NEW STUFFS - DISCUSSION, NEWS & PICTURES III | Just message anything new of what you have seen or heard here.

[dengilo]

NO idealah rizal !The piling rig looks like its for micro piles?Perhaps its another "bangunan sementara" project

[rizalhakim]

Ascendes IT Park @ Cyberjaya
image hosted on flickr

[Tulsa]

Originally Posted by dengilo

Does KL Plaza have a new owner????Or they going thru a massive renovation ??This is another mall in kl with the same ass luck like "the once yow chuan",wilayah and wisma central.

I stand corrected but from what I gather, KL Plaza has been bought over by a middle-eastern group (the same group that part-owned Pavilion KL)

[dengilo]

Thats what i been told too!!!

[rizalhakim]

Naik taraf kawasan Chow Kit

KUALA LUMPUR: Kawasan Chow Kit yang terkenal sebagai pusat pelacuran dan sarang penagih dadah bakal berubah wajah selepas kerajaan menaik taraf kawasan itu sebagai pusat pelancongan yang akan dilaksanakan tahun depan.

Menteri Wilayah Persekutuan, Datuk Seri Zulhasnan Rafique, berkata dibawah Rancangan Malaysia Kesembilan (RMK-9), kerajaan memperuntukkan RM40 juta membabitkan keseluruhan projek pembangunan di ibu kota termasuk Chow Kit.

“Bagi merealisasikan hasrat itu, kementerian memperuntukkan RM14 juta bagi mempertingkatkan Jalan Dewan Sultan Sulaiman dari satu lorong kepada dua lorong pergi dan balik, selain menghubungkan terus laluan itu ke Jalan Raja Abdullah seterusnya ke Jalan Tengku Abdul Rahman yang siap pada April lalu.

“Kami juga merancang membangunkan kemudahan infrastruktur kawasan ini seperti menaik taraf pasar, penyusunan kawasan perniagaan serta meningkatkan perkhidmatan awam,” katanya pada sidang media selepas majlis pelancaran Program Gerakan Tumpuan Kawasan Chow Kit di sini, semalam.


Hadir sama, Ketua Setiausaha Kementerian Wilayah Persekutuan, Datuk Ahmad Phesal Talib; Timbalan Ketua Pengarah (Perkhidmatan) Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur (DBKL), Datuk Mohd Amin Nordin Abdul Aziz dan Ketua Polis Kuala Lumpur, Datuk Muhammad Sabtu Osman.




Beliau berkata, kementerian itu melancarkan program Gerakan Tumpuan yang bermatlamat supaya kawasan Chow Kit dapat diberi nafas baru dan mengembalikan jenamanya sebagai pusat tumpuan orang ramai, bukan saja sebagai tempat membeli-belah, malah sebagai kawasan pelancongan.

“Kuala Lumpur juga mempunyai kawasan yang terkenal dengan keunikan masing-masing seperti Bukit Bintang, Pudu, Jalan Masjid India dan Kampung Baru.

“Dalam hal ini, Chow Kit juga tidak ketinggalan dan terkenal dengan pasar dan gerai jualan yang menjadi tumpuan pelancong asing dan tempatan,” katanya.

Zulhasnan berkata, menjadi hasrat kerajaan melalui DBKL dapat berganding bahu memberi tumpuan kepada Chow Kit untuk melaksanakan aktiviti yang boleh menjurus kepada kemasyhuran jenamanya.

[rizalhakim]

RM600m asset sale
By Sharen KaurPublished: 2008/12/02

Developer MK Land is in talks with potential buyers for some of the properties and hopes to seal deals next year, says its chief executive officer Tan Sri Mustapha Kamal

MK LAND Holdings Bhd (8893), a property developer, aims to sell non-core assets worth up to RM400 million to fund new projects that will be launched from next year.

The developer also plans to sell 9.2ha at its Damansara Perdana township in Petaling Jaya for RM200 million and pockets of land elsewhere to pare debt.

"This is all part of our reorganisation strategy to turn around MK Land," chief executive officer Tan Sri Mustapha Kamal Abu Bakar told Business Times in an interview in Damansara Perdana yesterday.

Mustapha Kamal, who returned to helm the company in June after a brief spell with his private companies, outlined the details of his three-year plan to rejuvenate MK Land last week.
Central to the plan is the sale of assets. They include properties under its leisure and education divisions, such as the Bukit Merah Laketown Institute of Allied Health Sciences, Taiping Golf Resort and Bukit Merah Laketown Resort in Perak and the Langkawi Lagoon Resort in Kedah.

