hailing from the middle income group who are owner occupiers and not property flippers.

Backed by 15 years of experience in property development, counted among his portfolio of projects are work undertaken on marina developments, high-rises as well as townships encompassing commercial, serviced apartments and five-star hotel developments totalling an overall GDV of RM5 billion.

Amari Hotel, Johor Bahru and Sommerset Puteri Harbour in Nusajaya in Johor are key highlights in the property enthusiast’s cap undertaken for UMLand from 2016 – 2017. He joined UMLand as Senior Manager and Person-In-Charge of this project.

The successful completion of this project saw him being promoted to Assistant General Manager within six months and Deputy General Manager within a year.

Upon completion of Amari Hotel which was opened to the public in May 2017, Hadyan joined Bangi Heights Development Sdn Bhd in June 2017 and was promoted to General Manager in September 2017. In February 2018, he assumed the Head of Subsidiary role here.

He believes strongly in “people management” as one of the ways “to achieve business outcome” while being involved in “”training the best people to unleash their potential” which brings him lots of satisfaction.

Married with three kids, Hadyan, who cuts a boyish figure, describes himself as a result-oriented person who consistently sets himself a few key goals to be accomplished over the progression of the coming year.

“I am a fair person to my staff and business associates. Being a go-getter and team player, I don’t mind addressing the root of the problem assertively,” says this alumni of Universiti Malaya who graduated with a Bachelor (Hons) of Estate Management from Universiti Malaya.

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developer of the month

MALVEST GROUP MAKES ITS MARK Armed with high standards of excellence, this local developer marks a momentous milestone - emerging as Outstanding Developer - East Coast at the Property Insight Prestigious Developer Award (PIPDA) 2018

BY YVONNE YOONG

prevailing competition besides banking on its commitment to quality excellence and timely delivery.

“We have been around in the market for close to 30 years and we take our reputation very seriously. That commitment in itself is strong enough to give the assurance to our customers that we will do our best to deliver the right products as promised. Our team is ready to assist to the best of their ability,” he says.

Setting high management standards at each and every stage of any development it undertakes is operational in the DNA of Malvest Group. A firm believe in maintaining quality every step of the way, although it is a local developer - already, it has made the headlines by walking away with the distinction of emerging as the Outstanding Developer - East Coast at the recently concluded Property insight Prestigious Developer Award (PIPDA) 2018 held on 1 June.

Tan Kian Boon, Managing Director of Malvest Group says building upon a firm and solid foundation is what has set it apart from the

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“That includes after sales service whereby there is a dedicated team that will look after the owners who have invested in the property but may not be around in town to maintain or rent the units out,” he explains.

Incorporated in 1989 as a private limited company under the Companies Act 1965, the group has since then completed a series of residential and commercial projects comprising more than 4,600 units in Penang and Kelantan under both its development and construction divisions.

Following this achievement, the group has built up an enviable reputation and helped it achieve a commendable milestone in the development industry in both states, so much that it was also recognised via awards by the state government.

Nothing is taken for granted when it comes to the group’s stable of projects – as at every stage, a detailed study and plan outline will be carried out with the aim of creating the most suitable yet sustainable development content.

“The group is well-equipped with human assets and strong technical know-how in the field of development and construction, coupled with adequate financial resources that will enable it to help to meet any challenges that the group undertakes,” he advocates.

Tan explains that each and every development that the group launches will be implemented and executed with a high level of excellence and will not be just another cookie cutter project that would be similar to say another development located a few minutes away.

“We strive to create a product that will benefit our buyers for both the short and long term. Products that they can immediately benefit from - either to stay or to rent out to the target market which we have planned for since day one. In years to come, they should see the value appreciate when the properties are all occupied by either owners or tenants,” enthuses Tan. A distinctive hallmark of the group lies with its ability to deliver innovative and sustainable residential and commercial developments. So much so it has carved out for itself a reputation for quality delivery. Over the years, its reputation for quality and timely delivery has built trust in its customers.

The secret behind the group’s success maintains Tan is to continually realise buyers’ goals of owning a home or investment

property that applies to any stage of their life.

Malvest Group he asserts, prides itself in pursuing this goal via five pillars. Firstly, the group aims to provide and promote a rewarding and challenging work environment which fosters innovation, continuous improvement and opportunities while respecting and promoting individual and family values.

Secondly, it seeks quality investment opportunities that can provide superior financial returns in terms of generating long-term profitability.

Moving along strategically, its third pillar of belief hinges on its commitment that relies on building strong relationships with various strategic partners.

Fourthly, Malvest Group strives to consistently deliver product and service excellence for the benefit of its end users.

Last but certainly not least, it actively support the communities with which it does business by adding value to them.

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developer of the month

Success As The Impetus for Further Growth The elation of securing the title of Outstanding Developer – East Coast has not seen the group resting on its laurels. Rather, it serves as a further impetus for it to chart out higher achievements says Tan. “It is truly an honor, and we are very excited with the PIPDA 2018 award – having emerged as Outstanding Developer – East Coast.

We feel a sense of responsibility as well after winning this award so we are tasked with setting the right example with right practices as a developer,” he comments.

The commitment to excellence can be seen reflected in the launch of its latest development of the tallest building in Kelantan named Troika Kota Bharu that comes with a total Gross Development Value (GDV) of approximately RM169 million. This proposed 36 storeys of mixed development spanning 1.349 acres of land situated in the city centre of Kota Bharu, Kelantan will comprise 22 units of retail shops/offices and 338 units of serviced apartments and is scheduled to be completed by end 2020. The built-up sizes of the units range between 506 sq ft and 1,518 sq ft with prices starting from approximately from RM326,000 - RM1,167,500. Already, the leasehold project has recorded a take-up rate of 90%.

Equipped with more than 25 acres of land bank in Penang, the group is also being kept busy with a few joint venture projects with over 20 acres of land for development in Kelantan.

In Kelantan for instance, it owns the Kota Bharu Golden Triangle mixed development that comes complete with a hotel, office tower and boutique shopping complex. This represents the following phases after the First Phase of the Troika Kota Bharu development spanning 8.95 acres that comes with a GDV of RM850 million.

Adding another feather to its cap in Kelantan is Kubang Kerian, a mixed use development with hotel and serviced apartment

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components spread across 20 acres that comes with a total GDV of approximately RM800 million.

In Penang, its Marina Residences comprising a residential highrise condominium block front the seaside of mainland Penang commands a total GDV of RM40 million. Meanwhile, its Orchardia Phase 2 and 3 comprising residential high-rise as well as landed units at Balik Pulau in Penang comes with a GDV of approximately RM314 million.

“Most of the awards in the industry do not include the East Coast as a separate region when it comes to regional award. The East Coast is coming up fast these recent years and I am sure most of us who are doing our part to develop this region are very happy with this award.

“Malvest fits in nicely with this category and this is indeed a very meaningful recognition. The award helps our branding effort tremendously and will enable us to further spearhead the transformation of the local property environment. It gives the right level of confidence to our buyers that they are buying from the right developer,” he elaborates with a smile.

