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MBPP to issue RFP for Teluk Kumbar affordable housing and market complex projects

September 5, 2021 By Keith Leave a Comment

A great article on Penang.

MBPP to issue RFP for Teluk Kumbar affordable housing and market complex projects

proposed-teluk-kumbar-project-location

The Penang Island City Council (MBPP) will call for Request For Proposal (RFP) through build-operate-transfer (BOT) arrangement for a public market complex and an affordable housing project in Teluk Kumbar.

MBPP councillor Abdul Latif Mohamad, who is the council’s alternate chairman for housing development, said the RFP is for the planning, construction, management and maintenance of a public market complex and an affordable housing development on Lot 908, Mukim 9, Jalan Teluk Kumbar.

“The land area is 4.371 acres. The land was bought by MBPP in 2017 at a price of RM18.6 million.

“The main purpose of calling for RFP is to optimise development on land owned by MBPP in addition to upgrading public facilities and quality of life for residents in the area,” Abdul Latif told a press conference in Teluk Kumbar today.

He added that the implementation of the project would incorporate sustainable development goals which is also in line with the Penang2030 vision for a ‘Family-focused, Green and Smart State to Inspire the Nation’.

For that, he said MBPP would like to invite developers who are interested to make an RFP offer through BOT arrangement.

Abdul Latif added that the successful tenderer would be given the right to develop and sell the affordable housing units with a 99-year state lease.

He said the successful tenderer would also be required to build, manage and maintain a public market complex for residents in the Teluk Kumbar area.

He said a RFP advertisement would be out on Sept 6, the sale of the documents from Sept 7 and the closing date for submission is on Nov 8, 2021 (12 noon).

Also present at the press conference was MBPP secretary Datuk Addnan Mohd Razali.

Proposed project location

Source: Buletin Mutiara

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Aspen Group Launches Vax to Win Campaign, with Amazing Prizes for Fully Vaccinated Malaysians

September 2, 2021 By Keith Leave a Comment

A really good post on Malaysia.

In conjunction with the 64th National Day, the Group today launched its nationwide Vax to Win Campaign to promote the Covid-19 vaccine amongst Malaysians. Prizes include a resort-inspired condominium and units of executive apartments as well as gift cards.

Aspen Group President and Group Chief Executive Officer Dato’ M. Murly said “vaccination is a silver lining in the storm of Covid-19. Vaccines are effective in preventing deaths and hospitalisation from Covid-19. Studies have also shown that vaccines significantly reduce the transmission of the virus. If the majority of Malaysians get vaccinated, we can achieve a degree of normality and recover from the Covid-19 crisis. We hope that our nationwide Vax to Win Campaign can help to drive up the national vaccination rate.”

Every fully vaccinated Malaysian in possession of their vaccination digital certificate is eligible to take part in this campaign.

“It is our way to recognise and reward Malaysians, who have come forward responsibly to get vaccinated and became part of the solution. We wish to make this year’s National Day a remarkable one for all Malaysians as we stand united to battle against this deadly pandemic,” said Dato’ M. Murly.

Encouraging Malaysians to get vaccinated, the Vax-to-Win campaign registration is open now until 31 March 2022 via www.VaxToWin.aspen.com.my.

Interested participants can register by uploading their digital vaccination certificate, answer a few simple questions and create a catchy slogan based on the theme “Emerging Stronger for The Nation” in no more than 20 words.

All Malaysians who meet the eligibility criteria are entitled to one (1) entry for the Vax to Win Campaign. More entries can be gained by purchasing Aspen Group’s properties. Existing purchasers with successful referrals can also gain more entries.

A live ballot will be broadcasted on Aspen Group’s Facebook page on 1st May 2022, to shortlist 28 participants who will be eligible for the prizes. The slogans submitted by these 28 participants will be evaluated by a panel of judges in accordance with the slogan evaluation criteria to determine the respective winners of the Grand prize, 1st – 3rd prize, 4th – 7th prize, and the consolation prizes. The winners of the Vax to Win Campaign will be officially announced on 8 May 2022.

The Vax to Win Campaign prizes are as below:

20 Consolation prizes:

RM10,000 IKEA gift card (x10 winners)
RM5,000 IKEA gift card (x10 winners)

To find out more about the Vax-to-Win campaign, its terms and conditions and eligibility, please visit www.VaxToWin.aspen.com.my.

For more information on Aspen Group’s ongoing programmes, kindly visit Aspen’s Facebook page www.facebook.com/myaspengroup or call Aspen at 1300 30 5000. Alternatively, you can find more information at www.aspen.com.my and www.aspenglove.com.my.