MK Land is in talks with potential buyers for some of the properties and hopes to seal deals next year, Mustapha Kamal said.

As for new launches next year, it has lined up the Northwest project in Damansara Perdana comprising hillside semi-detached homes. It will also relaunch Armanee Terrace Block B. Both are worth some RM250 million collectively.

MK Land has eight current projects in Kedah, Perak and the Klang Valley worth more than RM10 billion.

Since Mustapha Kamal took over on June 25, MK Land has returned to profitability, after losing money in 2007 and 2008.

In the first quarter to September 30 2008, it posted net profit of RM4.9 million while revenue more than doubled to RM77 million as it sold 240 completed units between June and October.

MK Land has appointed Lau Shu Chuan, Balasundram R., Fatimah Wahab and Yusof Abu Othman as chief operating officers to handle specific tasks.

The four were roped in from Emkay Group and its associate firm, Setia Haruman Sdn Bhd, the master developer of Cyberjaya.

Emkay Group is controlled by Mustapha Kamal.

Besides developing low-, medium- and high-end properties, MK Land will also develop purpose-built office buildings to enhance profit margins.

It also plans to venture into India and Brunei.

[rizalhakim]

Residence Hotels expects business to grow 15pc in 2009
By Vasantha GanesanPublished: 2008/12/03


OPERATOR of hotels, lounges and cafes, Residence Hotels and Resorts Sdn Bhd (RHR), expects business to grow by between 10 per cent and 15 per cent next year, as it grows its portfolio of properties under management.

RHR, best known as the operator of Best Western Premier Seri Pacific in Kuala Lumpur, will in 2009 add a hotel in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, a club house, a cafe and a convention centre under its management.

Managing director Rohanna Ramli said that she was cautious on RHR's growth projection for next year given the global economic slowdown.

Revenue in 2008 is estimated to grow by a fifth over 2007.

"We have signed a management deal to operate the Fal Al-Saha Hotel in Mecca starting February 15 2009. It is a four-star hotel located 300 metres from the Holy Haram," Rohanna said.

"We will also operate a Club House in Nusajaya and a Cafe in KL Sentral which are both under UEM. We will also be operating a conference centre which will be ready next year," Rohanna said.

The newly refurbished Best Western Premier is expected to contribute to the higher revenue as the hotel raises rates to between RM230 and RM250 a night from RM205 a night this year.

Rohanna was talking to Business Times following a a signing ceremony between the 560-room Best Western Premier and 1,259-room five star Sultan Hotel in Jakarta.

The parties, represented by Sultan Hotel's general manager Jean Wasser, signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on cross-selling between both properties.

The partnership will also entail image building, food promotion and exchange of staff.

Meanwhile, Rohanna said that plans to manage a hotel in Mecca has finally materialised after some eight years.

In the first year of operations, Rohanna hopes to achieve an average occupancy of 70 per cent and a gross operating profit (GOP) of 30 per cent.

Hotel occupancy and rates in Mecca fluctuate depending on the Ramadan, Haj or Umrah period.

According to Rohanna, hotel rates are at their peak during the last 10 days of the fasting month.

"The rates are RM30,000 for 10 days or RM1,500 per person per night ... guests are charged for all 10 days whether they stay one night or all 10. If it is triple, room charges go up to RM4,500 a night," she said.

And in the low season, room rates are about RM200 per night per room.

Following the group's move into Mecca, Rohanna hopes to be able to manage a hotel in Medinah in the future.

Locally, RHR is exploring Kota Kinabalu, Sabah and Penang for future hotel management contracts.

It also manages the Residence Resort Paka in Trengganu; Residence Desa Lagoon Resort in Port Dickson; MAS Golden Lounge in KLIA and Langkawi; MAS Academy in Kelana Jaya; Bank Negara Malaysia's Sri Kijang in Langkawi and Lanai Kijang in Kuala Lumpur.

[dengilo]

Originally Posted by rizalhakim

any idea the new project nex to wisma jerneh?? i heard its a 35storeys office tower but cant confirm anytin.....project just started....no signboard or anytin..so weirdla!!

Itu signboard cakap ahh 35-30 .So its going to be 5 storeys only

[rizalhakim]

Bukit Antarabangsa tragedy...

[rizalhakim]

Highland projects frozen in Pahang, Penang and Perak


KUALA LUMPUR: Several states have stopped highland development following the Bukit Antarabangsa landslide on Saturday.

