Johor to impose development charge on Sept 1
The Johor government will impose a development charge to every change of land use that was developed, effective Sept 1. The development charge aimed to increase the income of the local authorities (PBT) which could subsequently be used to upgrade public infrastructures. The charge will be applied for the land use change, density change and change of floor area. A similar charge had been imposed in other states including Selangor in 2010, Perak (2012), Kelantan and Kedah (2015). (Astro Awani)

Tanco to sell Duta Vista Executive Suites for RM50mil
Shareholders of property developer Tanco Holdings Bhd have given the green light to the company to sell its Duta Vista Executive Suites along Jalan Tuanku Abdul Halim in Kuala Lumpur for RM50mil to Eternal Village Sdn Bhd. The sale of the 1.14ha property near Istana Negara will also improve Tanco’s gearing level and operating cash flow. Currently, Tanco’s main project, Dickson Bay in Port Dickson, has seen a take-up rate of about 70% for Splash Park, the first phase. The company is also in the initial planning stages to develop a resort in Kuantan. (The Star Online)

16ha land in Putrajaya allocated for King Salman Centre
A permanent structure for the King Salman Centre for International Peace (KSCIP) will be built on a 16ha piece of land in Putrajaya, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak. He said the matter was decided after a discussion with assistants to Saudi Arabia’s King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed at his official residence in Putrajaya. The construction of KSCIP in Putrajaya reflects the importance of the institution, and the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia himself will come to launch the centre. The KSCIP currently operates from Kuala Lumpur, and the Government has been given two years to build the new centre, which is a brainchild of King Salman aimed at deflecting the influence of extremism and terrorist activities, as well as promoting universal peace. (The Star Online)

Najib (left) and King Salman during his visit to the Saudi kingdom in May this year. – Bernama

Titijaya Land sees signs of recovery with stronger booking orders
Property developer Titijaya Land Bhd is seeing signs of recovery in the property market with stronger booking orders. Its deputy group managing director Lim Poh Yit said 2018 is the right time to launch new projects in the market, after deferring its planned launches this year. He added that there are also recent signs of better housing loan approval rate in the country. The company is optimistic of reaching its sale target of RM300 million for FY17. For FY18, Lim said the company will be focusing on its four upcoming projects, with three to be launched in Klang Valley and one in Kota Kinabalu. (The Edge Markets)

Photo from VOA News

Putrajaya planning accessible facilities guidelines for elderly
The Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Ministry is reportedly drafting Physical Planning Guidelines for the Elderly, which aims to provide user-friendly and accessible living facilities for the elderly. The guidelines will be presented to the National Council for Local Government this year, amid the country’s increasingly ageing population. The guidelines reportedly will focus on site planning, building design, and provision of facilities in three types of settlements for the elderly — new housing construction and retrofitting of existing homes, senior care centres and retirement villages. New developments will be required to follow the guidelines, while existing settlements will be under supervision of state and local authorities. (Malay Mail Online)

BNM: Central body needed to lead affordable housing
Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) has called for a central authority to lead, oversee and coordinate affordable housing initiatives for the country, to promote greater strategic and operational cohesion at the national level. A central authority can help regulate processes that increase the cost of supplying affordable homes by reviewing and streamlining it. It can also spearhead more effective communications and build stronger collaboration with key partners to advance the affordable housing agenda. A good working policy on affordable housing should encompass targeted public resources, participation by the private sector as well as a transparent and nimble regulatory environment. (Daily Express)

PKB: Waive estate management fee for Kampung Baru land
The Kampong Bharu Development Corporation (PKB) is in the process of requesting the government to grant an exemption of the estate management fee for landowners in Kampung Baru. Its chairman Datuk Affendi Zahari said the fee for the land administrator’s order at 0.2 per cent of the value of their estate was seen as burdening the owners, especially in cases involving several nominees to update the status of the estate. Many do not want to update the status of their estate because of the problem, he said, and the Land Office has been requested to give special exemption to the residents of Kampung Baru. (Malay Mail Online)

20 families seek to build houses on plantation land
Twenty families, who received 0.8ha land each after they were retrenched from a Perak plantation 20 years ago, have demanded that they be allowed to build houses there, Makkal Osai reported. they were given the land in 1997 after a prolonged battle with the plantation owners and the intervention of then-state mentri besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Tajol Rosli. However, they were told by a subsidiary of Perak Corp Bhd that the land could only be used as agricultural land and not for residential. The families submitted a memorandum to the Mentri Besar’s office, appealing for the land status to be converted. (The Star Online)