In George Town, a new ray of hope has emerged for the homeless community in the form of a transit centre that provides warm meals and temporary shelter. The centre, located in Jalan CY Choy, has quickly become a lifeline for individuals like Khairul Taib and Lee Chong Kim, who have fallen on hard times due to various circumstances.

Khairul Taib, a 39-year-old former security guard, found himself without a job in April of this year. His search for employment proved challenging, primarily because of the high rental costs in the city. Fortunately, the transit centre stepped in to provide him with a temporary place to stay, allowing him to focus on finding work and getting back on his feet. Khairul’s story is not unique, as many in the homeless community share similar struggles.

Lee Chong Kim, a 70-year-old resident of Queen Street, faces his own set of challenges. Living on welfare assistance, Lee struggles to make ends meet, particularly because of the high rent he must pay. His regular visits to the transit centre for meals ensure that he receives proper nutrition, which is essential for his well-being. The centre has become a place for Lee to connect with others in similar circumstances, alleviating the loneliness that can often accompany homelessness.

The newly established RM4.4 million homeless transit centre, fully funded by the state government and built by the Penang Island City Council, opened its doors on September 1st. Located near the iconic Komtar building along Magazine Road, this centre serves as both a shelter and a hub for training and intervention. Its primary goal is to empower homeless individuals with skills and resources that will enable them to secure employment and eventually find permanent housing through government public housing projects.

The centre features 88 beds, divided into separate male and female dorms, each equipped with private lockers and cubicle bathrooms. Accessibility is a priority, with dorms for the disabled available on the ground floor. Currently, the centre serves 47 registered individuals for daily meals, including those living nearby and the homeless.

Lim Siew Khim, the committee chairman for social development, welfare, and non-Islamic religious affairs, emphasized that the mission extends beyond aiding those currently living on the streets. Preventative measures are essential, and the provision of free meals helps at-risk individuals maintain their health and energy levels, reducing the likelihood of them becoming homeless in the first place. The centre collaborates with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and corporate sponsors to provide meals, ensuring that there is a backup plan for days when sponsorship is unavailable.

Furthermore, the centre is actively working on partnerships with the state Health Department and additional NGOs to offer regular health screenings for the homeless. Lim Siew Khim called on the private sector and NGOs to contribute to the cause, emphasizing that collective efforts can lead to significant change. She also highlighted that donating directly to homeless individuals on the street can sometimes exacerbate the issue and lead to food waste, making the transit centre a more efficient and sustainable choice for those who want to help.

(Image source: TheStar.com.my)

In a remarkable stride towards sustainable urban living, EcoWorld proudly unveils its latest gem in the bustling Eco Horizon Township – Ceria D’ Eco Horizon. This high-rise residential marvel, part of the duduk Series, is not only a testament to EcoWorld’s commitment to innovation but also an embodiment of eco-conscious lifestyle it aims to provide.

The First duduk Series in Penang

Ceria D’ Eco Horizon stands as the pioneer duduk project in Penang , symbolising a new era of modern living in this vibrant state. The development comprises two towering blocks, Block A and Block B, boasting a total of 1,302 serviced apartment units, with 651 units in each block. This launch marks a significant milestone for EcoWorld, reaffirming its position as a leader in eco-conscious urban development.

Versatile Living Spaces

Ceria D’ Eco Horizon’s units are designed to cater to every individual’s unique preference. Offering four distinct orientations – North, South, East, and West – residents can choose their ideal orientation, ensuring ample natural light and breathtaking views. Each unit spans an expansive 1,000 square feet and comprises three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and two designated parking spaces. With a targeted completion date in 2027, this project promises to deliver a luxurious and comfortable living experience.

First Home Buyer Paradise

Ceria D’ Eco Horizon has struck a chord with first-time homebuyers, primarily those employed at the nearby Batu Kawan Industrial Park. Its strategic location within the heart of Eco Horizon Township, nestled between Eco Horizon City’s Borealis and the township’s first landed collection ofAshton, makes it an ideal choice for young professionals and families seeking both convenience and sustainability.

Retail and Dining Convenience at Your Doorstep

Adding to the allure of Ceria D’ Eco Horizon is its proximity to the soon-to-be-opened Australis commercial shop lots, by EcoWorld. This commercial hub comprises 10 double-storey shop lots, featuring the highly anticipated Jaya Grocer among other retail spaces. Scheduled for completion in 2024, these commercial units will be available for lease, offering residents an array of shopping and dining options just a short stroll from their doorstep.

A Slice of Commercial Opportunity

Ceria D’ Eco Horizon also includes 26 double-storey strata shop lots known as Ceria Square. These coveted commercial spaces are selling with prices starting at RM 2.5 million , and all units are fully reserved. Entrepreneurs and investors are capitalising on the potential of this thriving eco-community, ensuring a vibrant commercial scene within the township.

Your Chance to Be Part of Ceria D’ Eco Horizon

As the buzz around Ceria D’ Eco Horizon Block B grows, it’s essential not to miss out on the opportunity to secure your unit for under RM 500,000 in Batu Kawan. Contact us today to embark on your journey towards eco-conscious, convenient living in the heart of Penang.
Ceria D’ Eco Horizon – Where sustainability meets sophistication, and dreams find a home.

