By Anders Ong

There have been so many misconceptions in the market about real estate negotiators and agents. Most people assume negotiators are the same as brokers and brokers are the same as negotiators without fully understanding the risk they have by engaging brokers. Some complained that realtors had lied about selling prices and jack up prices when they sell the house without informing and profiteering.

But back to the basic first who is who and why do we need to engage a real estate negotiator.  Property owners or investors whom need to rent out or sell off some of their properties and have someone trusted to manage the property for them because they may be occupied with work and need professionals to handle the property may engage a negotiator. Only REN, PEA, and REA can represent sellers, landlords, buyers & tenants in the sale and marketing of properties and monitored under BOVAEA.

Who Is Malaysia Board of Valuers, Appraisers and Estate Agents (BOVAEA)

BOVAEA is known as Lembaga Penilai, Pentaksir, Ejen Harta Tanah & Pengurus Harta (LPPEH) – the body tasked in regulating the Valuers, Appraisers, Estate Agents and Property Managers in Malaysia.

Who Is Real Estate Negotiator (REN)

A Real Estate Negotiator (REN) is an individual employed by Real Estate Agent under a registered firm. Every REN must attend to a two-day course on Real Estate professions and will be issued with a certificate of attendance which has a validity of one year from the date of issue. The certificate will enable the individual to be hired under “Contract of Service” or “Contract for Service” with a Real Estate firm. Once attached, the firm will apply REN tag with BOVAEA for the realtor.

Who Is Probationary Estate Agent (PEA)

A Probationary Estate Agent (PEA) is an individual whom undergoing training and practical under an estate agency firm. They will have to submit their report and underwent interviews before they could obtain their Real Estate Agent License.

Who Is Real Estate Agent (REA)

A Real Estate Agent or Principal is a certified professional individual who can open a real estate firm and hire REN and PEA. They can provide real estate services in sales, rent, invest, or sourcing for a property. REAs are property professionals registered under the Board of Valuers, Appraisers and Estate Agents (BOVAEA).

Who Is Illegal Agent (BROKER)

A Broker is an illegal agent who solicits real estate activities and carries out real estate services without a license. They can be anyone whom are not licensed but requesting commission for their services and may cheat, absconding, misrepresent, mislead and profiteering from clients as they are not monitored under any firm REA or BOVAEA and may jeopardise the image of the real estate industry.

Punishment for Illegal Brokers

Section 22C of the Valuers, Appraisers and Estate Agents Act states that:

No person shall unless he is a registered Estate Agent and has been issued with an authority to practice-

• Practice or take up employment under any name, style or title containing the words “Estate Agent”, “House Agent”, “Property Agent”, “Land Agent”, “House Broker” in any language which may reasonably be construed to imply that he is a registered Estate Agent or that he is engaged in estate agency practice.

Brokers if convicted, may be liable to a fine not exceeding RM300,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 years, or both.

How to Make Sure They Are Real Agent?

1. Check Their ID – There will be three types of ID for licensed realtors and most of the time we will be dealing with Real Estate Negotiators (REN) RED ID, Probationary Estate Agents (PEA) RED ID, and Real Estate Agents (REA) BLUE ID. Only those with tags are licensed and authorised by the Board of Valuers, Appraisers and Estate Agents Malaysia (BOVAEA or LPPEH) to render real estate services. The ID may contain the realtor’s information’s such as picture, name, company name and firm registration numbers. All licensed realtors are required to wear their ID during their working period for customers to identify them to be genuine realtors.
2. Scan Their ID – Every ID will have its special unique QR code which will lead you to the Lembaga Penilai, Pentaksir, Ejen Harta Tanah & Pengurus Harta website and display the realtor’s information such as registration number, full name, NRIC number, property agency attached, and expiry of their license.
3. Visit Boards Website – If we do not check the realtor’s ID then, we can direct search for their registration with the board at the following address http://search.lppeh.gov.my/ . The page can be used to search for the firms, members, and negotiators registration. Members search are for PEA and REA meanwhile negotiators are for REN. Remember not all property firm are licensed and allowed to conduct real estate business, unless they are licensed so there is firm search as well. Most illegal firm will classify their company as asset management or property consultancy firm without valid E-Registration number.

READ MORE: Everything about certified real estate negotiators & agents (Part 2 of 2) – Benefits and commission rate

Anders Ong – PEA, Property Investor, Writer, Speaker, Real Estate Coach, Property Market Analyst & Author of Back To Property Investment To Create Wealth

Aerial view of Northern Seberang Perai

Bukit Tengah assemblyman Gooi Hsiao Leung has proposed that the Seberang Perai City Council (MBSP) develops a master improvement plan for kampungs in the whole of Seberang Perai.

The PKR assemblyman said the plan should include upgrading works to the physical conditions of the kampungs in Seberang Perai especially to improve the poor drainage and sewerage systems in the villages.

