Confucian secondary to be built in Taman Puncak Jalil

Source From : The Star

Thursday February 28, 2008

Confucian secondary to be built in Taman Puncak Jalil

PETALING JAYA: A Chinese-medium secondary school will be built in Taman Puncak Jalil making it the first such institution for the Serdang and Puchong area.

Yesterday, developer Talam Corporation and the Confucian secondary school management insisted MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting attend the signing ceremony for the transfer of a piece of land.

Talam is contributing more than a hectare for SMJK Confucian – with construction work expected to start in three months.

“We invited Datuk Seri Ong because he played a major part in the whole process,” said Talam executive director Chua Kim Lan yesterday.

Chua related how Ong had requested Talam executive chairman Tan Sri Chan Ah Chye in 2003 to search for a piece of land to relocate Chinese schools in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur.

At that time, one of Ong’s main concerns was the over-crowded Confucian school in Kuala Lumpur. Both independent and secondary school shared the same compound.

“After a few years, we found a site in Serdang. It was agriculture land belonging to individuals,” said Chua after the signing ceremony in Seri Kembangan.

She said Talam bought the land, converted the status and allocated more than a hectare to the school. In January, it obtained the grant title approval from the Petaling Jaya land office.

Asked about the timing for the signing ceremony, Chua said it was definitely not an election gimmick.

“We only managed to get the grant title in January. Then there was some paperwork to be finalised before we could transfer the title to the school board today,” she said.

Ong, in his speech, thanked Talam, saying the project was “very close to my heart”.

“Having this school here will ease the overcrowding in the school in Kuala Lumpur. Folk in Serdang and Puchong also do not have to send their children all the way to the city.

“They can save time and don't have to pay so much for transportation. This is a big relief for them,” said Ong, adding that there were about 800 students from these two areas studying in Chinese-medium secondary schools in other districts.

The president also found an organisation willing to undertake the construction of the 58-classroom premises at RM10mil.

“The organisation and its owner wish to remain anonymous. Let’s work fast to get the school ready because the people have waited a long time,” said Ong.

Ong has tasked Seri Kembangan incumbent assemblyman and MCA Serdang division chairman Datuk Liew Yuen Keong to oversee the construction work.

Liew said students could enrol in about a year.

Earlier in Kuala Lumpur, Ong urged voters in Seputeh to vote for Carol Chew Chee Lin who is contesting the Seputeh parliamentary seat as she had the vision and the eagerness to learn.

“Carol is very active and I have seen her many times, during activities organised by the party as well as from watching her leading Beliawanis (Wanita MCA Young Women's Bureau) with much enthusiasm,” said Ong during a lunch organised by the Pertubuhan Penyayang Sunlight Kuala Lumpur & Selangor yesterday.

BAYU SEGAR, CHERAS

Source From : Propertymalaysia

Yep, the reviews are back after a short absence, mainly to our pre-occupation with some other work-related stuff. And what better way to start off September with than Bayu Segar, the first major development to be launched post IJM-Road Builder merger. Actually, to be specific, in terms of their property arms, it should be a merger between IJM Properties and RB Land, in which the name entity will be called IJM Land (although this hasn’t come into effect yet).

But enough of corporate M&As, let’s talk properties. If you have been us here in Property Malaysia, or simply watching the new project ads in the papers in the last one year or so, you wouldn’t have failed to notice that Cheras is going through a resurgence in new development projects. It is mostly against the grain of public perception that Cheras is matured in terms of development, evident in the densely populated housing areas spilling into each other’s territories, not to mention the almost too busy business areas.

But development has to evolve and most of the new projects in the past one year are moving away from the established areas of Cheras towards the forest reserve and Kajang. Some of the projects that have been reviewed here are:

Taman Wangsa, Cheras
Hijauan Residence, Cheras
Suria Residen, Cheras
Sunway Cheras: Phase 2B &3, Cheras
The Oasis@Cheras Courtyard Terraces, Cheras

While living in newer areas, away from the congested and older neighbourhoods has it’s perks, one problem often mentioned is the distance. Most of these new areas are deep into Cheras, you would need to travel through lots of narrow roads through busy areas just to get out on the main roads. There are new through roads planned here and there that’ll bypass direct to highways, but most of these will be busy as soon as they open, and mostly it’ll be some time before they’re ready.