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Penang hotels set to re-open their doors mid-Sept

August 30, 2021 By Keith Leave a Comment

A great article on Penang Malaysia.

Most hotels here are waiting till mid-September to re-open as Penang is expected to have by then 100% of its population getting at least one Covid-19 vaccine dose.

Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) Penang Chapter chairman K. Raj Kumar said although hotels are allowed to re-open now, not many were taking in guests yet.

“I did expect there to be an increase in guests this weekend due the long weekend but some hotels have not reopened. Along the beaches, only a few resorts are open. Most will only reopen next month,” he said.

Raj Kumar said this was because overhead costs was high with too few guests at the moment.

“It is not worth it for hotels to open when there are only a few bookings as the occupancy rate has not picked up.

“We believe when the second dose is given to all, everyone will be more comfortable about staying in hotels,” he said.

The government had announced that tourism activities involving homestays and hotels within the same state for those fully vaccinated is allowed for states under Phase Two and beyond of the National Recovery Plan.

Association of Tourism Attractions Penang chairman Ch’ng Huck Theng said people were still being cautious.

“The vaccination process is ongoing and we will reach herd immunity soon. Local spots like cafes are still not allowing dine-in as well,” he said.

At Penang Hill, hikers are allowed to take the train down, since the activity is allowed as an outdoor recreation, but local tourists cannot take the train up for a leisurely visit.

“We have noticed there are fewer hikers than before and we do not let them take the train up, only allowing them to use it to make their way down from the top of the hill or the midway point,” said Penang Hill Corporation (PHC) general manager Datuk Cheok Lay Leng.

He said the rule was set because it was hard to differentiate between hikers and tourists.

“There are people who have tried to go up but we do not let them,” he said.

M Summit 191 Executive Hotel Suites general manager Moh Wei Ken said the property secured a 45% occupancy for the long weekend by offering attractive packages for fully vaccinated guests.

“We are confident this number will pick up in the next few days from walk-ins and last-minute bookings,” said Moh.

Source: TheStar.com.my

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Hundreds of houses in Penang hit by flash floods

August 23, 2021 By Keith Leave a Comment

A really good article about Malaysia.

Hundreds of houses in Penang hit by flash floods

flash-flood-in-penang-aug-2021

Rural parts of Penang island were hit with flash floods yesterday following a downpour in the afternoon, with more than 2,500 people in about 500 homes affected.

The floods began after intense rainfall which lasted for about an hour in Bayan Lepas, Balik Pulau and Teluk Bahang from about 3pm yesterday.

State transport and infrastructure committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari said the floodwaters rose to about 0.5m in certain areas but fortunately, there were no casualties. There have also been no evacuations so far despite relief centres being already prepared to take in flood victims.

He said rainfall was recorded as high as 274mm at Bagan Air Itam in Balik Pulau, with rivers rising 2.8m to 3.5m, the highest being Sungai Burung in the same town.

Zairil added that existing rivers will be deepened as a short- term measure while a study of flood hotspots will be carried out to determine drainage capacities in the long-term.

The areas affected are:

Bayan Lepas – Kampung Nelayan, Kampung Sulup, Kampung Paya, Rumah Murah Kampung Nelayan, Sekolah Sri Bayu, Teluk Kumbar, and Kampung Masjid, with 1,015 people in 203 homes affected.

Teluk Bahang – Taman Manggis with 100 people in 20 homes affected.

Pulau Betong – Sungai Burung, Balai Raya Titi Teras, Kampung Paya Kongsi, Taman Seri Indah, Kampung Pulau Betong, and Kampung Terang, with 1,500 people in 300 homes affected.

Source: FreeMalaysiaToday.com

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SITE PROGRESS: Celesta Residency (Aug 2021)

August 22, 2021 By Keith Leave a Comment

A really good post on Penang.

SITE PROGRESS: Celesta Residency (Aug 2021)

celesta-residency-site-progress-aug2021-2

About Celesta Residency

mixed development by Red Blue Development Sdn. Bhd. (TGB Group) in the established township of Sungai Nibong. Strategically located along Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah, diagonally opposite three public schools, namely SRJK(C) Kwang Hwa, SRJK(C) Shih Chung and SMK Sungai Nibong. It features a mix of residential and commercial components.

Find out more about Celesta Residency

Subscribe here for updates on this project and other property news

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MIEA debunk report on property value moving towards half-price

August 20, 2021 By Keith Leave a Comment

An interesting post on Penang Malaysia.