Predicting better days ahead post General Election (GE) for real estate with the new government helming the country’s operations, he opines that the property market is definitely set to pick up although he cautions it would take some time in order to see complete changes bringing about positive impact to the market.

“The confidence level is there as reflected in the sentiments of both the local and international community. With the abolition of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), we should be able to see more affordable properties as we believe it is both the Federal and also

the state’s hope to see more and more people living better lives as the entire society is progressing,” he adds.

“On our part, we are passionate and eager to bring about positive changes – an upgrade as it were – to the lives of the people.

This motivates us to be innovative in bringing more value to our products. Riding on our successful projects, we will continue to deliver more impactful projects with a range of products that will fulfill the needs of people from all walks of life and eventually, elevate the lifestyle of the local community,” he shares.

List of Developments Undertaken By Malvest Group 1. Bachok Affordable Housing 144 units of affordable housing at Kg. Beris Tengah, Mk. Pak Pura, Bachok.

2. Kuala Kerai Affordable Housing

80 units of affordable housing and seven units of single storey shop, at Mk Kenor, Daerah Batu Mengkebang, Kuala Kerai.

3. Kubang Kerian Commercial Centre

46 units of 3-storey shop offices, four units of 4-storey shop offices, and also a block of hypermarket at Jalan Raja Perempuan

Zainab 2 (opposite University Sains Malaysia), Kota Bharu, Kelantan.

4. Orchardia, Phase 1 (Balik Pulau) 9.5 acres of residential scheme consists of four units of 3-storey Semi-Detached and 95 units of 3-storey terrace houses at the town of Balik Pulau, Penang.

5. Tanjung Villas 32 units of Semi-Detached and 36 units of 4-storey Duplex Townhouses located at Tanjung Tokong, Penang.

6. Kimberley Square 34 units of shop office located at Jalan Sungai Ujong, Penang.

7. Peel Avenue Villa 3-storey Luxury Bungalows at junction of Peel Avenue and Jalan Dunn, Penang.

8. Menara MAA A block of 13-storey commercial building with 59 office units located at Jalan Argyll, Penang.

9. Pearl Garden 366 units of condominium located at Jalan Sg. Ara, Penang.

10. Seruan Emas 117 units of medium cost apartment and two units of shop lots located in the heart of Georgetown, Penang.

11. University Shoplots A 5-storey building with 88 units of shop lots at Jalan Sg. Dua, Penang.

12. University Heights 224 units of condominiums at Jalan Sg. Dua, Penang (opposite University Sains Malaysia).

13. Wisma Malvest A 6-storey commercial building with five office lots at Jalan Tun Dr. Awang, Penang. This is the Head Office of Malvest Group Of Companies.

14. Wisma MCIS An 8-storey office building with eight office lots and basement car park at Jalan Argyll, Penang.

15. Seri Nibung Shoplots A 5-storey shop cum office with 40 commercial lots located at Jalan Tun Dr. Awang, Penang.

16. Seri Nibung Apartment Two twin blocks of a 10-storey building with 295 units located at Jalan Tun Dr. Awang, Penang next to Bukit Jambul golf course.

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investor next door

BUYING HOMES WITH LOW BUDGET Investing in residential property or buying a home does not necessarily require a high amount of down payment or upfront fees.

BY: JEFF TAN

Investing in residential property or buying a home does not necessarily require a high amount of down payment or upfront fees.

With proper planning, affordable residential property can be bought with a low budget, says property investment coach Rohaniah Noor.

Rohaniah, who is also an Oriental Realty real estate negotiator and the author of property related books has been investing in affordable residential property since 2006.

“Once you spotted a property which suits your preference and budget, immediately set up and appointment with the property agent to have a tour at the property. Do not miss out on good opportunities you come across,” she says.

She stresses that a capital of between RM1,000 and RM5,000 is sufficient to initiate the purchase of a residential property, but the more important factor is to secure a housing loan.

It helps a lot to know the factors – ability and credit trustworthiness – that banks use as reference when processing housing loan applications, she asserts.

“A home buyer’s ability is assessed from a financial perspective, by comparing one’s monthly commitment to one’s income.”

Home buyers must also know how to differentiate between good debt and bad debt, she says. “Examples of bad debt are credit card and personal loan, which are incurred to purchase things that quickly lose their value and do not generate long-term income.

“In comparison, good debt is an investment that will grow in value or generate longterm income, such as housing loan,” she explains.

According to Rohaniah, an individual’s ability to take up a loan is computed by his or her debt service ratio (DSR) and scoring. The DSR is meant to indicate how much of a person’s income is used to service debt installments and is represented as a percentage.

Rohaniah states that one’s DSR should not exceed 65 per cent to stand a higher chance of securing a housing loan. “In most cases, banks set a maximum allowable DSR of 65 per cent when approving loan for applicants with monthly income of below RM3,000.”

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“For applicants earning between RM3,000 and RM4,000, banks may set their maximum allowable DSR at 70 per cent.

And, for those with monthly earning of more than RM10,000 are given a maximum allowable DSR 0f 80 per cent.”

Explaining further, she says that individuals with higher academic qualification such as a bachelor’s degree holder tends get higher scoring than SPM leavers. This is most probably due better career advancement opportunities which comes along with higher academic qualification, she quips.

buyers have access and know about her blog and e-books, she wrote and published her first book – “Beli Rumah Kababoom!” under the publishing brand of Kasi Terbit.

“Having received good feedback on my first book, I was encouraged to publish more books about properties and finance management,” she says.

“The age factor also affects your scoring.

For example, individuals aged 25 and below have lower score compared to those in their 30s. Furthermore, people should avoid taking unsecured loans as it will pull down their score when applying for housing loan,” she states.

“To date, the publishing houses has published 12 books including three on the property investment and finance management genre, as well as travelogues.

Rohaniah has been writing e-books and managing a blog with content related to property investment to share her knowlege.

However, realising that not all aspiring home

Kasi Terbit is a brand managed by Kaseh Akademi PLT, which was established in 2014 and co-owned by Rohaniah and sher business partner.

“We don’t only focus on the property and finance management genre as there is also a good demand for travelogues and medical genre. However, among bookstores, Malaylanguage books on property investment and finance management are less popular to them. Maybe the bookstores lack

1. Purchase discounted-priced residential property from developer This “strategy” is especially helpful to home buyers with a limited budget, she says. “It is important for home buyers to survey the market, collect information, make comparisons and pick the property which suits their own preferred location and budget.”

2. Purchase sub-sale property selling at below market value For this option, home buyers must search for sub-sale properties priced at least 10 per cent below market value, she advises. “Because of the slow-moving market, there are quite a number of sub-sale properties with below market value selling price,” she states.

3. Reserve government loans for third residential property Rohaniah urges home buyers to only utilise their government housing loan entitlement when buying their third residential property. “This is because the government loan is a 100 per cent full loan. So, for the first two homes you buy, take up housing loans from banks.”

confidence in this market segment.

“Other than bookstores, Kasi Terbit books are sold online through Facebook and Instagram, as well as book fairs,” she quips.