That’s where the first and biggest attraction of Bayu Segar comes in. It’s location is unbeatable for a new development, if you are concerned with the distance. It’s right smack between Taman Segar, Taman Desa Aman, Taman Mutiara Timur and Taman Gemilang. Heck, you can say its right behind Cheras Leisure Mall. That’s like less than two minutes from the MRR2, and less than 10 minutes from KLCC. Well okay, that depends a lot on the traffic. On the other end of the project is two towers of low-cost flats, and beside it, there’s some existing secondary forest, not sure if there are plans to develop it in the near future.

When we visited the site, it seems to be located on an undulating ground, with the highest point much elevated than the existing road level. But according the them, they will be cutting and filling the levels to make a gentler slope.

Bayu Segar can rightly be said to be nearest to Taman Segar hence the name (Bayu Segar means ‘fresh wind’ in Bahasa Malaysia, although buyers are warned not to take the meaning too literally…) and the developers have gone for a limited series of luxury semi-detached homes, only 96 units available. There are also 4 bungalows situated certain corner lots, so not only are they bigger in size and layout, there have much larger plot size for the garden.

There are two types of semi-D units, namely A and B. Type A is a slightly more contemporary design with a single pitch RC roof, while that would make Type B the more conventional type in contrast, although the façade and architectural finishing for all units maintain a uniformly contemporary look. Type A is on a 40’ x 85’ (3,400sq.ft.) plot and build up at 4,320sq.ft. Type B was the earlier launch, and is on a larger plot of 40’ x 90’ (3,600sq.ft.) and bigger build-up of 4,980sq.ft.

Both types have two and a half floors, 5+1 rooms, and 6 baths. That means private attached baths to all rooms. Type B has a balcony at the master bedroom, but here they prefer to call it an ‘open terrace’. The highest floors houses a family area plus one room. Type B, oddly enough, gives far more porch space compared to type A, and it’s not only because of the extra 5 feet, so that might figure in the choice of units.

The bungalows are big, 5,900sq.ft. with 6,688sq.ft. of land area.

The land is freehold, so that will be an added plus. Semi-Ds cost from RM1.6million onwards up to RM2,6million, the difference in basically on the land size. Bungalows will set you back from RM3.1million above.

The entire development will have two separate access points, one at each side of the two phases. Other than the landscaped area and playground, the developers did not have much space to do anything else, but they have put some emphasis on the safety and security aspect of the development since will be concerns for homes of this type of price-tag. Besides being guarded and gated, there will be CCTV along the perimeter fencing, and the monthly maintenance fee will be primarily used to service it. There is no clubhouse or pools for this development.

So the question is, are the units worth the heavy price tag? We’re inclined to the affirmative, considering the good location, for those wanting to move up the luxury quotient yet stay within Cheras. In that sense it’s peerless. Comparatively, RM1.6million won’t get you a luxury condo in the KLCC, but of course it’s a different ball game. Here, we would think it would be for your own stay, and fewer investors comparatively. We like the façade design, and the low density keeps it exclusive, although it will stick out oddly in the surrounding homes.

Project Name	Bayu Segar
Location	Cheras
Description	Luxury semi-D and bungalows
Land type	Freehold
Encumbrances	Charged to OCBC Bank (M) Bhd
Price	semi-D: from RM1,636,450 to RM2,680,650 bungalows: from RM3,144,100 to RM3,260,250
Lot size	semi-D: 3,400 and 3,600sq.ft. bungalows: 6,688sq.ft.
Build-up size	semi-D: 4,320 and 4,980sq.ft. bungalows: 5,900sq.ft
No of units	Total: 100 96 semi-D and 4 bungalows
Launch Date	now available
Expected Completion	July 2009
Developer	Dian Warna Sdn. Bhd. (subsidiary of IJM Corporation)
Contact	03 – 9132 3266
Contact	rbland.com.my

Sovereign, Permai Park

Source From : Propertymalaysia 

Pusat Bandar Putra Permai is the latest parcel of land in the Puchong – Seri Kembangan area to be developed by the Equine Group. The first development for them in this area was their flagship Equine Park, with their beautifully architectured, public amenities and Alice Smith International School. Equine Park now is fully developed, with the exception of some bungalow and semi-D lots at one end. Then came Putra Permai, with their more affordable homes. This has a reasonably vibrant commercial area (with a drive-in McDonalds) and the Equine Home Gallery.

