MBFC Singapore on Friday Morning

I need fresh air like this...

Friday June 21, 2013

Cyberjaya continues to focus on sustainability as a key economic driver
By JOY LEE
joylmy@thestar.com.my





A view of Cyberjaya on a clear day.
AWARENESS about sustainability is growing among urban populations and this is driving cities around the world to establish their “green branding”.

While some cities are merely scratching the surface on going green, many are coming to the realisation that creating a smart and sustainable city means attaining a high level of economic efficiency and quality of life in a desirable place to live and do business.

And this comes with a meaningful commitment to environmental responsibility.

As countries around the world become increasingly conscious of the economic benefits of addressing environmental issues, major cities are becoming the new frontline in their efforts to go green.

In Malaysia, Cyberview Sdn Bhd has been tasked to drive the green agenda in Cyberjaya, which was accorded pioneer green city status in 2010 when the government acknowledged green technology as one of the new economic drivers for the country.

“In today’s global economy, national and international efforts to promote green development as a new source of growth have intensified in recent years. We are on the road towards evolving green technology further as a way of life and a catalyst for new economic growth.

“We are now embracing this concept and acknowledging some of the benefits associated with it. Sustainable economic development is an important agenda in our long-term plan and it is essential not only to ensure a continuous growth for the future, but also to support the sustainability of the country economically, socially and environmentally,” said Cyberview managing director Faris Yahaya.


Solar-powered street lamps (above) are an example of an environmentally friendly initiative that would help lower the use of electricity.
Cyberjaya was launched in 1997 and Faris noted that there were already plans then to make the ICT hub a green city.

Some 30% of Cyberjaya’s 7,000 acres is reserved as a green lung and the hub has committed to reduce 21% of carbon emissions by 2020.

Cyberview is also working with the Energy, Green Technology and Water Ministry as well as other stakeholders in Cyberjaya to develop the Low Carbon City Framework 2020.

Cyberview has also collaborated with various partners to launch several green initiatives in Cyberjaya, including fitting solar panels on bus shelters and carparks, installing composting machines and setting up of GreeNomad kiosks, which utilise innovative green technology.

However, Faris points out that the green initiatives are not merely a matter of following the lastest trend as more multinationals (MNC) and, small and medium enterprises (SME) in Cyberjaya realise that they need to meet carbon targets and build business confidence in order to pull in more sustainability-based investments.

Additionally, sustainable practices also make economic sense, Faris added.

An example is Cyberview’s partnership with Europe-based Cofely GDF Suez. The partnership formed Pendinginan Megajana Sdn Bhd, a local district-cooling system provider in Cyberjaya.

The district cooling system generates chilled water for air-conditioning requirements within an area. Megajana currently has two plants that serves 37 buildings in Cyberjaya and plans are afoot for a third plant thanks to growing demand.

Megajana’s general manager Azharuddin Ismail said having a district-cooling system helps reduce energy costs for its clients.

“It is environmentally friendly and uses 40% less electricity than traditional cooling systems. The district-cooling system can reduce annual CO² emissions by about one tonne for every tonne of district cooling refrigerant demand served. It is also 40% more efficient and requires lower capital costs from building owners,” Azharuddin said.

Cyberview has allocated more than RM400,000 for more green initiatives this year.

Faris says Cyberview’s immediate focus is the implementation of “low-hanging-fruit” initiatives and would continue to grow its expenditure after more projects are confirmed.

Cyberjaya’s gross development value for the next five years is expected to be at RM20bil with Cyberview pouring in some RM8bil in investments during the period. Investments in Cyberjaya since 1997 total RM32.6bil.

Currently, Cyberjaya houses more than 700 companies (35 of which are MNCs) and a population of about 55,000 people. Population is expected to double by 2017 with the robust developments in the ICT hub.

“In achieving the green vision, companies in Cyberjaya are also enforcing best-planning practices and striking a balance between development and the environment. The sustainable eco-system enables these companies to grow progressively,” said Faris.

Data centre CSF Group plc president and chief executive officer Adrian Yong notes that sustainable practices have not only established a healthier and more enjoyable work experience at the company, but also earned it the Frost & Sullivan 2013 Data Center Service Provider of The Year award.

