Penang, affectionately known as the Pearl of the Orient is a famed tourist destination blessed with long stretches of sandy beaches and lush hills of tropical rainforests. This natural haven is also rich in history and culture with its capital, George Town recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and its hawker fare renowned the world over.

Driven by a thriving economy supported by a progressive manufacturing and tourism industry, Penang continues to attract accolades as this unique turtle-shaped island is consistently being listed as one of the top retirement cities in the world by many of the world’s leading magazines and websites.

One of the most distinctive residential address in Penang is Seri Tanjung Pinang, a seafronting masterplanned development at the northeast tip of the island. Standing majestically within one of the most prime lots at Seri Tanjung Pinang is 18 East at Andaman, the crème de la crème of resort homes with the finest of facilities and amenities.

Upscale communities and neighbouring townships

Straits Quay, the very first seafront retail marina in Penang is sited next to 18 East, aptly enhancing the experience of living by the sea with its array of dining and retail outlets topped with a panoramic seafront promenade and marina.

Just a short drive from 18 East, you will find Batu Ferringhi, the famous tourist belt famed for its sandy and beautiful beaches.

Gurney Drive, the world-famous hawker paradise is just a short drive from Seri Tanjung Pinang. This plus the host of leading 5-star hotels in the vicinity will leave you spoilt for choice when it comes to dining and entertainment for you and your guests.

Prominent Malls and Eateries

For your daily needs, all it takes is a few minutes’ walk to the Tesco hypermarket in Seri Tanjung Pinang.

If you seek more shopping options, there are a variety of malls like Island Plaza, Gurney Plaza and Gurney Paragon and the upcoming City Mall Outlets that offer simple to luxury brands, all just a few minutes’ drive away.

When it comes to food, the area is dotted with an array of restaurants offering a tantalising variety of seafood, Asian, Western and Mediterranean options.

International Class Education Options

If international education is what you seek for your children then there are two famous international school within a few kilometres, namely Dalat International School and Tenby International School.

Should you opt for public education, the reputable Penang Chinese Girls School (Peng Hwa) and Phoy Tay High School are less than ten minutes’ drive away with many more schools and education institutions nearby.

Resort Home Like No Other

At the end of the day, come home to 18 East, a home and a resort all in one. Head straight to the sprawling 4.5 acre residents’ private water park — that’s equal to four football fields — for some much-needed R&R. Or if you prefer a leisurely stroll, the 6.9 acres of greens within 18 East will be perfect for this. Venture beyond the boundaries of the development and you will find a seafronting promenade stretching from 18 East past Straits Quay and on to the southern part of Seri Tanjung Pinang.

18 East also boasts a world-class 14,000 sqft grand clubhouse complete with private 50-seat Gold Class theatrette, perfect for entertaining guests to a movie marathon. The clubhouse also offers a lounge, function space, outdoor dining terrace, and a fully-functional kitchen, ideal for hosting friends in an amiable and cosy dining space.

After all that activity, you will look forward to returning to one of 18 East’s generously-sized units which come in one bedroom (877-1,123 sqft), two bedroom (2,036-2,057 sqft), and three bedroom (2,770–2,824 sqft) configurations, all with meticulous attention to efficient use of space.

To further differentiate 18 East at Andaman, an enhanced set of fittings and quality finishes with top range appliances such as a wine chiller and dish washer are included. All apartments come with fully-fitted kitchen cabinets complete with hob, hood, oven, microwave and integrated fridge with granite kitchen counter top. Air-conditioning units are included, and, in a nice touch befitting seaside resort living, ceiling fans are also provided. In the larger apartments, the bathroom features dual sinks, a signature design feature offered by the developer.

This, is the unique and distinctive lifestyle offered to you by Malaysia’s premier developer, E&O. Those who know, insist on E&O.

* Find out more about 18 East @ Andaman *

Malaysian Resources Corp Bhd (MRCB)’s Penang Sky Cab, a 4.8km cable car system first mooted by the state government in March last year to connect mainland Penang in Butterworth and Jelutong in Penang Island, is expected to begin construction in the first quarter of 2018 (1Q2018).

