Putrajaya wants new homes to be equipped with internet facility
The Communications and Multimedia Ministry plans to formulate a bill to make it compulsory for all new housing projects to be installed with internet facility. Minister Gobind Singh Deo said through the proposed bill, the internet facility would be categorised as a utility, just like electricity and water supply at home. “If it becomes a ‘basic human right’, it can be categorised as a utility… there’ll be a need for all houses to be connected with fibre optic internet,” he said. He also said the government would proceed with the move to abolish the Anti-Fake News Act, and also improve existing laws under the ministry in tandem with the development and growth in the media industry. (Free Malaysia Today)
Land transfer in Pahang made easy, shorter wait
The Pahang state government has introduced three new measures to expedite all matters involving the approval, transfer, mortgage and lease of land titles in a bid to reduce the waiting period for applicants. Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail said starting Aug 1, the state government have decided to delegate the power to the land administrator at the respective district and land offices. The move is expected to solve between 80% and 90% of land transfer applications which were still pending throughout the state. Applicants have to prepare the complete documents so that the process could be completed within 48 hours or 10 days, depending on the type of cases. (NST Online)
Ewein steps back into limelight with new ventures
After three years following a stop-work order on construction of its maiden project in Bandar Tanjong Pinang, Penang-based property developer Ewein Bhd is all set to make a comeback. The group bounced back from last year’s 4Q net loss of RM1.32 million to post a net profit of RM12.05 million in 1Q this year. The company is confident on earnings for FY2018, mainly fuelled by revenue recognition from its City of Dreams development, which recently recommenced after the stop-work order was lifted. With a GDV of RM800mil, the project is being developed jointly by Ewein’s subsidiary Ewein Land Sdn Bhd and Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd (CZCSB). Meanwhile, Phase 2 of Ewein’s Bandar Tanjong Pinang project will feature luxury serviced apartments managed by an “international hotel brand”. With a land bank that will keep it busy for the next 10 years, Ewein has no intention to venture beyond Penang. (The Edge Markets)
Boustead Plantations buys Sabah plantration land for RM397mil
Boustead Plantations Bhd is acquiring oil palm plantation land measuring 4,915.25ha in Sabah together with a palm oil mill, buildings erected, movable assets, machinery and vehicles for RM397 million. It intends to finance the proposed acquisition with internally generated funds (RM47 million) and bank borrowings (RM350 million). Boustead Plantations said the acquisition represents a move to replace some of the group’s plantation land in Peninsular Malaysia which was disposed of in recent years with sizeable plantation land in Sabah at a lower cost. (The Sun Daily)
Sabah to build RM200mil fish landing port
The Sabah state government has approved plans to build a RM200-million integrated fish landing port, or i-Port, in Kibagu, Sepanggar. State Agriculture and Food Industry Minister Junz Wong said the government would shift the landing site for fishing vessels from the Sabah Fish Marketing Sdn Bhd (Safma) jetty to this new site. “The Safma jetty can no longer accommodate and provide the need for basic amenities for… the vessels. [It] is also quite worn out and cannot cater to the many commercial boats coming in to berth,” he said. The Safma jetty was built on a 2.2-acre site on the shores of the Kota Kinabalu town centre in 1980 but has become too small, with no capacity to take in downstream industries such as processing factories or cold storage buildings. Wong said the i-Port would be built on a 20-acre land in Kibagu. (Free Malaysia Today)
