Iskandar property outlook seen as positive
IJM Land Bhd sees Iskandar Malaysia as the next growth centre in the country after the Klang Valley with good growth prospects in the long term. The development and progress taking place in the country’s first economic growth corridor was a testimony to what’s right about the growth corridor. The influx of domestic and foreign investors and new residents in south Johor would create new job opportunities as well as demand for residential and commercial properties. Malaysian developers in Iskandar Malaysia did not have to feel intimidated or threatened with the big boys from China as Chinese developers catered to the needs of buyers from the republic. The High Speed Rail (HSR) project would also improve connectivity and accessibility at the Causeway, hence boosting Johor’s economy. (The Star Online)
Penang TMP partner gets six-month extension
The Penang government has given a six-month extension to SRS Consortium, the project delivery partner for the Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP), to obtain the necessary approvals from various authorities for the project. The Bayan Lepas LRT project along with the pan island highway link and the reclamation of two islands off southern Penang is the first phase of the PTMP implementation. No contracts related to the whole PTMP project have been signed as it is still pending the relevant approvals. (Malay Mail Online)
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and DCA director-general Datuk Seri Azharuddin Abdul Rahman looking at a model of the KL ATCC. – BERNAMA pic
New air traffic control centre to be landmark of country’s civil aviation industry
The new Kuala Lumpur Air Traffic Control Centre (KL ATCC) at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) would be a new landmark in the country’s civil aviation industry, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak. The RM650 million complex will house the air traffic control operations for the Kuala Lumpur Flight Information Region (KL FIR), becoming the backbone of the country’s air traffic control, as well as the central coordination centre for the Department of Civil Aviation’s (DCA) Search and Rescue (SAR) system. (Astro Awani)
New landmark project in Kangar to create 2,000 jobs
The RM368 million Kangar City Centre (KCC) project, which is scheduled to begin construction in the next three to five months, will become a new landmark for the state capital, said Perlis Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Azlan Man. The mega project would be developed on a 1.6ha site near the Putra Regency Hotel, and comprises serviced apartments, shoplots, a five-star hotel, a shopping complex, exhibition and conference halls, and a parking area. The mixed-commercial development project will be developed in two phases, and is expected to create up to 2,000 jobs. (Bernama)
Ministry to extend rental period of Pinggiran Bukit Jalil RT1M homes
The Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Ministry is willing to extend the rental period for the first batch of tenants of Rumah Transit 1Malaysia (RT1M) Pinggiran Bukit Jalil here till the end of the year. The two-year rental period for the current batch of 162 tenants was due to expire on March 31. The RT1M is a low-rental initiative for newly-wedded couples earning a monthly household income of RM3,000 and below. (Malay Mail Online)
Malaysians turn to public transport to avoid paying S’pore fee
Many Malaysians who commute daily to Singapore are opting for public transport to avoid paying the island republic’s reciprocal road charge (RRC). They said the S$6.40 (RM20) per-entry charge, which went into effect yesterday and applies to all foreign-registered vehicles, was too much of a burden for them. The RRC mirrors Malaysia’s road charge of RM20 per entry for non-Malaysian registered cars entering Johor, which was implemented on Nov 1 last year. (The Star Online)
Infrastructure companies urged to venture into South Asian market
Malaysian infrastructure development companies should be open-minded and courageous to explore opportunities in the South Asian market. Malaysia’s special envoy to India and South Asia on Infrastructure Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu said most countries in the region still needed external expertise for their infrastructure development. He advised companies to seize opportunities now when the demand is still there, and to look for financing either through bank loans or joint ventures instead of expecting it from governments. The projects undertaken by Malaysian companies in other countries include a US$2 billion (RM8.88 billion) power plant project in Bangladesh by TNB and 10,000 low-cost housing units worth RM300 million in Sri Lanka. (The Star Online)