Beli Rumah Kababoom! shares the tips, techniques, technical knowledge and legal process which first-time home buyers must know. Her second book on property, Penyewa Hantu Tuan Rumah Buaya, reveal the problems faced by landlords and tenants, and provides the relevant solutions.

Kasi Terbit also published Kurangkan Cukai Secara Sah, which is written by accredited accountant and tax auditor Rezduan Bakar.

The book advices business owners on how to manage income tax matters. It also highlights the importance for them to make income tax submissions to avoid facing difficulties when applying for bank loans.

On another note, Rohaniah has “Seven Tips on Purchasing Residential Property with a Low Budget” for home buyers:

5. My First Home Scheme This scheme allows home buyers to obtain 100 per cent financing from financial institutions. It is open to all Malaysian citizens aged 35 years old or less with gross income not exceeding RM5,000 per month for single borrower and gross income of not more than RM10,000 per month for joint borrowers.

6. My First Home Financing Scheme (MyDeposit) Rohaniah says this scheme is still open to all Malaysians aged 21 and above. It offers applicants a 10 per cent financing or a maximum loan of RM30,000 for the purchase of first home costing up to RM500,000. Only those earning a monthly household income of between RM3,000 and RM15,000 are eligible for the scheme.

7. Avoid marrying a partner blacklisted by financial institutions Rohaniah says that those who are still single should keep this in mind, as having a blacklisted spouse could complicate matters and limit options when planning to purchase a residential property.

4. Withdrawal from EPF Account 2 She reminds home buyers that they can make a withdrawal from their Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) Account 2, if they are short in upfront fees.

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The Relevance of “I Ching” To The Post 100 Days of New Malaysia

BY ERIC LAU

The birth of a New Malaysia brimming with hope needs to be navigated wisely and circumspectly that can be guided by the principles of this ancient philosophy As the famous saying goes, “The only constant in Life is Change”. However, according to the classic Chinese text called I Ching (易经) - also known as “The Book of Changes” in the West, which sets the stage for preparing for the future not by divining it, but by accepting the role played by chance and seemingly random events – these two changes can help one deal with the uncertainties in life – much like the elation brought about by the recently concluded General Election (GE).

However, much still needs to be sorted out with the Post 100 Days of the formation of New Malaysia.

On the last day of March, my colleague Siti and I went to iAuthors Club - an association founded by Malaysia’s mapmaker king Ho Chin Soon that was recently set up to help local aspiring authors and veterans alike to get help on writing and publishing books. There, listening to a few speakers sharing their experiences, little did I expect that the session would change my life forever.

During the sharing sessions, I was particularly fascinated by the author J. Torz who shared about I Ching(Yijing)易经 and the UNITYH platform which I am now a very proud member of. Prior to that, I have never heard of I Ching but the concepts in the book are actually familiar to feng shui, qimendunjia, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Sun Tzu Art of War, 36 Stratagems and so on.

After the talk and few months after that, I went to do more research on I Ching and discovered that there are so much that I and many people have missed out on. This is because usually, the first impression I had and believe most people have is that I Ching is a religious or outdated ancient book that promotes superstitious beliefs like feng shui, divination, etc.

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However, after joining UNITYH, I found out that there are much more in this book that meets the eyes. As a Chinese ethnic, I never knew that the principles of I Ching are actually ingrained in our daily lives such as the use of chopsticks, TCM, Sun Tzu Art of War & 36 Stratagems etc. In fact, it is the Genesis of Chinese culture representing the world’s oldest continuous civilisation that outlived other civilisations in human history.

The I Ching can be considered as the oldest surviving text on how to deal with uncertainty.

Jung was one of the first Western scientists (psychologist to be exact) to recognise that if man is affected by nature and the unpredictable behaviour of other men or women, then “every process is partially or totally interfered with by chance, so much so that under natural circumstances, a course of events absolutely conforming to specific laws is almost an exception”.

Simply put, Chinese thinking starts from a different perspective than the Western’s reductionist and linear rationalisation that seeks a relationship between cause and effect.

There was an ancient sage called Fu Xi伏羲 who recorded his observations of nature and his discoveries using eight symbols which Chinese called Bagua八卦 (translated as trigrams). That was how I Ching started and since then, it has influenced many parts of Chinese culture including mathematics, astronomy, medicine, philosophy, martial arts, art and religion.

The 3 Fundamental Principles of Change Embodied in I Ching:There are three fundamental principles of change embodied in the I Ching.

The first is 变易 The Changing – “The only constant is Change”.

The first concept of The Changing was recognised by the Greek philosopher Heraclitus of Ephesus about 2,500 years ago.

He argued that change was the fundamental essence of the universe, encapsulated in his saying “No man ever steps in the

same river twice”. We can find that in the property market or any industry, it is very rare that the property price or any policy or any situation remains stagnant for very long time.

The second principle is简易 The Simplistic Change – “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication”.

The second principle of “Simplistic Change” is that behind any sophisticated situation or matter in life, there is always a simple way to make sense of it. Just like property market itself, we will find that there are many types of people in the market like agents, flippers, owner occupier, short stay renters and so on. But in fact, we can boiled them down to just two types of people - meaning the supply and demand side of people.

The third principle is 不易 The Unchanging – “There’s an immutable, eternal law at work in all changes”.

The third principle of “Unchanging” can be interpreted to be that behind every change that we encounter in life, there is always something that does not change. In real estate, we can ascertain that usually, history just repeats itself - just like a cycle. Anything that goes up must come down, unless we are not living on earth.

If we can use these three simply yet powerful principles of I Ching to see through things or people as they are, we would be better off in life and when dealing with the property market. This is opposed to us making unnecessary mistakes that can cost us years to get our life right on track again, not to mentioned how that costly mistake can also affect the lives of our loved ones.

That is why I find that I Ching is an idea worth sharing that most people don’t know of after I joined UNITYH. Most people think that the I Ching is a book of oracles or mystic mumbo jumbo, and the 64 Hexagrams of it are just too difficult to understand – even for the Chinese educated people, and least of all - those who doesn’t understand Chinese.

There are many courses and workshops out there that teach people how to use I Ching to do divination or do forecasting

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main feature

like 奇门遁甲Qimendunjia, numerology, feng shui etc. that can cost up to hundreds of thousands of dollars for those who are interested in the subject. However, that is just because most people are not aware that the source of them all is from I Ching and despite spending a lot of time and money, they still don’t know how to use those tools to help them to make better decisions in life.

The I Ching could be useful, at least to those who consult it, not for predictions but for analysis.

Firstly, every piece of information, however random or unrelated, may be relevant, because life or nature is interconnected in ways that are not always obvious to unwary eyes.

The example can be seen reflected during some nights or even days when we have dreams. Dreams - according to psychiatrist Robert Stickgold, are where we bring things together in “fresh, often startling ways, drawing on stores of knowledge from the past, the present and the possible, to find new associations”.

Secondly, I Ching prompts us to ask questions we do not normally ask. For example, have we considered factors that are outside our normal frame of analysis?

It is fashionable these days to talk about the “elephant in the room” and the “black swan” events. The I Ching concept questions everything - because there are no certainties.

