The Penang Is­­land City Council (MBPP) is going ahead with the road widening pro­ject in Jalan Masjid Negeri, requiring 16 trees to be transplanted elsewhere by end of next month.

Its traffic engineer Zainuddin Mohamad Shariff said the contractor assigned to transplant the trees had been asked to file the method of statement before any transplanting could commence.

“The statement will explain the method to be taken when transplanting the trees.

“It will then be reviewed by the Forest Research Institute Malay­sia and the project should start next month,” he said.

MBPP arborist Azizul Fahmi Muhamad said the trees would be relocated to a nearby residential area off Jalan Masjid Negeri.

It was reported that the construction cost for the 1.8km road widening project along Jalan Mas­jid Negeri is RM7.85mil and the land acquisition cost RM11mil.

The project will involve the Jalan Scotland-bound stretch start­­ing from the Lorong Batu Lanchang-Jalan Masjid Negeri junction to the Ja­­­lan Air Itam-Jalan Masjid Negeri junction.

Source: TheStar.com.my

In Malaysia, there are an overwhelming number of new home owners. According to the survey, among the top 5 reasons on why people invest in properties are to get higher yields on rentals (56%), for good capital appreciation (55%), for retirement planning (46%), for a better environment (46%) and to own a house due to affordable pricing (36%).

Amongst home buyers, location is the most important criteria when considering a home and Klang Valley is becoming the most favoured place to own a home. Almost 55% of the participant already living in the area, with 70% of the participants are looking forward to acquire properties there.

Excessive pricing of properties is the number one deterrent for purchasing property in Malaysia amongst potential buyers. Besides that poor economic performance, the rapid increase of property prices, unpredictable real estate market and touch approval process of bank loan applications are holding back buyers to purchase a property.

There has also been a steady decline in the “overseas property sentiments” and increased interest for commercial properties.

Infographic by PropertyGuru.com.my

The Betong Orchard, a small residential development by Ken Link Capital Development in Balik Pulau. Comprises eight units of 3-storey semi-detached houses with build-up area starting from 2,700 sq.ft. onward.

This development is located along Jalan Pulau Betong, right opposite the police station.

Project Name: The Betong Orchard
Location : Balik Pulau, Penang
Property Type : 3-Storey Semi-Detached
Total Units: 8
Built-up Area: 2,700 sq.ft.
Tenure : Freehold
Indicative Price: RM900,000 onward
Developer : Ken Link Capital Development

Location Map:

The Retreat Condominium, a high-rise development by Techware Enterprise Sdn. Bhd. at Bukit Mertajam. It is strategically located Off Jalan Indah, just a mere minutes drive away from Maju Jaya Business Center.

This development offers a 27-storey residential tower with 112 condominium units. Indicative price starts from RM478,000 onward.

Property Project : The Retreat Condominium
Location : Bukit Mertajam
Property Type : Condominium
Tenure : Freehold
Built-up Area: 1,237 sq.ft. – 1,475 sq.ft.
Total Units : 110
Indicative Price: RM478,000 (condo) onward
Last Update: May 2019
Developer : Techware Enterprise Sdn. Bhd.

Location Map:

The artsy vibe of Penang has generated renewed interest among locals and tourists.

It’s hard to resist the old-world charm that Penang has to offer. From the quaint boutique hotels along Armenian Street to the Peranakan shophouses, time appears to have stood still on this island that is home to many well-preserved colonial buildings.

The only clue that modern times have arrived is the towering skyscraper of KOMTAR that has become a landmark of Penang. Since Georgetown was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008, the island had undergone a sort of cultural renaissance that marries the old and the new, yet retaining the unique flavour that is distinctly Penang.

Think local flavours like P. Ramlee and Jimmy Choo that have continued to resonate with the younger generation at trendy cafes and via street art.

ARTS FESTIVAL EQUALS BIG BUSINESS FOR TOURISM SECTOR

What has upped Penang’s hip quotient appears to be the annual George Town Festival that has become a major tourism highlight. Launched in 2010, in honour of the city’s listing by UNESCO, this arts event takes place during the entire month of August.
It features a mostly local ensemble with cultural activities ranging from experimental visual arts installation to theatre. Interestingly, this has brought about a spillover impact on the streets with colourful murals and caricatures made of metal rods that adorn the many old shophouses in the artsy district of Georgetown.

Old shophouses, in Georgetown are now being converted to quirky boutique hotels, cafes and backpackers lodges. So much so that Penang was listed on UK’s The Guardian as number 8 in the Top 40 global destinations in January 2014.

As a result, it has given this historic city a new lease of life and turn it into a hip, bohemian enclave drawing an eclectic mix of trendy locals, well-heeled tourists and budget travellers to check out what the buzz here is all about.
According to the latest available data from the state tourism board’s website, Visit Penang, Singaporeans accounted for the top visitor arrivals at 12.9 million followed by Indonesians and Thais at 2.4 million and 1.4 million respectively in 2009.

Penang is also one of the top retirement destinations among foreign retirees under the Malaysia My Second Home Programme. According to Tourism Malaysia, since March 2013, more than 21,000 applicants have been approved.

Read more here – http://iprop.my/1Nq5gJl

*This story was first published in iPropertyFocus on Nov 01, 2015