He said there is a start contract on how civic infrastructure and assets are distributed between residential housing estates and kampungs where the latter have less access to such infrastructure.

“This imbalance of access to civic assets is serious considering there are over 288 kampungs in Seberang Perai, of which the residents in total represent a sizable percentage of Seberang Perai’s population,” he said in a statement today.

He said MBSP should come up with a plan for kampungs other than adding infrastructure improvements in kampungs into its draft local plan.

He said the kampung residents often do not have access to public amenities and services such as landscaping and door-to-door refuse collection services, adequate street lighting and maintenance of roads.

The Penang state government recently extended the deadline for public feedback on the Seberang Perai draft local plan to July 9 due to the total lockdown.

Gooi said the Seberang Perai draft local plan covers 73,841 hectares of land mass, which is 2.5 times larger than the entire size of Penang island.

The local plan will be the master document used as a framework for Seberang Perai’s development plan for the next 10 years.

He said the local plan should not neglect the needs of the under-served population living in disadvantaged and marginalised neighbourhoods.

“I urge MBSP to pay special attention, in its local plan, to prioritise, improve and upgrade civic infrastructure and assets that serve communities in existing neighbourhoods beyond the centres of development corridors highlighted in the local plan,” he said.

He said investments in civic assets such as open spaces, playgrounds, parks, jogging tracks, basketball and sepak takraw courts, community centres and multipurpose halls are most needed to benefit the community.

“As it stands, civic assets in many of our neighbourhoods are in a state of neglect, disrepair and require long term upgrading and maintenance,” he said.

He said there is also a serious shortage of public facilities such as community centres and multipurpose halls to cater for the population size of Seberang Perai Tengah.

He said the local plan should not only focus on high impact development projects to spur economic growth but also look into improving infrastructure for Seberang Perai as a whole and also individual neighbourhoods and kampungs.

Source: MalayMail.com

Aerial view of Bayan Lepas FIZ

Looking at the grave Covid-19 situation, the Penang government is ready to help expedite applications to turn vacant commercial buildings (away from housing schemes) into worker dormitories and also help expedite the application process to set up temporary worker dormitories at factory grounds.

State Local Government, Housing, Town and Country and Planning Committee chairman Jagdeep Singh Deo said there were presently 15 applications – two from the island and 13 from the mainland – for the establishment of worker dormitories.

He said three quarters of the new clusters in Bayan Lepas came from the industrial areas.

“We need to up the ante to ensure that the foreign worker dormitories are sited in proper liveable conditions that are contained and controlled,” Jagdeep told a press conference after conducting a standard operating procedure (SOP) compliance check on the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Pulau Tikus today.

“Otherwise this Covid-19 pandemic will continue.

“To build a dormitory will take a normal process of three years or four years. Because of that, Penang has a new approach. We are looking at unoccupied commercial buildings which are far away from housing schemes.

“The whole idea is to get them (foreign workers) out of housing schemes so that they can be controlled in a certain area, but in very good living conditions.

“So, we have two ways. One is to find commercial buildings which are far away from housing schemes. There are now quite a number of unoccupied commercial buildings, especially during this Covid-19 period. And we assist by entertaining applications for conversion into commercial lots for dormitory purposes.

“The second way is that we are considering applications from those big factories which have available land at their plants to build temporary worker dormitories.”

Jagdeep said two worker dormitories had so far been built in Penang, one in Batu Maung and the other in Bukit Minyak, catering to 6,221 beds.

He added that seven other schemes were ongoing which would provide a total of 61,918 beds while two more applications to provide a total of 10,700 beds, were in the process of consideration.

“In all the 11 schemes, we would have a total of 78,839 beds. But this is not enough. In Penang, we have about 200,000 foreign workers and we have not even reached 50%. We still got a lot of work to do,” Jagdeep said.

On the SOPs at the church, Jagdeep said he was satisfied with the measures taken and their compliance rate.

“It’s very unfortunate that the church doors have to be closed, just like other religious bodies. Only 12 people are allowed to be at the places of worship during this MCO.

“We all need to pray together as a family to win this war over Covid-19. This virus does not care what your religion is. We need to pray hard and overcome it.”

Jagdeep also called upon Penangites who have not registered for vaccination to do so and also urged the Federal Government to expedite the supply of the vaccines to all states.

Later, Jagdeep presented some 100 packets of essential items to Penang Eurasian Association president Datuk Aloysius Gasper for them to be distributed to their members during this challenging time.

Also present at the press conference were Pulau Tikus assemblyman Chris Lee Chun Kit, and police representatives and Penang Island City Council (MBPP) enforcement officers.

Source: Buletin Mutiara

The Malaysian state of Penang is fast becoming an IoT-Enabled Smart City modeled on the tenets of green living, strong ESG principles and sustainable economic momentum. Soon, it could be one of Southeast Asia’s hottest investment destinations.

