Puteri Cove Residences at Puteri Harbour

Puteri Cove Residences was launched for sale to the public and was met with overwhelming response. Big crowds of home buyers flocked to sales galleries located in Singapore Toa Payoh and Puteri Harbour in Nusajaya when Pacific Star and DB2 announced the new property launch .

Highly anticipated by property buyers and industry players, large crowds formed at the Singapore marketing agent ERA headquarters at Toa Payoh in the early morning to queue for the sale via ballot process, which took place in the late morning Saturday.

Puteri Cove Residences by Singapore developers Pacific Star and DB2 has sold 83% of 450 units released to the public within 1 week of its new property launch. The home buyers represented over 20 nationalities from the United States of America, Australia, Britain, Germany, France, Canada, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, India, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. However majority of the home buyers are from Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia.

To-date, property prices on units offered for sale have been sold at prices ranging from RM1,180 psf to RM1,580 psf. The outstanding results were above the property developer expectations and the property developer credits the winning mix of unique characteristics of the new property launch iskandar project for its popularity amongst property buyers:-

•     Freehold waterfront with private marina
•     Stunning views of sea or marina and Singapore for every apartment
•     Mixed-use project ie. Live, Work, Leisure, Shopping, Entertainment, Dining
•     Luxury finishes and fixtures
•     Prime location and within close proximity to Puteri Harbour International Ferry Terminal
•     Kota Iskandar, Theme Parks and EduCity are within walking distances           
•     No restrictions to foreigner property buyers

Comment on the exceptional property sales results, Glen Chan, Chief Operating Officer, Pacific Star Group and President, Pacific Star Development, “With a winning combination of prime waterfront location and reasonable house prices in Iskandar Malaysia, the strong property sales attests to the attraction and saleability of our iskandar project. We have over 20 nationalities of property buyers in Puteri Cove Residences, which validates our original intent of designing and conceptualizing a luxury mixed-use new housing developments that appeals to a cast of sophisticated and experienced international property buyers. I am confident that Puteri Cove Residences is eminently positioned for capital appreciation because of its international appeal, much like prime property in global cities like London, Hong Kong and Singapore. We are also encouraged by this strong showing of confidence by our home buyers and thus believe our buyers are looking at the long term growth potential in the Iskandar Development Region, particularly when co-operation and collaboration between the governments of Singapore and Malaysia in the Iskandar Development Region are expected to increase in the near future”.

Recently, both Prime Minister of Singapore and Malaysia are discussing about Singapore-Kuala Lumpur High Speed Rail constructions and Rapid Transit System connectivity. This has been translated to firm evidence of closer economic activities and collaboration between both governments. The successful constructions of both connectivity will definitely form the model of Hong Kong-ShenZhen in Singapore-Iskandar Malaysia, spur the drastic economic growth in the Iskandar Development Region supplemented by Johor State government’s investor friendly and attractive incentives policies to investors within Special Economic Zone Iskandar Malaysia.

Puteri Cove Residences

The third bridge Friendship bridge for Malaysia and Singapore

Recently Malaysia Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's has proposed to counterpart neighbor Singapore to build “Friendship Bridge”. The proposed plan to build a Malaysia-Singapore “Friendship Bridge” has received the thumbs up from both sides as it will strengthen close ties between the two countries.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak proposed the Friendship Bridge at a press conference with his Singapore counterpart Lee Hsien Loong after the two-day annual Malaysia-Singapore Leaders' Retreat in Putrajaya last week. Community leaders said the proposed friendship bridge would improve road connectivity and serve as a symbol of growing friendship between the two nations.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib said no deadline had been set for the commencement of the friendship bridge project for now. Once the friendship bridge is built, it would be the catalyst for rapid growth in southern Johor especially Iskandar Malaysia and meet Singapore’s desire to increase its investments in Malaysia.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib mentioned that Singapore is keen on having the third bridge and it is something which we (Malaysia and Singapore) will pursue. Najib, who is also finance minister, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop had been asked to jointly conduct a feasibility study on the third bridge project with his Singaporean counterpart. They are expected to appoint a consultant and determine the projected cost. He said the cost of constructing the friendship bridge would be shared equally by the two countries.

For the moment, there are total 2 traffic passages to link Malaysia state Johor to Singapore; one is Johor Bahru-Woodland Causeway and another one is Second Link at Gelang Patah-Tuas. Both the Causeway and Second Link are unable to meet growing traffics in recent years as both country economic activities growing further. Last year, causeway traffic hits more than 100 million people to travel between Johor and Singapore, and it cause heavy causeway traffic jam at the checkpoint. Every people spend at least 1 hours and above to go through the causeway traffic to the checkpoint. The third bridge Friendship Bridge will definitely ease the causeway traffic flow at the Causeway and the Second Link.

The proposed Friendship Bridge is expected to further spur the economic growth of Iskandar Malaysia which encompasses south Johor. Up to date, Singapore is the biggest investor in the Iskandar Malaysia Special Economic Zone. If the proposed third bridge goes as planned, Johor will be easily accessed via land from Singapore and vice-versa through three locations. It will enhance the connectivity and bring bilateral economic benefits for both countries in the long term.