MRCB special project general manager Dennis Tan Hui Long said the project is expected to be completed in 3Q2019. It is estimated to cost between RM500 million and RM700 million, based on similar projects in Europe, the United States and Asia.

However, the Sky Cab project, aimed at adding value, akin to a tourism project, to the RM2 billion Penang Sentral transport-oriented development (TOD), is not a revenue-generating project, said Tan.

“This is not a profitable project. It is the state government’s dream project, but we are not doing it as a CSR (corporate social responsibility) project. It is being done for our own development interest as well because it will complement our Penang Sentral project, which is an integrated TOD like KL Sentral,” he told The Edge Financial Daily last week.

He was speaking on the sidelines of the public consultation session on the detailed environmental impact assessment (DEIA) of the project.

Penang Sentral located on the mainland, connecting both the mainland and Penang Island, will have a hotel and a shopping mall too.

“Therefore, we see the Sky Cab project as a project that can add value to our development,” he said.

MRCB, however, cannot ascertain the exact cost of the project at this juncture because it is still conducting a feasibility study on it, he added.

Tan stressed that the detailed design, and cost of construction and materials have to be taken into account first before ascertaining the final project cost. The cable car system is a new idea and was not featured previously in the RM27 billion Penang Transport Master Plan, which has a 15-year completion period.

“It could be more or less [than an RM500 million to RM700 million estimation]; we cannot say for sure yet,” he said, adding that the group intends to fund the project internally and via bank borrowings.

MRCB expects to submit the DEIA to the department of environment this month before it gets down to the detailed design works, which it expects will be from June to December this year.

Tenders for the cable car system, design, construction and engineering will be called in August and December 2016 respectively. Preliminary designs revealed last year showed that the Penang Sky Cab will have 40 gondolas that could transport up to 1,000 persons every hour on a 15-minute journey and take in the views of the middle of the channel through an observatory tower.

Meanwhile, Tan revealed that ticket fares for Sky Cab for daily commuters had been tentatively set at RM2.50, RM15 for domestic tourists and RM35 for foreign commuters.

“The fare is expected to increase every five years. By the year 2043, the fare for commuters will go up to RM4.80, RM28.50 for domestic tourists and RM65 for foreign tourists,” he shared.

“From our study, we see tourists’ fare increasing by 20% every five years, while the commuters’ fare will rise 40% every 10 years,” he added.

According to his presentation, ridership will grow 5% per annum in the first five years, before decreasing by 2% per annum in the last five years.

“The passenger mix will involve 34% domestic tourists, 26% foreign tourists and 40% commuters. We believe commuters will shift from ferries and the bridge,” he said.

Tan added that 60% of the fare revenue contribution would be generated from foreign tourists, 33% from domestic tourists and the remainder from commuters.

Source: TheEdgeProperty.com.my

Visitors swarming like bees at the tulip garden at the Eco Meadow sales gallery in Simpang Ampat, south Seberang Prai, Penang.

It is springtime at the EcoWorld Gallery @ Eco Meadows in Simpang Ampat, south Seberang Prai, Penang.

A host of 16,888 colourful tulips are seen sprouting behind the showroom building in Jalan Paboi, not far from the Tambun toll plaza.

Part of a promotion for the Eco Bloom project in Batu Kawan, thegarden has attracted visitors fromnear and far to snap pictures of the beautiful artificial flowers.

Among them was 33-year-old land surveyor Mohd Subhi Md Nor, 33, who brought his family from Baling, Kedah.

“Many of my friends have shared their photos with the vibrant-looking flowers, so we decided to take a trip down here to see for ourselves.

“This is a very good concept to attract visitors to the sales gallery even if they don’t intend to buy the houses.

“The garden-themed setupreally makes the homes seem very comfortable to live in,” said Mohd Subhi.