“One of our primary initiatives was to provide an indoor air quality assurance in the data centre area for better comfort for those who need to work in there for an extended period of time. We also installed autonomous lighting controls to ensure minimal electricity wastage and tweaked our plant rooms to include segregation of cooling and ventilation and right-sizing the electrical power used for protection of equipment,” Yong said.

The group’s facility, CX5, is the first data centre in Malaysia that has been awarded provisional Green Building Index certification.

Cyberview also expects more green projects in Cyberjaya in the future including the Centrus Mall by Setia Haruman Sdn Bhd and Setia Eco Glades development by SP Setia Bhd.

Setia Eco Glades sits on a 268acre site in Cyberjaya. SP Setia has reiterated its commitment to promote sustainable development with a masterplan that adheres to Green Building Index certification criteria.

Faris says all the initiatives are in line with the government’s aspiration to turn Cyberjaya into a pioneer green townships and as a showcase for the development of other townships.

“Cyberjaya Malaysia is proof that so much can be achieved with likeminded partners who are committed to creating a healthy and green city,” he said.

With government taking over Setia, super high chance CCC will be developed, & High Speed Train & MRT will hit Putrajaya/Cyberjaya!


This post has been edited by xyyap: Jun 21 2013, 01:47 PM

Another bullish factor for investement in Cyber!

Haze situation in Singapore sparks memes on social media:

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/photos/haze-situa...1604915722.html

50 things that successful people do:

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/blogs/singaporesc...-101735441.html

1. Focus on contribution, not achievement.

2. Read books regularly.

3. Think about at least one thing they’re grateful for every day.

4. Take complete responsibility for their choices.

5. Keep a to-do list and a calendar.

6. Keep a “stop doing” list of bad habits they are working on eliminating.

7. Regularly spend time alone to think and reflect.

8. Continually incorporate new healthy habits in their lives.

9. Refuse to blame other people.

10. Exercise regularly.

11. Sleep at least seven hours a night.

12. Concentrate on the important, not the urgent.

13. Ask “Why?”

14. Ask “Why not?”

15. Ask “How might we…?”

16. Compliment others in public.

17. Criticize others in private, and always do it constructively.

18. Don’t allow email to run their lives.

19. Set goals.

20. Track their progress on those goals.

21. Have written down their personal mission statement.

22. Spend little, if any, time watching TV.

23. Develop a savings and investment plan.

24. Plan for the future, but savour the present moment.

25. Know that they’re not defined by their achievements, or by what kind of car they drive or house they own.

26. Surround themselves with positive, encouraging and generous people, while also avoiding toxic people.

27. Make time for family, no matter how busy they are.

28. Focus more on the process than the outcome.

29. View failure as a stepping stone, not a stumbling block.

30. Seek advice from wise friends and family before making any major decision.

31. Learn something new every day.

32. Eat healthily.

33. Refuse to make excuses.

34. Have at least one or two mentors.

35. Make commitments and promises—and keep to them.

36. Communicate not so that they can be understood, but so that they cannot be misunderstood.

37. Show respect to others, regardless of educational qualifications or social status.

38. Go out of their way to make others feel special.

39. Display humility.

40. Pursue excellence rather than perfection.

41. Are driven by purpose and principles, not performance.

42. Continually improve their listening skills.

43. Readily forgive themselves and others.

44. Focus on what they want most, and don’t get distracted by what they want now.

45. Frequently try out new activities.

46. Never settle for a job (or life) they hate.

47. Genuinely care about others.

48. Continually overcome their fears.

49. Take calculated risks often.

50. Focus on building strong relationships.

Nice share!! Thanks for the info.

Brother, which condo project u own @ Mont Kiara?

Compare to http://forum.lowyat.net/topic/2543000/, this one looks better & realistic?

Gadang bags RM1.02b Cyberjaya PR1MA job

http://www.btimes.com.my/articles/20130405235740/Article/

CYBERJAYA: Gadang Holdings Bhd, a property development and construction outfit, will develop Cyberjaya's first affordable housing project for an estimated RM1.02 billion.