Johor - Singapore Causeway

Tuas - Gelang Patah Second Link

Healthcare and medical hub in Iskandar Malaysia

 Johor government wants to promote medical tourism to realise Iskandar Malaysia to become healthcare and medical hub in the region, taking advantage of its strategic location in South East Asia and high quality services with cheaper medical bill and affordable healthcare compare to its competitor Singapore.

Johor Menteri Besar Khaled Nordin said that there are about 14 private hospitals in Iskandar Malaysia. Most of the facilities in these private hospitals received many patients from nearby countries like Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand and regional countries.

KPJ Healthcare, a private hospital chain under Johor Corporation has been assigned by Johor government to draw a master plan associate to transforms Iskandar Malaysia into healthcare and medical hub in the region.

“With the right planning, we can turn Iskandar Malaysia into a medical tourism focused healthcare and medical hub as we are located next to Singapore. Besides of providing healthcare and medicines, services like sterilisation should also be looked into as the costs of such services tend to be higher in Singapore hospitals,” he said after launching the KPJ Healthcare Camp in Kampung Nelayan, Permas Jaya here yesterday.

“KPJ has four hospitals in Iskandar Malaysia and is indirectly linked to the state government. I am sure that with their expertise, KPJ are able to come up with an effective plan for a sustainable healthcare and medical hub for example in the next five years,” Menteri Besar Khaled Nordin said.

“We always talk about developing Iskandar Malaysia and the Johor state but it is not only restricted and focused on new housing developments. There should be a balanced development in the services and healthcare sectors as well,” he added.

Medical tourism has been popular in neighbor countries like Singapore and Thailand. Many Indonesians flight to Singapore every year for healthcare and medical checkup. Iskandar Malaysia should seize the opportunity of its expertise in healthcare and medical, affordable healthcare and strategic location to attracted Indonesian.

Columbia Asia Hospital at Afiat Healthpark

Healthcare and medical tourism

Malaysia Film Industry set to soar with Pinewood Iskandar Malaysia Studios

Nusajaya : Malaysia film industry is set scale to soar to new heights over the next few years with a large inflow of production companies servicing it, which is expected to make Pinewood Iskandar Malaysia Studios as their base.

Iskandar Malaysia Studios Sdn Bhd CEO Michael Peter Lake said the production companies growth is in line with the government’s aspiration to further develop the creative content, digital content and communication media industries.

 “The government is very supportive of the ‘Film in Malaysia’ incentives, which is a big plus and main factor towards attracting production companies and creative content industries to flourish”.

“I am very bullish over the potential of the creative content and communication media industries within Iskandar Malaysia,” he added.

Michael Peter Lake told reporters about this after the signing ceremony between Imagica Corp and Candelon Ventures Sdn Bhd, a wholly-owned special purpose vehicle of Khazanah Nasional Bhd.

The Film in Malaysia incentive offers a 30 per cent rebate to foreign production companies that spend a minimum of RM5 million in Malaysia. Local productions companies that spend at least RM2.5 million entitled to the same benefit.

Japan-based Imagica Corp and Khazanah Nasional Berhad have formed a joint venture JV, Imagica South East Asia Sdn Bhd (Imagica SEA), to establish the first international post-production facility at Pinewood Iskandar Malaysia Studios in Iskandar Malaysia with a RM9 million investment. Imagica Corp will hold 49 per cent equity interest in Imagica SEA with the balance held by Candelon Ventures Sdn Bhd, a wholly-owned special purpose vehicle of Khazanah.

Michael Peter Lake said companies can take advantage of the fully integrated facilities within Pinewood Iskandar Malaysia Studios, which includes 5 film sound stages over 100,000 sq ft, the broadest range of post production facilities under one roof, 2 of 12,000 sq ft High Definition (HD) equipped television studios and other support devices.

Meanwhile, Imagica President Yukihiro Fujikawa said it was an exciting time to be in the region as the film industry was booming, and the company planned to tap the available potential. He said Imagica was offering comprehensive and highly creative digital content post production services as well as jobs for the transfer of technical know-how to create more skilled players in the industry.

Fujikawa said in a statement that they will target major Hollywood feature film companies and TV production companies as their post production clients, along with companies from booming Southeast Asia region. “With Japanese creativity and quality, Imagica SEA will penetrate into world market in collaboration with Pinewood Iskandar Malaysia Studios,” Fujikawa added. “As one of the leaders in Japan, Imagica SEA will promote the digital distribution for digital content holders aiming to venture out to new markets in Southeast Asia.”

Apart from post production activities, Fujikawa said the company would also commence digital distribution services such as Digital Cinema Delivery and Digital Distribution Management, alongside archiving and restoration services from its Pinewood Iskandar Malaysia Studios post production facility.

Opened last May, Pinewood Iskandar Malaysia Studios is a RM120 million joint venture between Khazanah Nasional Berhad and UK based Pinewood Studios, where J.J. Abrams’ Star Wars: Episode VII will be produced.

Pinewood Iskandar Malaysia Studios

Imagica SEA