Source: Google Street View

A traffic rerouting plan is expected to be implemented this year along Persiaran Bayan Indah, the main road fronting Queensbay Mall, as part of broader traffic reorganisation efforts in the Queensbay area. According to a news report by the Chinese daily Kwong Wah Yit Poh, the existing two-way road will be converted into a one-way system, while the roundabout in front of Summerton will be reconfigured from a four-arm junction into a three-arm junction.

Under the proposed arrangement, motorists travelling from Jalan Aziz Ibrahim towards Queensbay Mall will no longer be able to enter directly. Instead, they will be required to detour through the small roundabout at Persiaran Bayan Indah 2, proceed to Jalan Bayan Indah, and then pass the roundabout near the Queens Residences Q1 before reaching Queensbay Mall. Conversely, drivers heading from Queensbay Mall towards Summerton will need to use Jalan Aziz Ibrahim and make a U-turn at the traffic lights to reach their destination.

MBPP infrastructure and traffic committee alternate chairman, Chan Soon Aun, confirmed to Kwong Wah Yit Poh that the rerouting plan will be rolled out within the year. He said the developer is currently finalising the detailed road diversion and traffic restructuring plans. The move comes amid increasing congestion in the Queensbay area, where multiple development projects have contributed to frequent traffic bottlenecks during peak hours.

According to Chan, the proposed traffic plan is now at its final stage. Once formally submitted by the developer and approved, it will be gazetted and implemented on a three-month trial basis. Preliminary plans indicate that one direction at the existing four-way roundabout in front of Summerton will be closed, effectively converting it into a three-way roundabout.

He explained that movements which were previously straightforward will require additional manoeuvres after the change. For example, motorists travelling from Queensbay towards Batu Uban, who previously exited the roundabout directly, will instead need to turn left and make a U-turn further ahead. Similarly, vehicles coming from Bayan Mutiara towards Queensbay will no longer be able to use the same direct approach and must instead route through Queens Waterfront via Jalan Bayan Indah, which will remain a two-way road, with only the stretch in front of Queensbay Mall becoming one-way.

Tan added that the city council had convened a coordination meeting on October 23 last year involving management representatives from 14 nearby stakeholders and relevant public agencies to discuss the proposed changes and traffic management along Persiaran Bayan Indah. While acknowledging that the plan has drawn objections from one high-rise residential management body, he said most stakeholders understood that the proposal is aimed at easing congestion in the area and that its overall benefits outweigh the drawbacks.

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Transport infrastructure must be viewed not merely as a supporting service, but as a strategic economic enabler that directly shapes investment patterns, real estate demand and urban development outcomes, said Minister of Transport YB Loke Siew Fook at the CEO Series 2026.

Delivering the morning keynote address, the minister said 2026 will be a pivotal year for Malaysia as it coincides with Visit Malaysia Year 2026, where national targets include welcoming up to 43 million international visitors. He noted that tourism, trade and business growth depend fundamentally on the quality, reliability and integration of transport systems across the country.

From the Ministry of Transport’s perspective, initiatives to enhance air connectivity, modernise ports and improve land transport networks are not simply about moving people and goods, but about unlocking economic potential, supporting industries and creating more efficient urban environments.

Lessons from the Johor–Singapore Special Economic Zone

The minister pointed to the Johor–Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) as a clear illustration of how transport infrastructure underpins real estate performance and investor confidence. While the zone has attracted tens of billions of ringgit in approved and committed investments, its long-term success hinges on transport systems that can convert geographic proximity into economic productivity.

He highlighted the pressure on existing cross-border road infrastructure, with an estimated 300,000 commuters and 100,000 vehicles crossing daily, underscoring the need to diversify transport modes and relieve congestion.

Central to this transformation is the Johor Bahru–Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link, which he described as a structural economic enabler rather than a conventional rail project. With a capacity of up to 10,000 passengers per hour per direction, the RTS Link is expected to reduce travel uncertainty and enable the JS-SEZ to function as an integrated labour and business ecosystem.

Implications for Penang’s growth corridors

While the keynote focused heavily on Johor, the principles outlined carry direct relevance for Penang, where transport capacity and urban density are increasingly shaping property demand and development feasibility.

Penang’s industrial ecosystem — spanning Bayan Lepas, Batu Kawan and the Northern Corridor — depends heavily on reliable road, port and airport connectivity. As Visit Malaysia Year 2026 approaches, air links through Penang International Airport, improved last-mile connectivity and public transport integration will play a critical role in supporting tourism, services and business travel.

The minister’s emphasis on transport as a productivity enabler rather than a reactive response also resonates with Penang’s ongoing discussions around LRT, congestion management and transit-oriented development (TOD). As urban land becomes more constrained, the alignment between transport nodes, housing supply and employment centres will increasingly determine project viability and long-term value.

Transport shaping real estate outcomes

According to the minister, transport infrastructure does not merely respond to development, but actively shapes development patterns. Major investments in rail, bus corridors and intercity connectivity create new nodes of accessibility, influencing residential demand, commercial activity, industrial location and urban density.

He highlighted TOD as a critical planning tool that aligns transport capacity with housing and employment, helping to reduce congestion, improve affordability and enhance liveability. For policymakers and developers alike, transport planning therefore becomes a proactive instrument to guide sustainable real estate growth rather than a corrective measure after congestion and imbalance emerge.