A pertinent example is that before May 9, many projects

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emphasised a lot about the project being within the vicinity of the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT), East Caost Rail Link (ECRL), etc. but what has happened to the property market in the past few years and the uncertainties in the next five years that have caused many property investors who don’t have strong holding power sleepless nights and heartburns?

Thirdly, the I Ching encourages one to think about the system as an interacting whole, not in compartments that do not add up.

For instance, you cannot fix a system by removing a part of it like a surgery.

Likewise, in the property market, if you can’t find a tenant to rent your property, what are the factors that can influence the prospective tenants to choose your unit as compared to other in the same area? What can you do to make it more attractive to prospective tenants such as making it fully furnished?

Also, what kind of tenants are you looking for etc. instead of just letting an agent to do the thinking for you as we know that supply is more than demand given the current market conditions.

In 2018, The US-China Trade War, New Malaysia and many more changes will bring many more surprises and what may appear as random events. So, what can you do to prepare psychologically for radical surprises in life is what I think everyone should be doing instead of constantly worrying about the change of policy such as the Sales and Service Tax (SST), etc.

Here’s wishing that all the hopes for New Malaysia will be fulfilled in a timely manner and that readers have the wisdom to do the right thing at the right time.

Industry insight

Winning With “The Wild & The Restless” Malaysian talent extraordinaire Lim In Chong carves out a niche - winning global landscape design competitions and surpassing 40 world-renowned designers at the prestigious Singapore Garden Festival 2018

BY YVONNE YOONG

Lim In Chong or Inch as he is fondly known as the Founder of Inchscape – his own landscape design firm - has a way with plants in as much as writers have a natural affinity with words and how musicians bond with the symphonic strains of musical scores to make up an orchestra ensemble. So much of that he emerged victorious over 40 world-renowned landscape designers at the prestigious Singapore Golden Festival 2018 where handpicked contestants each had the luxury of spending S$100,000 (RM301,000) each in creating their own gardens of distinction.

Entitled “The Wild and The Restless”, Inch says his creation this year has a bearing on “native and naturalised plants that have either always existed in the Southeast Asian region hence, the reference to “wild” or for plants that have travelled vast distances to get here – so the term ‘Restless’.

The local landscape designer with the penchant of turning green into Gold award wins explains that “the escaped exotics have migrated from places like the tropical Americas, travelling along with humans to become ubiquitous wayside plants in Singapore and tropical Southeast Asia.

He waxes lyrical on the plants with a natural knowing that stems from a rooted belief that plants have feelings and can tell you how they feel from their expressions – whether they are in want of water or sunlight.

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Industry insight “Most of these plants can survive and propagate without human intervention.

These include grasses, sedges, flowering plants, marginals and other water plants that are planted in a naturalistic way,” he enthuses.

shares that the win over 40 accomplished world renowned designers came as a breath of fresh air and startlingly surprising to an extend – considering he pitted against himself to do better from the last garden competition.

Elaborating on his creation, he says his garden creation highlighted a hand built structure made entirely out of bamboo.

“Having won the previous “Best of Show” (category) at the Singapore Garden Festival, I approached the 2018 show with some trepidation as it is not unusual for the ‘Best of Show’ previously to do poorly the following season,” he says.

“This and the plant palette places the garden in the Southeast Asian context. The structure curves around, giving shade and intimacy. The tall bamboos also adds a sense of drama and also cast long shadows during different parts of the day, animating the garden,” he explains further of the relevance of the concept created for his designated garden.

The attention to detail hints at the mastermind’s Midas touch at work. Clearly a maximalist in unleashing his palette of creativity on the extravagant array of plants, shrubberies and grass as displayed in the lavish expression of the garden, Inch’s style is also somewhat minimalist in the way the bamboo’s curvilinear detailing makes for a striking statement against the garden’s full scale backdrop.

In true Inch style, three small pools that hold marginal and other water plants commanded presence “with their energy and mirth” exuding a refreshing sense of rebirth at the scene of the lavish garden display – filled of thought-provoking moments and snap-worthy selfies for the camera.

“The colour of the rusted steel upstand is designed to blend in with the blonde colour of the bamboo and form a strong rustic horizontal plain. This little garden is a nod to the bamboo culture and gives the feel of a naturalistic tropical garden using natural elements,” he says with a wink and a grin.

Approaching landscape design with the playfulness of a child coupled with the disarming and magnetic feel of a seasoned landscape designer confident of the fruits of his work creation – Inch nevertheless

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“I don’t know what it is. Do the designers get a bit complacent? Are the judges tougher on the previous winner? Also, there were many good gardeners participating who have won multiple awards in other (global garden) shows. However, my approach to these shows is to challenge myself. Can I do a better, more exciting and more challenging garden than the previous one?

“In other words, I was only competing against myself. I was of course, very pleasantly surprised to win the top prize again and to get the prize for horticulture excellence. I believe that is unprecedented,” he relates further.

Being the only Malaysian who has consistently been at the forefront of garden design in many countries around the world, having retained his title of “Best of Show” from the Singapore Garden Festival 2016 instalment of the competitive landscape gardens category, Inch remains amazingly grounded.

The accomplished landscape designer who speaks with a charming mixture of the Queen’s English tempered with a sense of humour also bagged “Gold” and the “Horticulture Excellence” awards from the competition.

The Singapore Garden Festival, a biennial event positioned to be amongst the top flower and garden shows on the international calendar is the first show that brings together award-winning landscape and garden designers, florists and horticulturists from around the

world to work alongside Singapore’s own talented horticulturists. The garden festival, considered one of the world’s most prestigious garden festivals, is aimed at raising awareness of the joys of gardening and to engage the public to “partner with the Singaporean government to sustain the concept of Garden City”.

The concept was implemented in 1967 from the then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew’s vision to promote his vision to transform the Lion City into a “Garden City”. This vision till today continues to camouflage the Lion City’s increasingly growing urban landscape with greenery and foliage.

Evident of the legacy of this vision can also be seen carried out on Singapore’s pride and joy in the national parks as seen in the Lion City having reclaimed 101 hectares of land from the sea to construct the vision of its iconic “Gardens by the Bay”. Since its opening in 2012, it has reportedly attracted over 45 million visitors which is also incidentally famous for its Singapore Garden Festival.

Hence, the victory is no mean feat for Inch.

Arguably one of Malaysia’s best known landscape designers with over 20 years of experience in this field, he is a walking encyclopedia on plants given his extensive tropical plant knowledge. This is backed by his ability to devise interestingly innovative themes and concepts stemming from an intuitive understanding of spatial relations and cultural art forms that have placed him in a league of his own.

“I have always emphasised on understanding the space relations while placing equal emphasis on being responsible to the environment and ecology,” attests the designer who has garnered accolades from Japan, the US, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Malaysia while his works have been published internationally.

Themed “The Wild and The Restless”, Inch’s creation comprises an 80 sqm garden that celebrates the beauty of wayside plants saw the highlight of his garden creation being mostly “native wild plants and escaped exotics” from the Americas.

“All plant materials involved are tropical and can survive and propagate without human intervention,” he says.

Commenting further on this year’s landscape competition, he adds that he is particularly grateful for the recognition given as this year’s theme entitled “Landscape and Fantasy” is something that is “very close to his heart”.