Central to that transformation is Penang South Islands (PSI). The three-island development will help the state achieve its Penang2030 vision. By combining advanced technologies for next-generation industries with eco-friendly masterplans, PSI will raise the game for Penang as a leading investment destination for global corporations.

“The PSI Green Plan will play a vital role in making that happen,” says Chow Kon Yeow, Chief Minister of Penang. “The PSI targets a 50% reduction in CO₂e emissions by 2030 compared to business as usual. Coupled with Penang’s advanced manufacturing capabilities, ESG principles will make PSI the ideal choice for global businesses to build their manufacturing hubs while meeting their sustainability targets. Especially in the electronics, medical devices and other high-end sectors where Penang already makes significant contributions.”

A Green Plan for the Penang South Islands

The PSI Green Plan promises big outcomes: 100% renewable energy for powering the Green Tech Park; a 40% reduction in urban planning emissions; a 40% reduction in non-renewable energy use from super low energy buildings with efficient cooling systems, smart features and renewable energy installations; a 70% reduction in freshwater demand from the dual-purpose sewage treatment plant, rainwater harvesting and water saving devices; and a 65% reduction in landfill waste with extensive recycling, food maceration and composting.

The plan addresses the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)¹–a much-needed achievement given that Asia remains far from meeting any of the SDGs.² In turn, PSI will become an advanced new ecosystem that serves as a model for the future of work, livability and sustainability around the world.

“The PSI Green Plan will accelerate the ‘greenification’ of Penang’s economy, governance and infrastructure,” the Chief Minister says. “It will enable Penang to reach its full potential as a high-income, low-carbon state that prioritizes the well-being of its people and the environment while providing a platform for innovative and sustainable-minded businesses to thrive.”

The environmentally conscious, people-first masterplan also puts pedestrians, bicycles and water transport ahead of cars. The goal is to achieve a 70:30 public-private modal share, compared with 5:95 currently. To make that happen, PSI will include 140 kilometers of bicycle and walking tracks as well as seven kilometers of navigational waterway. These transportation pathways will reduce transport-related emissions by up to 80%.

“There will be generous provision of public open spaces island-wide (900ac), including beaches, mangroves, water canal, wetlands, flood plains and bioswales enhancing the biodiversity design of the island by connecting people with greens and water,” the Chief Minister says. “It will also reduce the Urban Heat Island effect and reinforce the design resiliency towards flood, erosion and sea level rise.”

Expanding Penang’s Tech Legacy

As innovative companies gravitate to Penang, PSI will fuel growth in the state’s well-established tech manufacturing sector. Dubbed ‘the Silicon Valley of the East,’ Penang already produces 8% of global back-end semiconductor output.³ With end uses linked to 5G, autonomous vehicles and the IoT, chips made in Malaysia power some of today’s most innovative products, making Penang a vital link in electronics supply chains.

Where Penang was a hub for labor-intensive manufacturing decades ago, today it designs and produces high-value-added technologies, that spans everything from integrated circuits and software to embedded systems. Penang’s steady climb up in the value chain continues to attract some of the most innovative companies in the world. They are setting up Centers of Excellence, Design Centers and R&D Hubs to tap into the state’s unique advantages. In the years ahead, PSI will provide space for more companies to do the same as they move up the value chain.

In 2019, Penang drew a record MYR16.9 billion ($4.1 billion) in manufacturing investments—nearly 90% of which went to the Electrical & Electronics, machinery and equipment, and scientific and measuring equipment (including medical device) sectors.⁴ In 2020, despite the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, U.S. front-end semiconductor equipment giant Lam Research announced a USD225 million investment to build the group’s largest manufacturing facility in Batu Kawan Industrial Park.⁵ The company will join dozens of tech heavyweights including Intel, which has one of the largest silicon design centers in Penang; Micron Technology, which built a center of excellence for solid state drives in Penang; and National Instruments, which has its largest R&D facility outside of the U.S. in Penang.

“Chip-making is a very complex process that requires manufacturing expertise,” the Chief Minister says. “Through decades of hard work, Penang has developed the talent and know-how to meet the needs of technology companies around the world. PSI will build on those strengths, taking Penang’s manufacturing capabilities to the next level while taking sustainability, the environment and lifestyle into account for businesses and their employees.”

Source: Bloomberg.com

Image source: Oriental Daily

According to Oriental Daily, a real estate agency operated during FMCO was reported by the public, and the company was fined RM10,000 for breaching movement control order.

It is understood that the police received reports from the public that a real estate company in an office building at Gurney Drive was still operating as usual during FMCO.

When the police officers came to the office yesterday, they found that a group of employees were working in the office, so they issued a 10,000 ringgit fine to the company and ordered the company to close its doors immediately.