Beyond capacity, towards quality and integration

Concluding his address, the minister stressed that future competitiveness will be defined not only by transport capacity, but by the quality, integration and resilience of infrastructure systems. Digitally enabled border processes, environmentally sustainable transport and seamless multimodal integration are key to transforming connectivity into competitiveness.

For Penang, as with Johor, this signals that future property and urban growth will be closely tied to how effectively transport investments are planned, coordinated and integrated into broader economic and spatial strategies, particularly as Malaysia positions itself for a more connected and competitive regional role in ASEAN

REHDA Institute today convened its flagship CEO Series 2026, bringing together more than 400 senior decision-makers from government, finance, industry, academia and the international business community to discuss Malaysia and ASEAN’s economic outlook, investment priorities and human capital challenges for the year ahead.

Held at Le Méridien Petaling Jaya, the annual conference set the tone for early-year policy and industry engagement, as leaders examined economic direction, policy clarity and competitiveness amid evolving global and regional conditions.

Reflecting the conference’s relevance to national economic and development priorities, CEO Series 2026 featured ministerial participation from YB Senator Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan, Minister of Finance II; YB Tuan Anthony Loke Siew Fook, Minister of Transport; and YB Tuan Chiew Choon Man, Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture.

Organised as part of a joint secretariat involving multiple supporting industry bodies and associations, CEO Series 2026 focused on Malaysia’s economic trajectory within ASEAN at the start of 2026, amid global uncertainty, shifting capital flows and heightened competition for foreign direct investment.

Discussions centred on innovation-led growth, investment readiness, recurring-income assets and cross-border integration, with particular attention given to regional competitiveness and policy coherence.

Dato’ Jeffrey Ng Tiong Lip, Chairman of REHDA Institute, said “The CEO Series was designed to facilitate substantive dialogue and provides a neutral platform where policymakers and senior leaders from a diverse range of industries can engage constructively on economic realities and long-term priorities. This engagement helps align policy direction, gather market insights from the various industries and investment decisions.”

CEO Series 2026 also featured international economists, researchers and industry leaders from ASEAN, Australia and Europe, reinforcing Malaysia’s continued engagement with regional and global stakeholders.

Speakers included Dr Koh Wee Chian from the ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office (AMRO), Denise Cheok from Moody’s Analytics, as well as senior industry representatives with experience across global markets.

Participants travelled from countries including Indonesia, Taiwan, Thailand, Australia and Singapore, contributing comparative perspectives on investment flows, capital markets and regional development trends.

Dato Jeffrey Ng added that continued participation by international experts and investors signals confidence in Malaysia’s fundamentals and its role within the region and allowed Malaysia to benchmark itself realistically against regional peers.

In line with national priorities, the conference addressed regional integration, including Johor–Singapore collaboration and the Johor–Singapore Special Economic Zone, examining cross-border synergies in manufacturing, logistics, infrastructure and urban development.

The conference also explored opportunities linked to Visit Malaysia Year 2026, particularly tourism-led development, hospitality and experience-driven real estate, and the role of private sector investment in supporting national tourism objectives while delivering sustainable economic returns.

A key outcome of CEO Series 2026 was the launch of the REHDA Institute Youth Initiative (RIYI), a national human capital development programme aimed at bridging academia and industry and strengthening Malaysia’s future talent pipeline.

RIYI was launched during the conference by YB Tuan Anthony Loke Siew Fook, Minister of Transport, underscoring its alignment with national workforce development priorities.

The initiative brought together more than 13 universities nationwide alongside corporate leaders and industry practitioners, with a focus on structured mentorship, early industry exposure and career guidance for high-potential students.

Ng said, “Economic resilience depends not only on investment and policy, but also on talent. RIYI reflects REHDA Institute’s belief that industry stakeholders must play a more active role in preparing young Malaysians to enter the workforce with practical skills and realistic expectations.”

He added that RIYI formed part of REHDA Institute’s broader commitment to Malaysia’s human capital development as a social enterprise.

“As an independent think tank, we look beyond immediate sectoral needs. Investing in youth and human capital is a long-term national responsibility”, he said.

As Malaysia enters 2026 amid global uncertainty and regional transition, CEO Series 2026 provided a platform for alignment, reflection and forward planning.

A newly proposed commercial development in Farlim, located off Lorong Semara Api 2 and adjacent to the Casa Idaman housing scheme. The site is within a short driving distance of established amenities, including Sunshine Central, which is approximately five minutes away, and lies about 1km from the Ayer Itam–Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway Bypass that is currently under construction. The development area presently contains a single-storey clubhouse, which is proposed to be demolished to make way for the new building.

This development will see the construction of a 21-storey commercial block, comprises 143 office units along with four retail shop units at the ground and mezzanine levels. Supporting components include 7 levels of car parking podium and community facilities on Level 8.

The project is still in its planning stage and more details will be available upon official launch.

Project Name : (to be confirmed)
Location : Farlim
Property Type : Commercial development
Tenure: (to be confirmed)
Land Area: 1.59 acres
Built-up Size: (to be confirmed)
Total Units : 143
Indicative Price : (to be confirmed)
Developer : (Follow us to find out more)

DISCLAIMER: This article is solely based on research done using publicly available data. This is not an advertisement. Any claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a project or service should be verified with the developer, provider, or party in question.