“The amount of creativity and knowledge put together to ensure the idea comes to life was tremendous, and to see the final design being appreciated by the people was amazing,” he concludes.

This year’s chapter event saw over 40 world-best landscape designers putting their best exhibits at the international landscape competition including Andy Sturgeon and Kate Gould from the UK as well as Jim Fogarty from Australia. Singaporeans Chang Huai-Yan; Ng Sze Oun and John Tan also competed this year besides Emily and Mark Cook from the US besides Gregory Cazeaux and Margeurite Ribstein from France.

Katsuhiko Koga and Kazuhiro Kagae from Japan and Leon Kluge from South Africa among others also participated in the competition including Gold Medal-winning Irishman Paul Martin. He is one of seven European garden designers to exhibit this year besides two French designers Gregory Cazeaux and Marguerite Ribstein as well as three landscape designers from the UK namely Andy Sturgeon, Kate Gould and Tom Massey.

To be invited to compete in the first place entails the requirement that one must have won a Gold Medal in the last two years at least at one of the world’s top three landscape design shows – that of Chelsea, Singapore and Philadelphia.

A panel of international judges will filter the list of international landscape designers down to eight. So, to be chosen is a feat in itself – positioning oneself among the world’s best. Each landscape designer has the benefit of working with their chosen contractor from a list of approximately 15 after discussions determine which contractor would work with which designer.

The necessary arrangements are then made for the gardens to be constructed according to the respective landscape designer’s requirements. Ten days is the mandate to create the gardens of distinction. Among the judges present this year was Fumiaki Takano, the Japanese landscape architect who worked with Dan Pearson on the Millennium Forest in the Land of The Rising Sun. Jim Gardiner of The Royal Horticulture Society was the Convener of judges at this year’s competition.

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THE 4 FOCUS AREAS FOR MAXIMISING LEADERSHIP IN THE PROPERTY SECTOR

is to delegate major assignments to them. Delegate in such a way that they have opportunities to expand and apply their capabilities to the task at hand.

Most property entrepreneurs have bold visions and strong goals.

The property industry - being highly competitive, is constantly evolving and embodied by high risk. To help you achieve your goals and to be a leader in the property industry, there are four key areas that one can focus on:1. Developing Other Leaders It is incumbent upon leaders to develop other leaders. This is the highest form of leverage. In developing other leaders, we need to understand and assess the different development stages that people may be in. Some people are already highly competent, fully committed and ready to move on to the next level.

In handling this special breed of people, the way to develop them

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Another group of people may be highly committed but lack competence. This group of people could be new employees, management trainees, newly promoted managers or those just transferred to take on a new functional role. Here, what you need to do is to provide this group of people with proper training.

Then, there could be a third group of people who have high competence but for some reason, cannot find the right level of motivation and have a low commitment to the job. With this group, maybe coaching could be the right intervention. And finally of course, you could face the unfortunate situation of some people who are of low competence with weak commitment to the job and this group people need to be shown the door. It sounds cruel but if you keep poor performers on board, you could be demotivating the rest of the company which is a greater sin. “If your only tool is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.�

Often, especially in big companies, each person will bring about their own way of thinking, belief system as well as their own respective attitudes into the company. So it’s important that people learn to adapt and embrace the culture of the company as their own. And very often, this takes time - especially if you have people coming in to fill in mid-career or in senior positions whereby they may have picked up a different culture from their previous organisation. This is something they need to unlearn and also embrace the culture of your company.

Many of us rely on one style of leadership. However, different people and varying situations call for alternative strategies. You need to adapt your style to each team member’s needs. But be careful your style does not remain static - even when dealing with the same person. As each individual’s needs and situation changes, so should your style. During one week, someone may need careful supervision on a new assignment while in the next week, he or she may be ready to work independently on another project with minimal oversight.

The more you can help your team grow and develop, the more you will be able to strengthen your team and then move on to bigger challenges. As you work closely with your direct reports, you also need to have a tool to cascade leadership growth and development throughout your organisation.

Development planning offers a simple, powerful way to help both you and your employees think ahead about the future.

A development plan explains how an employee will grow professionally by laying out a plan for him or her to follow.

Typically, a development plan will encompass three parts – with part one being setting long-term career goals as well as establishing interim goals and setting a plan to achieve these objectives. The plan could include things like assignments that will help employees grow and get results, people mentoring as well as fostering new relationships, obtaining regular feedback and advice, attending training programmes and conferences, etc.

Hence, the best use of your time is to schedule regular coaching conversations with your key people to help them grow.

2. Leaders Are The Protector and Guardian of Your Company Culture Another key role of a leader is to protect the culture of the company. That means making sure that the core values or the culture of the company is never diluted, never wavered, always protected and always true. Even when new senior people come into the organisation, they have to be inculcated into the company.

3. Be A Team Builder Building a team is central to what the leadership role is all about.

The relationship between leadership and building a team are inseparable. In addition to developing other leaders, one of the leader’s main roles is to build a strong, cohesive and highperforming team. Sometimes, leaders over-focus on strategy and business development so they lose a little bit of sight on this crucial point.

4. Decision-maker and Direction-giver A leader has to practice the philosophy of “The buck stops here”.

As the leader, you need to make decisions - even unpopular and tough ones. Of course, you do this after due consideration with your leadership team and other advisors. However, at the end of the day, you have to make the call and decide. Resist the temptation of needing to be correct every time.

We are all human and imperfect – and even leaders sometimes get things wrong. Some decisions will not be the best ones and may result in negative consequences. Therefore, leaders sometimes need to make the right corrections.

Leaders also need to give clear direction, guiding the organisation through strategic development and implementation. As a thought leader, a leader needs to always be focused on the future.

Focus on these four areas and in no time, you will be able to bring your company and your team to new heights.

Peter Lam

is a a highly sought after Business & Executive Coach, Master Trainer, keynote speaker and author.

Email him at peter@peterlamcoach.com

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INVESTING IN RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES IN MALAYSIA Property buyers can up their ante in real estate by operating based on certain guidelines such as having a property investment philosophy and taking ownership for one’s investment decision and consulting professional advice where appropriate

In today’s society, most people get overwhelmed by so much to do and yet face the conundrum of having so little time, which is why it is not a surprise that some things are not done on time and some promises are “broken”.

Sometimes, one can become a victim of one’s own success when entrusted with more assignments due to their reliability and a strong sense of responsibility.

For that matter, perseverance and tolerance are virtues that individuals should embrace and support one another with in order to achieve their collective goals. Nevertheless, one should not lose focus and ought to plan his or her time well to meet set goals. A promise is a promise that must be kept!

This notion of focus and planning ahead of time is also applicable when it comes to investing in properties – as much as it is relevant to any other endeavours.

Thus, using a workbook dedicated to addressing real estate issues as a tool will enable one to put together practical and concise materials that will empower residential property buyers to have brevity and clarity as they work on their plans to establish or enhance their respective residential property investment portfolios.