Pahang Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob said he had asked that local authorities to refer property development to the state government before carrying them out.

“The move is being made after the state government found one or two unsuitable projects implemented,” he said in an SMS statement yesterday.


Environment hazard : A file picture of the hillslope development taking place at Batu Ferringhi, Penang.

Before this, he said local authorities had been approving development plans based on recommendations by their technical departments.

Adnan said so far, developments in Fraser’s Hill were fully controlled while those in Cameron Highlands and Bukit Tinggi needed to be re-evaluated.

“In Pahang, there are still many areas which can be developed and these are not highlands,” he added.

The Penang Government will require all hillslope project developers to submit weekly geotechnical reports to the Penang Municipal Council.

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the new requirement was among the additional guidelines on hill- slope developments and was required for both on-going and completed projects.

Lim said the state would also look into working with the Malaysian Public Works Institute to implement a slope safety system similar to the one implemented in Hong Kong.

“Another step is for the state to seek independent expert opinions on hillslope developments from time to time,” he told reporters after inspecting a hillslope residential project at Batu Ferringhi yesterday.

Perak will put on hold any application to develop hillslopes for housing, said Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin.

He said the state government would not consider any such project until studies by various technical departments showed the projects were safe.

“It is a freeze because the incident in Banding is very fresh in our minds. The state lost RM4.4mil because of it,” he told reporters after attending the Deepavali Open House yesterday.

The Perak State Park Corporation administrative building on Banding Island collapsed on Nov 13 last year. The surrounding areas had clear signs of soil erosion.

[rizalhakim]

Najib: Review existing hillside projects


PEKAN: All existing projects near hillsides should be reviewed to ensure they are safe to be carried out, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

He said projects at high risk areas which had yet to start work should be scrapped to avoid a repeat of Saturday’s tragedy.


“I hope the state governments will not approve any more hillside developments in high-risk areas,” he told reporters after presenting cattle to be sacrificed on Raya Aidiladha to representatives of mosques and surau.

The meat from the sacrificed animal are to be distributed to the needy in the Pekan parliamentary constituency.

“Ikram (Malaysian Public Works Institute) has the expertise to decide on the feasibility of the projects but the question is whether its technical advice is heeded by the parties concerned.”

Najib, who is Pekan MP, said there was enough tragedies in the past to remind developers who were keen on developing hillside projects.

“I hope the state governments will not be easily persuaded by these overzealous developers in pushing their projects through,” he said.

“We don’t need to advise them as they should know because mishaps have happened several times.”

He added that since land matters fell under the jurisdiction of the respective states, the Government could only provide them with certain guidelines.

On the prediction by experts of more landslides would occur due to the rainy season, Najib said it depended on whether there had been over-development in such areas.

Deputy Housing And Local Government Minister Datuk Robert Lau meanwhile said people residing in hillside developments have to vacate their homes if the areas have been classified as high risk by the Public Words Department.

Speaking to reporters when visiting the landslide site at Bukit Antarabangsa in Kuala Lumpur, Lau said the houses would be eventually torn down and the area would be rehabilitated and turned into a green area.

[OshHisham]

surveyors should be involved when approving the projects, not only architect and engineers. hillslope doesn't nessasarily dangerous....

huh...i dreamed to have a house on top of a hill..

[rizalhakim]

TH Properties and mSET team up


KUALA LUMPUR: TH Properties Sdn Bhd, the property arm of Lembaga Tabung Haji, will be tapping the expertise of the Malaysian Society for Engineering & Technology (mSET) for continued value-add to its development projects.

TH Properties chief executive officer Zaharuddin Saidon said it was vital for a developer to look at quality and not just the bottom line.

“The tie-up with mSET will help us better identify building procedures and improve construction efficiency and quality,” he told a press conference announcing the tie-up with mSET yesterday.

Set up in December 2007, mSET comprises a large pool of engineers, quality surveyors, architects, engineering technologists, technicians and allied professionals.


Zaharuddin Saidon

Its president Prof Abang Abdullah Abang Ali said mSET was formed to reach out to the large number of engineers, engineering technologists and technicians who were not professionally networked.

“Collaborating with TH Properties will help improve the level of performance of our professionals,” he said.

Zaharuddin said TH Properties would be seeking mSET’s assistance in the development of all of its projects. Besides its flagship project in Bandar Enstek, Negri Sembilan, the company also has a number of projects in the Klang Valley.