For more information and inquiries, please visit https://www.duduk.my/ceria/
or call 04-227 2255.

The Real Estate and Housing Developers’ Association (Rehda) hopes that the government will address the affordability, or rather the unaffordability of houses in the nation, as well as introduce measures to alleviate challenges developers continue to face in the upcoming Budget 2024.

In its budget wishlist, the association’s president Datuk NK Tong said that as housing affordability remain a major issue for the people and industry alike, it hopes for the reintroduction or introduction of incentives that would allow more Malaysians to buy a house to call their own.

“These include incentives in the form of tax deductions, grants, as well as lower interest rates that will surely lessen the burden of future homeowners, particularly first-time buyers.

“We also request for the Home Ownership Campaign to be continued, as its two iterations in 2019 and 2020-2021 have not only helped thousands of Malaysians own their dream home but also contributed significantly to the country’s gross domestic product,” he said in a statement.

Other than the cross-subsidy method developers have to undertake to build affordable housing, another major factor contributing to the issue is the rising input cost for building materials, which correlates directly with rising house prices, Rehda said in the statement.

It said the government’s intervention, such as temporary reduction or removal of import levy, would go a long way in mitigating the problem.

“Similarly, the rising land cost is adversely impacting house prices,” it said.

Rehda pointed to a recent interview in which the Employees Provident Fund’s chief strategy officer Nurhisham Hussein had said that for housing to be truly affordable, state finances should be overhauled.

Nurhisham has said that 95% of state income was derived from some form of property tax, such as land conversion premiums, and therefore, reforming state finance is essential when discussing affordable housing.

“As developers, we concur that should charges imposed by state governments and local authorities be reduced, house prices will most likely be reduced to levels that make homeownership attainable for more people,” said Tong.

Aside from that, Rehda is also encouraged by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s numerous calls for a fair and transparent government at all levels, including state and among privatised utility companies.

Meanwhile, PropertyGuru Malaysia country manager Sheldon Fernandez hopes that Budget 2024 will not only look at ways to increase income and wages but also at how it could effectively manage and execute initiatives around affordable housing.

He said this was due to income disparity, and that median income needs to catch up with property prices, as it only grew 2.5% last year, instead of over 3% during pre-pandemic times.

“We are seeing targeted approaches by the government towards affordable housing, subsidies and addressing the rising cost of living.

“But more importantly, we want to see more effective planning and implementation. We want to see that it is done well, so that the income gap could be closer,” Sheldon told Bernama.

Source: TheEdgeMalaysia.com

About Green City Residence

A 29-storey luxury development in the heart of George Town by Green City Garden Development Sdn. Bhd. Located on a half-acre land along Macalister Road, it is only 2km away from KOMTAR and less than 15 minutes drive to Penang Bridge.

This project features 52 units of luxury suites and a 100-room hotel. An automated robotic parking system will be built to allow more car parking bays.

*Photo taken in Sep 2023

Find out more about Green City Residence

The property sector’s outlook is improving amid the downwards trend in the property overhang and inventory levels of developers, says MIDF Research.

The unchanged overnight policy rate is also positive for property companies, which helps to support recovery in demand, the research house added.

Given the improving outlook for property developers, MIDF Research has narrowed its revised net asset value discount and target prices for property companies under its coverage.

After the adjustment to valuations, the research house’s stance on property companies remained unchanged.

However, it has upgraded the sector to “positive” from “neutral” in line with the improving outlook.

Both Mah Sing and Matrix Concepts are its top sector picks.

MIDF Research said it remains sanguine on property developers that focus on mid-market and affordable segments amid resilient demand for affordable homes.

It also likes S P Setia, Glomac and IOI Properties as their valuation remains undemanding.

According to the National Property Information Centre, among the top five states with the highest residential overhang in the second quarter of 2023 (2Q23), Penang and Johor showed a downtrend.

The residential overhang in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur improved marginally while it has worsened in Perak.

The residential overhang in 2Q23 was below the three-year average of 31,000 units.

The decline in residential overhang was due to renewed buying interest for property after the reopening of Malaysia’s international borders, it added.

The overhang in serviced apartments in Malaysia eased to 22,497 units in 2Q23 from 23,267 units in 1Q23.

It said the overhang in serviced apartments spiked to a peak of 24,267 units in 3Q20 from 16,942 units in 1Q20 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The flattish figures for the overhang in serviced-apartments in recent quarters were mainly due to the rise in serviced apartments in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor, which mitigated the lower overhang in Johor.

It said the declining residential overhang in Malaysia is in line with the lower inventory levels of property companies, as they had been actively monetising inventories over the past few years.

The inventory monetisation helped to generate cash flows amid a challenging operating environment due to the pandemic.

It said the inventories of Eco World Development Group Bhd fell significantly by 58% in 2Q23 since 2019.

Similarly, Mah Sing, S P Setia and Glomac saw double-digit declines in their inventory.

However, MIDF Research believed the declining inventory levels would improve the financial position of property developers and give better pricing power to them in terms of new launches.

Source: TheStar.com.my