Land reclamation is big business in Malaysia. Money is made from selling plots of newly created land from the sea to developers.

Several states in the peninsula have introduced large-scale reclamation initiatives, many strategically placed in prime locations.

The latest large-scale project is in Penang that will see the reclamation of three man-made islands on the southern part of the island, measuring about 4,500 acres.

The project is part of the ambitious Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP), where the state plans to auction the reclaimed land to fund the master plan.

“The state has very little land as a whole in Seberang Perai and the value of the land on the mainland is lower (20%-40%) compared with island land,” it says.

The reclamation work is expected to cost about RM4bil, while the whole PTMP project, which includes rail systems and highways, will cost RM27bil.

Other reclamation activities that have taken place on Penang island were undertaken by the private sector, by Eastern & Oriental Bhd (E&O). The project is known as Seri Tanjung Pinang (STP), spanning over 1,000 acres of reclamation land.

The project first started in 2006 and is now in the second phase of its reclamation work.

According to a 2017 research report entitled “Land reclamation and artificial islands: Walking the tightrope between development and conservation” by Su Yin Chee from Universiti Sains Malaysia, the area of reclaimed land in Penang island would be about 7,981 acres in the coming years.

“Reclaimed land is expected to dramatically increase between 2017 and 2030 with the construction of five new artificial islands on the north-east and south coasts,” the report says.

That would increase the size of Penang Island by 10%. In comparison, a lot of land in Singapore, about 25%, is from reclamation efforts from the past, including the prime Marina Bay area.

Another state that is also embarking on big-scale reclamation work is Johor. However, unlike Penang, the reclamation and land ownership belongs to the private sector.

One of the most notable projects is Forest City spanning over 3,942 acres on reclaimed land in the Straits of Johor.

It has been reported that Melaka is embarking on mega-reclamation work, which is part of its ambitious RM43bil Melaka Gateway project.

The project comprises three reclaimed and one natural island totalling 1,366 acres, set in a strategic and idyllic area of the Straits of Malacca, according to the Melaka Gateway website.

It is worth noting that land reclamation is nothing new in Asia. Countries such as Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore have been doing it for decades.

Other countries in Asia are also embarking on mega-reclamation works. The Philippines is reclaiming 1,010 acres from the sea for its New Manila Bay and Sri Lanka is building a new financial district called Colombo International Financial City on reclaimed land.

Source: TheStar.com.my

In collaboration with GM Training Academy, our annual Penang Property Convention is coming back this year on 29 September 2018. Come and join us for this informative property investment event.

Whether you are seasoned property investor or first time home buyer, this event will give you a real insight into Penang property market and learn about the impact of PTMP and SST on properties. That’s not all! The speakers will also share their property investment strategies and tips.

Key highlights of the event:

• Penang and national property market updates
• The impact of Penang Transport Master Plan
• How to be a millionaire property investor?
• 10 mistakes in property investment
• How to increase your ROI using Airbnb
• Pre-Budget forecast
• Will SST affect the property market
• Property Forum and more…

List of Speakers:

• Miichael Yeoh (CEO, GM Training Academy)
• Ken Lim (Founder, Penang Property Talk)
• Richard Oon (National Tax Director, ShineWing TY Teoh)
• Dr. Daniele Gambero (CEO, REI Group of Companies)
• Charles Tan (Kopiandproperty.com)

The event will be held on 29 September 2018 (Saturday)
at Vistana Hotel (Grand Ballroom), 9:00 am to 5:30pm.

* THIS EVENT IS NOW FULLY BOOKED *
See you on 29 September!

Penang today laid out its plan to become a family-focused, “green and smart” state in the next 12 years as part of efforts to improve living standards and general levels of happiness for its two million-odd people by 2030.

Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the “Penang 2030” plan would take the state to new levels through a four-theme approach: increasing liveability, upgrading the economy, empowering the people and investing in built public environment.

The highlights of the plan include a “Made in Penang” approach to boost a niche manufacturing sector, the adaptation of a “sponge city” in future town planning to mitigate flash floods, and reducing reliance on the federal government in terms of funding.

In a two-hour town hall session with 500 industry captains and prominent leaders here, Chow said the end result of the 2030 plan was to bring happiness and prosperity to the state.

“We want to know how happy you are. We want to size up how happy Penangites are and form a happiness index.

“At least that way, all the government arms will know how you are feeling and ultimately have an inkling of what you want,” he said at the Eastern and Oriental Hotel.

Chow said the plan would ensure that all policymaking benefits both the island and Seberang Perai, especially the latter as the future of the state relies on the mainland’s potential for growth.

He said the first agenda on Penang 2030 was to provide a larger variety of affordable homes, improve public safety and provide welfare aid for those in need.

He said upgrading the economy was also on the cards, through improvements to the local manufacturing industries and the tourism sector and an ecosystem that nurtures creative industries and niche business services.

“Our idea is to come up with a ‘Made in Penang’ brand. This is beyond char koay teow and nasi kandar,” he added.

Chow said civic participation was also key to the plan, to uplift vulnerable communities and reduce inequalities. He said more engagement sessions with the people would be held from time to time to address current issues.

The Penang government also wanted to spend more on the built environment, he said, promising to bring “balanced development through effective spatial planning”.

He said Penang would also start using smart technologies in its local governments and implement plans for climate change adaptation as weather patterns had changed drastically over the years.

“Ultimately, our policies will be family-focused. Apart from our policies being people-centric, we are aware that family is central to everything we do. That is very much a core value for us Malaysians.

“In Penang 2030, we dare to call for the involvement of various levels of stakeholders in pushing, not only for economic and infrastructural development in Penang, but also for the cultural development of society as a whole,” Chow added.

State government think tank Penang Institute has been tasked with helping the government coordinate, monitor and communicate matters related to Penang 2030.

Source: FreeMalaysiaToday.com

A newly proposed residential development by SLS Land Development Sdn. Bhd. at Bayan Lepas. Located along Jalan Mahkamah, just a stone’s throw away from Fiera Vista condominium. It is only 5 minutes drive away from Penang International Airport, about 1km to the new SRJK(C) Shih Chung Chinese school under construction.

This development will see the demolition of the existing building for the construction of a 22-storey condominium. It will offer 115 units of residential units.

The project is still pending for approval. More details to be available upon project launch.

Project Name: (to be confirmed)
Location: Bayan Lepas
Property Type: Condominium
Built-up Size: (to be confirmed)
Total Units: 115
Indicative Price: (to be confirmed)
Developer: SLS Land Development Sdn. Bhd.

Location Map:

85% of our readers support PIL1

Pan Island Link 1 (also known as PIL1) is currently one of the most debated infrastructure projects in Penang. The proposed dual three–lane highway will be connecting Second Bridge and the Penang International Airport all the way towards George Town, Paya Terubong, Bayan Baru, and Relau. It is expected to reduce travelling time from Persiaran Gurney to Penang International Airport (PIA) to only 15 minutes.

A group of concerned Penangites, have started an online petition to call for the cancellation of the project while there is also an opposing petition that calls for the approval and implementation of the PTMP, which includes the PIL 1.

To shed some light on this subject, we did a quick poll on our Facebook page and received few hundreds votes in one day (Poll results). Although this may not necessary represent the entire population, but the result gives a clear indication that 85% of our readers support the implementation of PIL1.

More about Pan Island Link 1