And then we have Permai Park, which is actually divided into two distinct portions by the Puchong-Seri Kembangan road. This road has, in recent years become an important artery of transport, spurred on by numerous development along this road, like the aforementioned three projects by the Equine Group, the more affordable Lestari Puchong (by Talam), Kota Perdana, Pinggiran Putra, and Taman Universiti Indah, to name a few. Further in there’s the almost completed Desaminium Park (read our review here).

On the southern side of the main road, there’s a larger commercial area, and the massive Bazaar Rakyat and the commercial centre Permai Square, not to mention the Pusat Borong Selangor (Selangor Wholesale Market). The residential area is almost fully developed, save for some bungalow units. On the northern divide bordering Puchong, there is a smaller commercial area, and more houses.

It is here they have launched Sovereign(and the connection would be…?), a phase of Semi-D units. In the mess of competing developers in this area, the Equine Group has risen above its competitors as the best developer in the whole area near the landmark Pasar Borong Selangor, although when compared to the likes of Talam’s Lestari Puchong, it doesn’t take much to do better.

Accessibility is a minor issue here. It is near Puchong town center and the southern landmarks like Putrajaya, Cyberjaya and Kajang, but going to KL might be a problem. You can either go to the congested Seri Kembangan old town or use the Besraya near UPM. But to overcome this, the developer is building a bus depot / transportation centre, however you need to go a distance to make a ‘U’ turn just to cross the main road.

For this double-storey phase, the developer is provided gated and guarded features, perimeter fencing with 24-hour close circuit surveillance system via Internet. The quality of the finishing is also upmarket, with clay bricks (sad how this basic building material has become a ‘luxury’. For more info, read our write-up here).

The semi-D unit is set on a 40’ x 80’ lot, and the built-up is 3034sq.ft, with 4+1 rooms. There not much to complain about the internal layout here. The added feature is a courtyard in the entrance foyer (outside the house) and can be seen through a glass window from the living and the master bedroom above. Nice touch. The dry kitchen is quite narrow (or should we say, oddly shaped), and the wet kitchen is small.

Upstairs, there a large family room. Bedroom 2 & 3 share a bath, and bedroom three is a bit unconventional in shape (read ‘odd’) with some wasted space. The master bedroom has a large balcony which they call a ‘deck’, with a planter box. This should appeal to those who love to sit there in the evening watching sunsets. The attached bath for the master is quite small.

A little bit about the pricing. We feel that starting at RM488k, its rather reasonable considering that Permai Park, Equine Park and Putra Permai are almost fully developed with some good facilities and amenities. However, the whole area’s image isn’t exactly fantastic especially in the perception of investors, probably because of some nearby projects with less than stellar finish quality, and the proximity to Serdang and Seri Kembangan new village. Many people we know try to avoid that area due to numerous reasons.

Across all of Equine’s projects here, the quality is slightly chequered, but we feel Sovereign, being a slightly upmarket gated and guarded phase would have an above average quality of finish.

But as a whole, we kind of like the design and pricing, not too excited about the location and price appreciation.

Project Name	Sovereign
Location	Putra PermaDesa ParkCity
Description	Gated & guarded semi-D development on leasehold land
Land type	99-year Leasehold
Price	RM488,000 to RM811,182
Land Encumbrances	AMFinance Bhd.
Lot size	40’ x 80’
Unit size	3,034sq.ft
No of units	102
Launch Date	currently available
Expected Completion	June 2007
Developer	Tujuan Ehsan Sdn. Bhd. (Subsidiary of the Equine Group)
Contact	03 – 8945 7878