Understanding the need for this, I wrote my first book entitled “Investing in Residential Properties in Malaysia: A Guided Workbook for Residential Property Consumers in Malaysia” as a practical guide in order to help people to navigate their way through investing in the maze of residential real estate considerations.

The contents of the guidebook which excludes legal and financial details however advises property consumers to consult solicitors and bankers on these various areas respectively.

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Needing A Roof Over One’s Head Investing in residential properties in Malaysia comes with the consideration that one needs a roof above one’s head first before venturing into other types of properties.

And, since “A journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step” – investing in a residential property first makes pertinent sense while opting to invest in other types of properties can be considered later on.

The reader can mark his or her preferences on the workbook and then use it to review and plan their residential property investment portfolio as well as to develop a conducive framework for entry, sustenance and exit strategies.

However, as each individual’s situation is unique, one is advised to take ownership and be responsible for one’s own investment decisions. Thus, one should consult professional advice where appropriate.

First Things First

Beginners or young property buyers as well as existing buyers will do well to navigate their way in their property investment journey by using the workbook as a guided journal or reference by working on the checklist format with key highlights that are succinctly explained for easy comprehension.

The fundamental principle to establish firsthand is that a property investment philosophy is needed as the foundation for making sound and stable investment decisions.

After all, this guiding principle will help one to determine the purpose and objective of investing in residential properties in Malaysia.

The workbook includes key advantages and disadvantages of buying both primary and secondary properties as well as the five “Ws” and one “H” of investing in residential properties.

In summary, one needs an overview of the macro perspective of property investment with examples of different types of pertinent economic and property information that consumers could gather as part of their own research strategy when planning to buy their properties. The main content focuses on the micro aspect with specific reference to key considerations for buying residential properties in Malaysia.

Jennifer Chow

Jennifer Chow is the Marketer, Publisher & Author of “Investing in Residential Properties in Malaysia.

Email her at justjenconnections@hotmail.com

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international insight

Being a conspicuous international Green Ambassador tends to make one passionate about the vital need to be more proactive in protecting the natural environment in order to save the world from the growing perils and threat that climate change presents.

In recent years, operating in the capacity of TV Host has seen me travelling extensively all around the world filming a TV travelogue for BBC Earth about the “World’s Most Sustainable and Eco Buildings & Headquarters”.

GREEN ECO-BUILDING TRENDS AROUND THE WORLD costs, we owe it to the future generation to deal with the mess and abuse of land that our predecessors have created. Waste in all its forms is the enemy of the future.

That is why I am committed to re-using and recycling as vital components to a viable green future.

This has opened new doors to meet, review and debate with many international green experts and pundits concerning the challenges the world faces and the actions available to us – actions which must be undertaken.

As an international Green Architect and Interior Designer, I believe that there are numerous passive ways in which inspired, thoughtful planning and design can ameliorate and reduce the harm and damage humans are doing to the environment.

Mixed-use developments bringing work locations, leisure places and homes together to dramatically curtail commuting can – I believe – tackle the many problems that people create by moving themselves around.

Here in Malaysia, where heat is a problem, building orientation, shading and

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Tapping Into Renewable Energy:design can serve to minimise heat gain and so reduce energy being expanded while cooling the interiors of buildings.

Plants scavenge carbon dioxide – one of the major causes of global warming – from the atmosphere and transform this into life-giving oxygen. That is why deforestation is such a major concern.

And, this it is one reason why reclaiming and re-using derelict industrial sites is far more preferable to building on virgin green land. Even if cleaning up old sites adds to

As an international Green Architect and Ambassodor, I would like to emphasise that renewable energy is clean, less polluting and more socially responsible for the environment. This will create a viable future for humankind.

Globally, the generation of electricity and the energy required for travel predominantly uses fuels which emits carbon dioxide. And releasing CO2 into the atmosphere is causing temperatures to rise and vast amounts of the world will eventually drown!

hydroelectric schemes flood vast areas and change the water flow downstream, disrupting life – and the problem can spill over into other countries.

The brutal fact is we must all do what we can to advance the move to clean renewable energy if Mother Earth is to have a long-term future for humans to enjoy.

Personally, I am very keen and eager to see geo-thermal energy used more extensively. There is a limitless amount of very hot rock beneath the earth’s crust.

But availing ourselves of this clean energy is not easy.

We are increasingly utilising the vast amount of solar energy that reaches the earth. Solar heating of water can be installed domestically and photovoltaic (PV) cells are becoming increasingly more affordable and better while being suitable for use for both small and large scale projects.

Wind is a source of energy that is being harvested more and more. Both large scale wind farms and local wind turbines are well-established and are becoming more common. But the availability and supply of wind may not be totally dependable.

Hydroelectric power has a long track record as a clean non-polluting source of energy. However, there are issues when major dams are constructed for “impounded” hydro power.

The following after effects are significant:The dams that store water to drive

In my hectic travels as an international Green Archtect I was dazzled and very impressesd by The Pearl River Tower in Guangzhou, China, which redefines just how green a super-tall skyscraper can be. It is the largest radiant-cooled office building in the world and the most energy efficient super-tall building in the world, with 58% energy usage reduction compared to similar office blocks.

To maximise the efficiency of the electricity generation, the building’s walls are curved and shaped to direct wind flow to the integrated turbines – so the aesthetics and visual appeal of the building are actually enhanced by a major green passive design feature.

Another benchmark building I would like to highlight is The Shard in London, UK. This skyscraper, which is the tallest building in Western Europe, has a very dramatic and distinctive shape. And yet, the building was constructed using a massive proportion of reclaimed material – 95% I was told – and even 20% of the steelwork was from recycled sources.

The glass façade is made of 11,000 glass panels covering 56,000 sqm but has painstaking attention to detail, which has a very low environmental impact for such an Iconic Ediface.

Frank Scott Hew

is an international Green Architect and Interior Designer, international Green Ambassador, Green Entrepreneur, TV Host and singer

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finance

What Do Your Financial Ratios Say About Your Financial Well-being?

Sometimes, people tend to ask what they should do with the surplus cash they have in hand – and whether they should they take on more loan to leverage on “other people’s money” in order to get another property. To begin with, it is good when there is surplus cash and leveraging on this can be beneficial when executed properly and when there are good fundamental to back it.

In financial management, there are a parametres that can used to gauge if one is “financially healthy”. Listed below are a few basic financial ratios that is relevant to both aspiring and seasoned property investors:•

Liquidity Ratio: This measures one’s ability to cover unforeseen expenses such as an emergency, car repair, loss of job, etc.

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Debt to Asset Ratio: If there is any solvency issue, you will have assets to cover your debt obligations. If your debt value is too high as compared to the asset value - even when you sell all of your assets - this may still lead to bankruptcy.

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Liquid Asset To Net Worth Ratio: How much of the assets that you have are considered to be “moveable” or Liquid Assets?

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Savings Ratio: You should be able to save at least 10% of your income each month towards your retirement fund as this stage of life is considered something one cannot avoid. Therefore, if you have other goals or plans during retirement, you need to set aside more income.