MIEA debunk report on property value moving towards half-price

penang properties

The Malaysian Institute of Estate Agents (MIEA) has debunked the notion of property value moving towards half-price as was reported in a local daily with the heading, “Houses at half-price, anyone?”

President Chan Ai Cheng said the two properties mentioned in the publication were isolated cases and should not be used as a yardstick for the property market in the country.

“The majority of developers do offer discounts but not as dramatic as reported. In a recent poll conducted by MIEA with real estate practitioners who are on the ground and know exactly the happenings revealed no such evidence,” she said in a statement.

She said developers have no intention of reviewing their selling prices as demand is strong, especially in established localities and in new well-planned townships.

“Though admittedly the growth rate over the past three years has been less than five percent due to the challenges in the property market, the key takeaway is that the Malaysian property market is resilient,” she added.

Source: TheEdgeMarkets.com

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Expert calls for policy shift to make houses affordable

August 19, 2021 By Keith Leave a Comment

A really good post about Penang Malaysia.

A researcher has described Malaysia’s housing policy as something that is stuck in an “identity crisis” from which it can emerge if policy makers decide whether to view a house as an asset or a necessity.

Lillian Wee of the Research for Social Advancement (Resda) think tank said the government, in giving priority to people who can afford to buy property, was shutting out those who could not or did not want to, thereby creating unequal opportunities.

Not enough attention had been given to the growing rental market, she said, noting that this was one of the issues that had been exacerbated since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“A lot of the government’s policies during and before the pandemic have prioritised home ownership and people who can afford loans or multiple houses,” she said.

“As such, those who cannot afford to take on loans or put down large downpayments are left out. These include people who choose to rent for work, mobility or lifestyle reasons. There is a lack of assistance for these people to lease affordable homes and, during the pandemic. little has been done to help them with their payments.”

Wee said housing must be viewed as essential and should therefore be made more affordable and accessible to those who need them.

“Malaysia is urbanising rapidly, with people moving from suburban and rural areas to places like Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Penang and Johor. However, these are the areas where housing prices are the highest and housing inequality is at its worst.

“There is a problem if someone from the M40 cannot afford to buy or rent a house in Kuala Lumpur, since it’s not just people from the T20 group that work there.”

She said this was typified by the building of 14,094 low-cost homes last year, well short of the National Affordable Housing Council’s target of 100,000 units annually.

“Instead, we are seeing a surge in homes that cost more than RM600,000, out of reach for most of the people the government should be looking to provide for.”

During the pandemic, with record unemployment and wage cuts, the lack of affordable housing has become more apparent.

Wee said Malaysia needed to ramp up the supply of affordable housing by offering incentives to developers to reinvest their profits to fund them.

She also said renters should get more protection, and called for moves to balance the legal power between landlords and tenants, which currently strongly favours the former.

Source: FreeMalaysiaToday.com

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Lane closures at Penang Bridge to facilitate maintenance works from Aug 16 to Dec 30

August 15, 2021 By Keith Leave a Comment

A really good article about Penang Malaysia.

Lane closures at Penang Bridge to facilitate maintenance works from Aug 16 to Dec 30

Penang Bridge

PLUS Malaysia Berhad (PLUS) and Malaysian Highway Authority (MHA) to conduct scheduled pavement maintenance works from Aug 16 to Dec 30 to improve the motorist comfort and safety for Penang Bridge customers, especially Penangites.

PLUS chief operations officer Zakaria Ahmad Zabidi in a statement yesterday said the pavement maintenance works would be carried out in stages between KM0.2 and KM8.3 from Perai to the Island stretch and it is scheduled to take place only at night starting from 10 pm to 6 am to reduce traffic disruption.

He said to facilitate the maintenance works, lane closures would be activated in stages to maintain two passable lanes at all times for public’s convenience.

“PLUS will also ensure traffic information, as well as lane closures on the bridge is disseminated to the public continuously through electronic signages placed at strategic locations leading to Penang Bridge.

“However, during maintenance work on the middle lane, the right lane will need to be closed for safety purposes. Therefore, only the left lane is accessible to traffic. If there is a need, the right lane will be open to customers,” he said.

Therefore, highway customers are also advised to plan their journey or utilise other alternative routes throughout the period, he added.

Source: Bernama

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PSI project brings social uplift to local community

August 14, 2021 By Keith Leave a Comment

A great post about Malaysia.

Artist’s impression

The Penang South Islands (PSI) project is bringing social uplift to the local community besides creating new land bank for the state’s future development, Penang Infrastructure Corporation (PIC) chief executive officer Datuk Seri Farizan Darus said.

He was tasked by the Penang government to oversee the execution of the project.