The PR1MA (Program Perumahan 1Malaysia) project is Gadang's first job in Cyberjaya.

It is learnt that the project is slated to start by year-end and will generate revenue of more than RM100 million annually for Gadang over a period of eight to nine years, sources said.

The project will feature 2,500 apartment and condominium units, double-storey link houses and government quarters, and 50 shops and retail units.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding yesterday between Gadang and Cyberview Sdn Bhd.

Gadang, which is controlled by Tan Sri Kok Onn, will develop the properties on a 43.7ha site owned by Cyberview using a special purpose vehicle (SPV) to be set up soon.

While earnings are on a profit-sharing basis, it is not known how much the SPV stake will be divided between Gadang and Cyberview, a federal government company.

Cyberview is the landowner while Cybercity is the manager of the 2,800ha Cyberjaya.

A firm joint venture agreement is expected to be signed next month.

Gadang and Cyberview are confident of the prospects for the project.

Phase 1 of the project, with a gross development value of RM140.9 million and earmarked for launch early next year, will offer 325 apartment units and 125 double-storey link houses.

The proposed selling price for the link houses ranges from RM500,000 to RM550,000 per unit.

For the apartments, which will built-up space ranging from 850 square feet to 1,000 sq ft, they are priced at between RM220,000 and RM250,000 each.

The project is targeted at the middle-income group earners in Cyberjaya.

https://forum.lowyat.net/topic/2795802/+20

With so many HER & highrise @ Cyberjaya, & Cyberjaya as proxy to Putrajaya & KL South development...

I strongly believe Cyberjaya will be far better than Setia Alam.

EU Sees Investment Potentials In Cyberjaya

KUALA LUMPUR, June 13 (Bernama) -- Cyberjaya, the 'Silicon Valley of Malaysia', is an attractive investment destination for European businesses, InvestKL and the European Union (EU) said in a joint statement.

Ambassador and Head of the European Union Delegation to Malaysia, Luc Vandebon, said the EU and its member states had worked closely with Malaysia at a federal level, but these initiatives needed to be brought to life on-the-ground through closer engagement with Malaysia agencies like InvestKL as well as local businesses.

"Our visit today showcased a number of the technological advancements being made by multinational companies operating in this hub and this is prime example of where EU multinational companies can use this hub successfully to support their business growth for the Asean region and globally," he said.

The EU ambassadors and trade counsellors Thursday visited Cyberjaya as part of InvestKL's plan to familiarise the delegation with business hubs in Greater Kuala Lumpur and attract more EU investment.

InvestKL chief executive officer, Zainal Amanshah, said the ambassadors and trade officers were impressed with the developments and were very positive about the potential for more investment from EU multinational companies as well as collaboration with local partners.

Over 2,000 EU companies are present in Malaysia.

Last year, the EU was the largest source of foreign direct investment into Malaysia, as it invested about RM4 billion in approved manufacturing projects, ranking number one way ahead of Japan and Saudi Arabia.

-- BERNAMA

CYBERJAYA: Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has unveiled three people-focused projects designed to meet Cyberjaya's future demands.

The projects are Cyberjaya mosque, a mixed development of 2,500 houses and commercial units and Cyberjaya city centre.

The projects involves a total cost of RM8bil.

Najib said the projects would not only contribute to the development of the ICT hub but also have an impact on the country's economic expansion.

"Cyberjaya is a vital component in the economic transformation programme and we will ensure its continuous development,” he said at the ground breaking ceremony of the mosque here Friday.

SOS

Cyberjaya and Setia Alam are two different type of township la.....
They are not on the same par...not even close ler ooi abang ......

People asked, I answered loh.

Property cheong in short term?

Bank Negara is studying the risks arising from DIBS with a view of potentially imposing curbs on it
Posted on June 25, 2013 - Featured, Property News.
By GURMEET KAUR
gurmeet@thestar.com.my

PETALING JAYA: Bank Negara is studying the risks arising from the developer interest-bearing scheme (DIBS) with a view of potentially imposing curbs on it, sources said.

Although it is unclear if or when such curbs would be put in place, Hong Leong Investment Bank (HLIB) said that it may be “later this week”, adding that such a move would be a negative for future sales in the primary property market.