“We will seek its (mSET) assistance as and when necessary,” he said, adding that mSET was well-connected with foreign-based professional organisations.

“Finding the right consultants can take time and delay projects. Through mSET, we can have speedy access to a host of local and foreign professionals,” he said.

He added that by having a pool of consultants at its disposal, TH Properties could carry out its construction works more prudently.

On another note, Zaharuddin said it was premature for the Government to consider reviewing all existing developments near hillslopes following the landslide at Bukit Antarabangsa last Saturday.

“Projects should not be halted just because of a disaster. Land is scarce and we still need to develop projects on hillsides.

“This is where engineers and architects play a crucial part in giving good advice to developers on their projects,” he said.

[OshHisham]

yeah, i support his statement. not all projects on hillsides are prone to disaster lah beb!

[patchay]

i find that statement full of greed and very insensitive and at this point of time...

[patchay]

[rizalhakim]

Originally Posted by patchay

the stonor place not bad lah.... for the kl sentral project i think dats da earlier proposal lah....still preferd the hijjas kasturi

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr

[patchay]

i forgot to mention... why i put Light Penang... see the dome there.. it's floating on water!

[rizalhakim]

Bukit Antarabangsa runtuh lagi Jun 2009?

Oleh WAN SYAMSUL AMLY

KUALA LUMPUR 10 Dis. – Pergerakan tanah yang sedang berlaku di Bukit Antarabangsa, Hulu Klang sekarang dijangka menyebabkan satu lagi kejadian tanah runtuh di kawasan itu dalam tempoh kurang daripada enam bulan selepas tragedi besar yang mengorbankan empat nyawa, Sabtu lepas.

Pensyarah Jabatan Sains Ukur dan Geomatik Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM), Prof. Madya Dr. Syed Jamaludin Syed Ali berkata, pergerakan tanah itu akan mengakibatkan tragedi tersebut berulang dan kali ini mungkin lebih dahsyat lagi.

Beliau juga tidak menolak kemungkinan tempoh itu akan menjadi lebih singkat seandainya tanah berkenaan bergerak lebih laju akibat dibantu faktor kekerapan hujan seperti yang sedang berlaku sekarang.

“Secara logiknya pergerakan tanah sedang berlaku selepas kejadian pertama minggu lepas. Kita tidak menolak kemungkinan satu lagi kejadian akan terjadi dalam masa kurang daripada enam bulan dari sekarang.

“Pengetahuan ini memang menjadi teknik pemantauan yang digunakan pakar-pakar dalam bidang ini. Kajian sistematik juga tidak menolak kejadian tanah runtuh akan berulang lagi di sana,” katanya ketika dihubungi di sini hari ini.

Beliau mengulas insiden tanah runtuh yang berlaku di Bukit Antarabangsa baru-baru ini yang mengorbankan empat nyawa, menyebabkan lebih 3,000 penduduk kawasan itu diarahkan mengosongkan kediaman masing-masing kerana keadaan tidak selamat.

Dr. Syed Jamaludin memberitahu, pergerakan yang berlaku di dalam tanah di kawasan itu seharusnya disedari dan tidak dinafi oleh mana-mana pihak.

“Realitinya ialah tanah itu sedang bergerak dan pergerakan tersebut bakal membawa bencana susulan seandainya tiada langkah segera diambil,” katanya.

Sehubungan itu, beliau berkata, pihak berkuasa perlu memantau kawasan berkenaan secara berterusan dan mengkaji risiko susulan yang akan berlaku seandainya penduduk masih dibenarkan tinggal di sana.

Jelasnya, sejarah sudah membuktikan kawasan itu tidak selamat dan pihak berkenaan seharusnya tidak menanggung risiko dengan terus membenarkan penempatan dibuat di Bukit Antarabangsa.

“Pihak berkuasa perlu memantau dengan teliti masalah ini. Sebenarnya tiada alasan lagi untuk membiarkan risiko itu terus dibebankan ke atas penduduk di kawasan itu.

“Banyak kes sudah berlaku di sana dan banyak nyawa sudah terkorban akibat kejadian tanah runtuh. Tiada lagi orang yang perlu tinggal di sana dan terus berhadapan dengan trauma ini,” katanya.

Dua pergerakan tanah dikesan kurang daripada 24 jam selepas kejadian tanah runtuh di Bukit Antarabangsa, Sabtu lalu.

[patchay]

MEGA post coming......................