KEVIN K.M. NEOH

is a licenced Financial Planner with the Securities Commission and Bank Negara Malaysia. Email him at KevinNeoh@vka.com.my

If a person has a very low liquidity ratio, then the first thing he or she needs to do is to save up the rainy days’ fund (to be measured by the liquidity ratio). Therefore, this person should not think about paying down debt (except to service scheduled repayment), and investing is the last thing this person should think about.

If you have a good liquidity ratio and healthy savings but still have a high debt to asset ratio, then you are advised to pare down some of your debts. This is akin to a person with high cholesterol so one should work towards bringing the level down a bit. In other instances, we may see someone who has a very huge positive net worth but most of it comes from immoveable assets such as real properties.

In this case, this person should consider increasing the proportion of moveable assets by investing in other paper assets such as stocks, fixed incomes and so on to diversify and also provide some liquidity to the balance sheet.

Savings ratio is quite easy to measure but if you cannot save any of the money you bring home, then obviously, you have a lifestyle

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or income problem.

A Ringgit saved is better than a Ringgit earned. If it is not saved, it most probably will belong to someone else. If you are not good at saving, then you might want to be extra careful before you take on another mortgage as your cashflow may not be stable. There is no universal guideline or “to-do list” to overcome this issue.

In fact, the savings habit it is dependent on the preferences and value or attitude towards money a person has. There are people who believe that it is bad to have debts and they will do whatever it takes to clear them off. Then, there are people who like “other people’s money” and do everything they can to creatively get more loans.

As a Financial Planner, what I advise is that no matter what we decide upon, we must look at the big picture, and this big

picture is the person’s own life. It is important that our decision is correlated and supports our aspirations. If a decision will not delay or break our dream but will get us nearer to our goal, then it is the right thing to do.

In financial planning terminology, we define financial planning as a systematic process to organise our finances in order to help us achieve our life goals. Since we believe that savings are meant for rainy days - any amount on top of the threshold a person feels comfortable with as a rainy-day fund should see these monies be put to work via investment.

Those who would like to have an assessment on their financial ratios may speak with us to get a complimentary report on their personal financial ratios.

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finance

WHAT MANY DO NOT KNOW ABOUT ISLAMIC HOME FINANCING, MUSLIMS INCLUDED

Islam makes it obligatory for Muslims to settle their debts. From the Islamic point of view, paying off debts to any credit provider - be it a friend or a bank - not only secures good relations in this world but also salvation in the hereafter. Hence, it is a common practice among Muslims that whenever their next of kin passes away, they would announce for anyone at the funeral to meet the family in the event the deceased had owed money.

Indebtedness is such a serious matter in Islam that one can fathom why the Islamic law prohibits usury. Islam puts in place a mechanism to ensure that paying off debts is facilitated as much as possible. One way is to disallow by law the charging of interests on loans, and compound interests on defaulted loans. The other is to enjoin giving respite to defaulters and recognise it as a virtuous act.

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Since no interest is chargeable under Islamic financing, how then does the Islamic banking make sustainable profits from financing people to buy a property? A statement in a Quranic verse which reads, “God has permitted trade and forbidden usury� gives a clue.

There are many ways and approaches used in the current Islamic home financing product offerings. Some give out financing based on a sell and buy transaction scheme with deferred payment.

Others form a business partnership to buy the house and hand it over to the homebuyer gradually. Whichever way is being adopted, there is no element of lending involved as the banks do not lend money and homebuyers do not borrow.

One such principle in Islamic financing is called Tawarruq (monetisation). Under the Tawarruq arrangement, the bank will sell commodities under Murabahah (cost-plus sale) at the price of the financing amount, plus agreed profit on deferred payment basis. Subsequently, the customer (via the bank as his or her selling agent) will sell the commodities purchased from the bank to the market, and the proceeds will be used to pay the housing developer.

It is really up to you to opt for a finance loan that suits your preference when buying a house. But, if you have the tendency to restructure or reschedule your home financing scheme or loan, it may indicate that you are not ready to buy a house.

Before embarking on any house purchase, you should ensure the following:-

Now, what are the benefits of Islamic home financing?. Apart from the religious rewards, Islamic financing in Malaysia have some unique advantages to both Muslims and non-Muslims alike.

These can be seen in the examples listed below:-

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In case you decide to refinance your property from conventional to Islamic financing, there will be a 100% stamp duty waiver on the existing refinanced loan balance.

If you opt for a floating profit rate (the profit rate charged by the bank can be a fixed rate or based on a floating rate), you can be rest assured that you won’t be exposed to volatile rate fluctuations as the profit rates are capped and this information is transparent to you at the very onset.

Conventional floating interest rates have no such cap.

There is no concept of compounding interest in Islamic financing which means that late settlement charges of your financing will be lower as compared to conventional loans.

Now, the structural difference between Islamic and conventional financing may bear a weight on one’s preference between the two. For example, in restructuring an Islamic sales-based financing scheme, the original sales agreement must firstly be terminated and this poses additional costs in terms of new legal fees and stamp duty for the new legal documents. For conventional loans however, contracting parties simply need to conclude a supplementary agreement to reschedule or restructure the loan.

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You can afford the down payment and the instalments over the long haul.

The house that you are buying is in a good neighbourhood without many, or better still, any factors that could bring down its value.

You can afford any maintenance or repair costs that come along with the purchase of the house.

In the final analysis, buying a house is a big decision. Whether you take an Islamic financing or a conventional home loan, make sure that you are ready to be “tied down” to a house you would never regret buying and that you can afford - not just in terms of the down payment and instalments for the house, but its upkeep as well. Otherwise, in the interest of prudent financial management, you would be better off just be renting.

Nor Fazleen Zakaria

is the General Manager (Operations Division) of Agensi Kaunseling & Pengurusan Kredit (AKPK)

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strategy

Flipping For Profit In Real Estate Property speculation (also known as flipping) is a profit strategy in which an investor purchases real estate at below market value or a discount price and sell it off. The other method for house flipping is to purchase a rundown property at a good price, renovates it and sell it off.

This can be a lucrative profit strategy by leveraging on the appreciation of property value and/or from renovations made, especially if the housing market is doing well when you sell.

Having said that, investors should be mindful of the cons of this type of investment – purchasing a property that requires too much renovation, defeating the purpose of flipping and when the property market value is flat.

Even though Malaysia’s property market is currently slow, it was reported in August that the Malaysian Institute of Estate Agents (MIEA) expects the local property market to gradually improve in the years ahead through to 2020.

Hence, the slow market presents an opportunity for investors to purchase real estate at a lower than market value and sell it off when the market recovers.

Nevertheless, there are some pitfalls investors should avoid when they are house flipping:

Not Enough Money The budget for house flipping is not limited to the property acquisition cost, but also includes the cost of carrying a shortterm loan (if necessary), renovation, as well as property holding costs, such as taxes and utilities.

If you plan to refurbish the house and sell it for a profit, the sale price must exceed the combined acquisition cost, property holding cost and the cost of renovations.

Not Enough Skills Most investors don’t have the renovation skills of professional builders and skilled professionals, such as carpenters and plumbers. DIYing can help to save a lot of cost but knowing your skill limits and requesting help from professionals can make the refurbishing process smoother. The only drawback is you need to chip in more cost.

