ALOR SETAR: The Barisan Nasional-led Kedah Government aims to exploit the potential of districts bordering Thailand in the north and Penang in the south to spur economic growth of Malaysia’s “rice bowl” state, says Menteri Besar Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir.
He said the south of Kedah comprising Sungai Petani and Kulim is reaping the spin-offs of Penang’s rapid development.
“The ties between Sungai Petani and Kulim with Penang are akin to that between Johor and Singapore. I am determined to develop southern Kedah by taking full advantage of Penang’s fast-paced development,” he told a media conference to mark his 100 days as Kedah Menteri Besar.
Among plans in the pipeline for Sungai Petani and Kulim are to increase rest and recreational activities that can attract Penangites especially during the weekends.
For areas in north Kedah bordering Thailand, Mukhriz said the state government hopes the Kota Putra project in the Padang Terap district and Kota Perdana Bukit Kayu Hitam project in Kubang Pasu will capitalise on the close relations with areas in southern Thailand as the source of economic growth.
He said the border areas can serve as a catalyst for tourist attraction, cashing in on visitors from Thailand crossing over to Malaysia through Kedah.
“Vehicles entering from Thailand are now heading straight to Penang, Kuala Lumpur and Johor without stopping over in Kedah.
“I hope we can do something to create activities such as building shopping centres that are attractive to them and there are goods that can be bought in this state,” he said.
Mukhriz said the state also intends to establish a logistics hub in northern Kedah to collect and distribute industrial products manufactured by the small and medium enterprises in the state throughout the country and to Thailand.
He said there are also opportunities to bring in products from Thailand to the hub for value-adding to meet the halal standard requirements and to obtain Malaysia’s halal certificate for the Malaysian market and for export.
“I think this is a good idea. We are studying it now. I can see that these activities will turn northern Kedah into a fast-pace growth area in sectors that are different from that in southern Kedah,” he said. — Bernama
This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on August 15, 2013.
MUCH has been written about the office market of late but there is another sub-segment of the property market that has been generating a bit of interest and this is in the area of development sale sub-segment where the Greater Kuala Lumpur and Johor Baru have been active in the development land transaction market, PPC International half-year report says.
Notable facts:
> Almost 90% of total notable land deals in Johor Baru are within Iskandar Malaysia, amounting to RM2.23bil.
> A “new price benchmark” was recorded in Puteri Harbour, Nusajaya @ RM334 per sq ft for agricultural land.
> The German ambassador’s residence was placed on the market for sale at RM200mil, an equivalent of RM2,500 per sq ft.
> Other than Greater KL, Johor and Penang, there was one notable land sale in Genting Highland, Klebang in Malacca and Seremban.
> The 1.43 acres commercial land in Genting Highland was transacted at RM8mil while the 16.8 acres reclaimed land in Klebang was transacted at RM54.3mil.
> Two plots of agricultural land in Seremban measuring 194 acres and 236.9 acres were transacted at RM7 and RM4.60 per sq ft respectively. This transaction was undertaken for the Bandar Seri Sendayan expansion.
> Mah Sing Group Bhd, via its subsidiary, bought one acre and the development rights on the adjoining 8.33 acres in Kota Kinabalu from Yayasan Sabah at RM21.9mil and RM163mil respectively. Together, both parcels of land are targeted for mixed development, to be known as “Kota Kinabalu Convention City”.
> Ongoing and upcoming mixed development in Greater KL
Tropicana Metropark @ Subang Jaya
n An ongoing development on 88 acres
n Estimated GDV: RM6.3bil
n Developer: Tropicana Corp Bhd
n Mixed development
n May 2013: Phase 1, Pandora Service Apartments launched
n Serviced apartments from 600-1,200 sq ft launched at RM780 psf
n Completion: 2025
Magna Ecocity @ Section 15, Shah Alam
n 20 ares
n Mixed development
n Estimated GDV: RM1.4bil
n Developer: Magna Prima Bhd
n Second half 2013: ground breaking
Pantai Sentral Park @ Pantai Dalam, KL
n Mixed dev on 58 acres
n Estimated GDV: RM3bil
n Developer: IJM Land Bhd
n Second half 2013: ground-breaking
Yet to be named @ Jalan Bukit Bintang, KL
n A 39-storey residential block on a 10-storey retail podium on 0.67 acres
n Estimated GDV: RM800 mil
n Developer: Urusharta Cemerlang (KL) Sdn Bhd
n Expected launch: Fourth quarter of 2013
Quill City @ Jalan Sultan Ismail, Kuala Lumpur
n A re-development of the abandoned Vision City on 7 acres
n Estimated GDV: RM2.5bil
n Mixed development
n Completion: Third quarter of 2014
The Star