He was accompanied by his wife Noor Hazimah Rusli, 33, and their daughters Noor Danieya Safiah Mohd Subhi, seven, and Noor Daniesya Safrina Mohd Subhi, four.

Contractor Tan Kim Siah, 40, from Sitiawan, Perak, also spent almost an hour with his family at the garden.

“We took a lot of photos as there are so many decorative objects beside the flowers.

“The maze-like walking pathsurrounded by grass is also an interesting idea. And there’s the gazebo in the middle to shelter us from the hot sun.

“We will look like we are in Holland in the photos,” he said.

At night, the tulips will ‘come to life’ as every stalk is installed with LED lights.

The exhibition, which started March 19 and ends April 17, is open from 9am to 8pm on weekdays and 10am to 8pm on weekends.

The Eco Bloom project is a mixed development project comprising 490 condominium units and 23 shop lots.

The condo units, priced between RM350,000 and RM600,000, come in three sizes of 800sq ft, 900sq ft and 1,100sq ft.

The shoplots are priced from RM1.5mil onwards.

Source: TheStar.com.my

The Penang housing market will see houses on the secondary market and in new projects priced below RM450,000 hogging the limelight in the coming months, says Raine & Horne International Zaki + Partners director Michael Geh (pictured, below). However, the more pressing issue is the inordinately long delay in getting approval for the Advertising Permit and Development Licence (APDL).

“For the first time in the Penang property market, the APDL is being withheld for about 1½ years. This has caused havoc as developers are not able to launch. This is a taking a very serious toll on the property market,” Geh says in presenting The Edge/Raine & Horne Penang Housing Property Monitor 4Q2015. APDL approval usually takes about a month.

Apart from this, buyers are finding it difficult to obtain housing loans. “The majority are being offered loans of 60% to 75% and many don’t have enough money to conclude the purchase,” he says.

Despite this, the secondary market continued to see activity in 4Q2015 even as transactions remained flat in the primary market.

Meanwhile, the recent announcement about the island’s light rail transit (LRT) project was warmly welcomed.

“The stakeholders in the property business reacted positively to the Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP) and residents are optimistic about the capital appreciation of their homes,” says Geh.

The RM27 billion PTMP is aimed at mitigating traffic congestion in the state by 2030.

But some residents whose houses are close to the proposed LRT stations have voiced their worries about the parking situation. Geh says indiscriminate parking near LRT stations is a concern because of the shortage of parking space, and that more parking facilities are needed to alleviate the problem.

In spite of this, activity in the secondary property market near proposed LRT stations is expected to increase.

“The areas close to the proposed LRT stations along the line from Prangin Canal to the airport are turning hot while other stations from the Prangin Canal hub to the Straits Quay area have also begun to be desirable,” Geh says.

Areas such as Macallum Street, Karpal Singh Drive, The Light, Queensbay, World City, SPICE Arena and Bayan Lepas are also to watch.

On the mainland, properties around Batu Kawan in the secondary market will be worth keeping tabs on.

Another notable development was the revocation of Sunway Bhd’s planning permission to develop the slopes of Relau Hills following protests by residents. Developers will need to consider carefully plans to develop hillsides, he says.

Terraced houses

All single-storey terraced houses on Penang island saw year-on-year price growth while prices remained unchanged on the mainland.

One-storey terraced houses in Jelutong saw the highest price growth, rising 15.38% to RM900,000. This was followed by houses in Sungai Dua (14.29% to RM800,000), Sungai Ara (11.94% to RM750,000) and Green Lane (8.87% to RM850,000). House prices in Tanjung Bungah and Bandar Bayan Baru rose 6.67% and 1.96% respectively.

Quarter-on-quarter growth remained unchanged for all houses surveyed in this category.

For 2-storey terraced houses, most areas on the island surveyed saw price growth while on the mainland, prices were unchanged from a year ago.

The top two areas were Sungai Ara, with an 11.11% increase to RM1 million, and Pulau Tikus, up 10.34% to RM1.6 million from a year ago.