Rundown Property In Bad Condition Conditions such as moss, foundation issue or water piping damage may look like small problems that are easy to fix.

However, they could also be a disaster that will increase your refurbishment cost. Before purchasing a rundown property, carry out thorough inspect and try to search for a property that don’t require severe repair. This is to ensure your total cost will not exceed your budget.

Pricing the Property Wrongly Regardless of your investment purpose, pricing is vital in the property market. By overpricing the residential property, you risk driving away interested buyers, resulting in the property to sit on the market for too long.

In contrast, pricing the home too low may raise unwelcomed questions about the home’s true value. So, here are some tips to get the right pricing to consider: Firstly, compare your residential property to other similar homes that have sold in your surrounding area. Secondly, check the listing history. And, last but not least, gather insights about the supply and demand in the township or neighbourhood.

Lack of Information On The Market Before starting any type if property investment, one crucial preparation is to conduct a market research. First, identify which city or township has the best prospect for flipping. Furthermore, you will also make a better decision by tracking the latest trend in the property market

DATO’ KK CHUA

Publisher/Editor-In-Chief of Property Insight Email him at kkchua@propertyinsight.com.my

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Intersection of 4 highways: SKVE, SILK, North-South Hwy & Sg Besi Hwy Ready student population of more than 20,000 within 2-3km radius Total population of 70,000 within 10 minutes An MRT station (Uniten Station) to be built on Line 2 nearby Major hotels, 14 universities/colleges and 5 hospitals within 20 minutes Lifestyle mall at De Centrum Located in De Centrum city (100 acres of freehold development)

Your neo-urban lifestyle comes with a truly self-contained neighbourhood, where if you so choose to, you won’t need to drive out for almost anything.

Daily shopping couldn’t get more convenient at the De Centrum Mall & Retail Shops. With lifestyle stores spread over more than 160,000 sq. ft. catering to your needs, you couldn’t be more spoilt for choice, with all literally beneath your feet.

strategy

I AM JUST A SIMPLE EMPLOYEE. IS IT WRONG FOR ME TO BE DIFFERENT? Being different can have its advantages in the highly competitive property market game plan where herd mentality often rules

I have a confession to make. I have always been a little bit weird and different. It took me a long time to come to terms with that but I believe that we should all celebrate what makes us special.

Being different has hopefully made me a better father, person and property investor.

I knelt down next to him and asked him what was wrong.

To those of you who are unfamiliar with me, I have a pair of adorable five-year-old twins – Colin (# 1) and Dylan (# 2).

1. Our “baby” Dylan is the charmer with the cute smile which I suspect will melt many girls’ hearts in the future. He lights up every room he walks into and is a very likeable and popular kid. At such a tender age, he is already such a great judge of character and can read people’s feelings rather well. Dylan is indeed very much like his mummy.

2. My eldest son Colin is a little more introverted at times. He has a sharp mind and finds greater comfort in reading books as well as playing the piano. He warms up to people very slowly but when he gives you his love, he gives it to you fiercely and unconditionally.

3. I came home relatively early a few days ago as I was eager to spend time with my family. You see, both Colin and Dylan were away from school for about a week because they were down with the hand-foot-and-mouth disease. Thank God they both recovered from this smoothly. That day was the first day that both my boys went back to school and I was eager to ask them about their day.

I ran up the bedroom and hugged the kids. However, I saw Colin sitting in a corner by himself looking rather sad and melancholic.

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DADDY – I KNOW I AM DIFFERENT. BUT WHY DON’T PEOPLE LIKE ME? Colin replied with tears in his eyes:- “Daddy, when we went back to school today, all 20 of my classmates surrounded Dylan and gave him a hug. They missed him so much. But, only two or three of them hugged me. Is there something wrong with me?

Why don’t people like me?”

A big lump formed in my throat and I felt my heart drop when I heard those words from Colin. I didn’t want to give him a patronising answer like “Don’t worry about it. Everything will be alright. Everybody likes you!” As a father, I wanted to comfort my son. But I also wanted to give him an answer that enables him to face the world as a “Man”.

By reflex, the first thing I did was to hug Colin ever so tightly, and I found myself whispering into his ear:- “It’s okay, Colin. I know how you feel. You are just like Daddy. We are just a little bit different from most people!”

I regained my composure and continued, “Colin, you must learn to be comfortable in your own skin. If you like reading and don’t really like playing with other children, then it is only natural that you will find it harder to make friends. That is fine provided that is

the 2009 to 2012 property boom, I concentrated on old sub-sale houses located in the Damansara area in Selangor. Essentially, I have always believed that “boring” areas where the mass affluent market resides will tend to outperform over time.* I also tend to be very cautious when looking at infrastructure or Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) hotspots. Be very careful of the pricing premium attached to such condominium projects. Think twice before spending say, RM700,000 for a 700 sq ft condominium situated next to an MRT Station. Logically, the rental you would expect for such a condominium unit would be at least RM3,000 per month (Assuming you take on a 90% margin of finance loan).

Frankly speaking, a tenant that could afford to pay a RM3,300 rental per month can easily buy an entry level BMW or Mercedes!

4. Lastly, I strongly believe in doing well in your career and investment ventures. Earn more in order to invest more. So, what is the biggest open secret out there? I promise you that the greatest investors out there can earn lots of money through their progressive careers or businesses.

However, some people don’t agree with my investment philosophy. They mock me and think that my good career happened by “chance”.

WHAT’S THE MORAL OF THE STORY? a decision you are comfortable with. It takes nothing to join the crowd - but it takes everything to stand alone.”

“You may not be as sociable or friendly like Dylan but you have a good heart. In time, I am sure you can learn how to make more friends. But please remember - you don’t need a certain number of friends --- just a number of friends you can be certain off. I would rather have one amazing best friend than 100 regular friends. Quality over quantity always!”

Colin sat up straighter and I could see a faint smile returning back to his lips. We hugged and played our usual board games, and I tucked him and his brother to bed.

My dearest first-born Colin. The world can be harsh, and it doesn’t owe you a living. I have learned that the hard way, and I am still learning that.

Do your best to be a principled and honourable man - despite the many societal pressures to conform. Don’t count the number of friends you have but rather - the number of friends you can count on.

Sometimes, what makes you different makes you special and beautiful. When the world laughs at you for being different, laugh at them back because they are all the same. Mum, Dad and Dylan love you to bits.

IT’S OKAY TO BE WEIRD AND DIFFERENT 1. I have always been different from most people. I am not going to lie. At work, even after a 16-year banking career – many people who don’t know me well would naturally assume that I am a “weirdo, loner or ‘lansi’ character”. Don’t get me wrong; I pride myself as a people manager and I love building high performing teams. However, I also value my time spent in solitude for much needed reflection.

2. As an investor, I tend to be different by staying away from “trends, hotspots and flavours” of the month. For instance, when most people were buying under construction properties during

MARK CHUA

is the bestselling author of the book “WHO SAYS”. He is a Senior Vice President of a foreign bank and avid lover of properties. Email him at hello.markchua@gmail.com or www.facebook.com/MarkChuaMY

SEPTEMBER 2018

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