Farizan said that the project had already started providing stable jobs to fishermen, white-collar workers, and fresh graduates even before the reclamation begins.

“We want the local Penangites to benefit from the project.

“The PSI does not only create job opportunities to professionals such as engineers, architects, planners, and others. The project also provides job opportunities to the non-professionals and technical workers.

“Besides that, the project brings great value to the downstream value chain of the construction sector with spill over benefits to the other sectors,” he said in a statement.

It is learnt that currently more than 120 employees are on staff for PSI, including the local fisherfolk.

They are now earning stable salary and enjoying full-time perks such as insurance coverage, Perkeso and EPF contribution, which they previously didn’t have as fishermen.

Farizan said the PSI project was timely as it provided the necessary relief to the present economic recession in the state.

Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Ahmad Zakiyuddin Abdul Rahman welcomed the social uplift brought by the PSI project to the fishermen community.

“The PSI project provides career options to the fishermen. Without the project, job opportunity is limited.

“The Penang government prioritises the social uplifting of the fishermen. Therefore, RM100 million is allocated under the PSI project to fund community improvement programmes and fisheries enhancement initiatives,” he said.

Ahmad Zakiyuddin said the fishermen community would not be hindered from going to the sea as there would be a 250-metre-wide channel prepared for their use.

“Besides that, the fishermen community is provided with financial aid, new boats and engines, four new jetties for fishing vessels, new jobs and business opportunities, reskilling trainings, free tuitions and scholarships.

“The deployment of artificial reefs and fish aggregating devices, release of fish and prawn fry, planting of mangrove, and funding fisheries research to enhance coastal ecosystem for fisheries will also be carried out,” he added.

PIC said the Department of Fisheries’ (DoF) reports from 2013 to 2019 had shown that land reclamation projects have minimal impact on the state’s fisheries.

“The reclamation at Tanjung Tokong and Bayan Bay, began in 2016 and 2017 respectively, did not lead to a decreasing trend for fisheries.

“Marine fish landings (from 2017 to 2019) have increased from 153,864 tonnes (2013-2015) to 157,734 tonnes after the commencement of the two projects.

“The three-year average fish landing per fisherman recorded 40.5% growth from 7.66 tonnes (2013-2015) to 10.76 tonnes (2017-2019),” PIC said.

Adam Anuar, who is currently working as an information officer at the Pusat Perkhidmatan Setempat Nelayan (PPSN), said his new job helped him to save enough money to own a motorcycle.

“I can pay for the motorcycle instalment and monthly rental now,” said Adam, who was formerly a fisherman.

The PPSN is the PSI’s engagement centre serving the local fishing community.

Adam’s colleague who was also a fisherman, Samsuar Hasshim, said his salary enabled his family to have a better life.

Source: Buletin Mutiara

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Desa Bayan apartment to receive RM123,000 for repair works under TPM80PP

August 10, 2021 By Keith Leave a Comment

An interesting post about Penang.

The Penang government has spent a total of RM281.7 million for the maintenance works in public and private housing schemes in the state since 2008.

State Local Government, Housing, Town and Country Planning Committee chairman Jagdeep Singh Deo said the amount spent was up to July 31 this year.

He said the total spending included maintenance works under public housing scheme; maintenance works under Penang Island City Council (MBPP) housing scheme, maintenance works under Seberang Perai City Council (MBSP) housing scheme and Penang Maximum 80% Maintenance Fund (TPM80PP).

“Generally under TPM80PP, a total of RM45.24 million has been spent.

“This involved various works that have been carried out for 479 projects, like upgrading of flats’ lifts, replacement of water tanks, replacement of roofs, painting, road paving and others.

“The state also hopes that the Federal Government can assist the state in this maintenance works’ projects.

“We appeal for their kind consideration in order to assist the needy staying in the flats,” he told reporters after visiting Desa Bayan apartment in Bayan Lepas yesterday.

During the visit, Jagdeep announced that the state has approved the repair works for five lifts in Desa Bayan apartment.

“This 21-year-old apartment has five blocks with a total of 720 units.

“The residents here have been facing this long-standing problem. Hence, I am happy to announce that the state will bear 80% of the RM123,000 repair cost.

“The remaining 20% will be borne by state Entrepreneurial Development, Trade and Industry Committee chairman Datuk Abdul Halim Hussain, who is also the Batu Maung assemblyman,” he said, adding the repair works, which are scheduled to start this month, would take about 16 weeks.

Abdul Halim, who was present, noted the plight of the residents staying in the apartment, especially with the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

Source: Buletin Mutiara

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