In Sungai Nibong, the price of single-storey houses rose 4.55% to RM1.15 million, but that in Green Lane saw no change.

On a quarterly basis, only houses in Pulau Tikus saw price growth of 6.67% to RM1.6 million.

Semi-detached and detached houses

According to the monitor, 2-storey semi-detached houses in Island Park, Sungai Ara and Sungai Nibong saw price growth y-o-y.

Prices rose 12.5% to RM2.25 million in Island Park, 3.7% to RM1.4 million in Sungai Ara and 2.86% to RM1.8 million in Sungai Nibong. Prices were stagnant for semidees in Sungai Dua and Miden Heights.

On a quarterly basis, only houses in Island Park rose 2.27%. The other areas surveyed remained unchanged.

For 2-storey detached houses, price growth was subdued, with only houses in Island Glades, Green Lane and Pulau Tikus showing growth.

In the Island Glade area, prices rose 3.57% to RM2.9 million. Prices in Green Lane gained 2.86% to RM3.6 million while those in Pulau Tikus increased 2% to RM5.1 million.

Only houses in Island Glades showed an increase from the previous quarter of 3.57%.

Flats and condominiums

For standard 3-room flats, all areas surveyed saw an increase in price from a year ago, led by Bandar Batu Air Itam (21.05% to RM230,000), followed by Paya Terubong (20% to RM180,000) and Green Lane (18.75% to RM380,000).

Also showing price growth were flats in Sungai Dua and Lip Sin Garden (16.67% to RM350,000) and Relau (15.38% to RM300,000).

Q-o-q, only flats in Bandar Baru Air Itam and Paya Terubong showed an increase, up 4.55% and 5.88% respectively.

All condominiums surveyed showed price growth from the previous year, with units in Pulau Tikus and Tanjung Tokong at the top, both rising 12.07% to RM650,000.

This was followed by units in Tanjung Bungah (8.33% to RM650,000), Batu Uban (7.69% to RM420,000), Island Park/Glades (6.67% to RM480,000) and Batu Ferringhi (4.65% to RM450,000).

On a quarterly basis, all condos showed no price movement.

Source: TheEdgeProperty.com.my

The RM1.3mil fencing along Gurney Drive to facilitate work on the Gurney Wharf development project in George Town.

Members of the public aresupportive of Penang’s Gurney Wharf project according to a survey carried out by the state, according to Penang Housing, Town and Country Planning Committee chairman Jagdeep Singh Deo.

“More than 80% of the 832 individuals and five organisations who responded to thepublic survey on the Gurney Wharf project gave theirsupport.”

Jagdeep said 356 respondents also gave suggestions and some of them would be taken into consideration.

“Some requested more suitable parking spaces, more greenery, more shade in the park and better brighter lighting at night.

“Many of the respondentsalso thanked the state for the project which they said would transform the entire stretch of Gurney Drive,” Jagdeep told a press conference on Saturday.

Also present was Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.

Jagdeep said the five organisations that gave their feedback were the Consumers Association of Penang, Bella Vista Management Corporation, Regency Management Corporation, Penang Institute and Photosyn Sdn Bhd.

The exhibition and public feedback exercise were held from Feb 23 to March 6.

The proposed seafront public recreation area will be created on a 24.28ha plot of reclaimed land, using concepts inspired by internationally acclaimed parks and is set to be completed in 2020.

According to the plan, the seaside facilities would comprise a public waterfront promenade, dining outlets serving Penang’s famed hawker fare and a pier.

The makeover includes creating a 400m sandy beach and a skate park while theexisting casuarina trees – asignature of Gurney Drive – would be preserved.

Lim, Jagdeep and several other exco members visited the 1.5km anti-climb mesh fencing from the Gurney Drive round-about to the southward end of Gurney Drive in Jalan Pangkor.

The fencing installation work, which started in late February, is expected to be completed in 12 months.

The cost of the fencing, which is 40 percent more than the standard metal sheet, is RM1.3 mil.

Source: TheStar.com.my