Other industry players think that the measures might be introduced in the second half of the year.

DIBS has become a popular easy financing package offered by property developers in joint-promotion activities with banks in recent years.

Under the scheme, buyers need not fork out much initial downpayment to buy properties, as the developer supposedly absorbs the initial interest. This is until the buyer takes possession of the property.

A high number of buyers enter this scheme with the intention of flipping the property when they gain possession of it, making a profit without having to come up with much capital in the process. Such a scenario fuels speculation.

“Typically, under the scheme, buyers only foot between 5% and 10% of the house price upon signing the sale and purchase (S&P) agreement and only begin payment when the project is completed,” a property consultant told StarBiz.

“There are caveats to this scheme, as buyers commit to a financial obligation upon the signing of the S&P and the interest cost has actually been already passed on to buyers via the higher selling prices.”

DIBS is mainly offered to the high-rise residential segment. Some property consultants have opined that the presence of DIBS in the market has caused prices to be set on an artificially higher trajectory.

Notably, the Singapore government banned DIBS in 2009.

“While the exact measures are yet to be revealed, we believe the curbs would impact this easy financing scheme,” HLIB said in a note yesterday.

According to analysts, most of the sales in the recent property bull cycle were tied to the attractive DIBS scheme at the expense of the secondary property market which has remained sluggish. And given the persistent rise in household debt, the Government is mulling over measures to limit it.

“In the recent past, Bank Negara has been compiling information on the scheme and studying its impact on the sector,” a source said.

Bank Negara had yet to respond to StarBiz’s queries as at press time.

“The difference between the non-DIBS and DIBS pricing can range from as low as 5% to as high as 30% if other incentives like early-bird discounts, stamp duty waivers and cash payments are taken into account,” said Elvin Fernandez, managing director of Khong & Jaafar group of companies.

He advocates regulators to compel developers to be transparent on the various incentives, as it may be difficult to do away with DIBS packages.

“Developers should inform buyers and bankers of the actual value of the discounts they are getting so that house buyers know the true value of the house they are buying,” he said.

UOB Kay Hian Research noted that new launches in selective high-rise projects in the suburbs of the Klang Valley were transacted at over RM1,000 per sq ft (psf) vis-a-vis RM450 psf two years ago.

“Household debt has risen to 80.5% of nominal gross domestic product as at end-December 2012, up from 60.4% as at end-2008.

“We also note that outstanding banking sector loans in the household sector has risen 3.6% year-to-date as at end-April to RM638.5bil from RM616.5bil as at December 2012. As the rise in consumer credit is partly linked to housing, curbs may be introduced to dampen speculation,” UOB Kay Hian said in a report yesterday.

On the financial impact of curbing DIBS on property companies, HLIB said that it would be “negative for future sales in the primary market but the extent of damage varies with the degree of exposure to the high-rise segment for each individual developer”.

UOB Kay Hian reckons that if DIBS or similar schemes were to be tightened, it could “significantly dampen new property launches as speculators will be filtered out”.

The company also does not rule out the possibility of a further upward revision in real properties gains tax (RPGT) to dampen speculation.

In Budget 2013, the Government had raised the RPGT for the second time since 2011, stipulating a 10% to 15% tax for the disposal of properties within two years of purchase, and 5% to 10% for the disposal of properties within three to five years. However, properties sold five years after purchase are exempted from the RPGT.

https://forum.lowyat.net/topic/2861145/+40

xyyap noblebaby Soros007 blowwater101

Hi cyberjaya sifus, is there any landed DSL that are available?

me small prawn wanna have a look.

what is your plan ? own stay, investment, own stay cum investment ?

If u plan to invest, how long u plan to hold it ? (because of the completion date of each project is diff, buy those project estimated to be complete in 2016 is just nice)

I bought Mirage which is estimated to be complete in Mid 2014, link villa 1.5Mil not sure if it is still available...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ooo44NzA3uc

Symphony also nice, for more detail u may check with noblebaby

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwpfr6TE6bk

Cyberjaya guide

http://www.propcafe.net/cyberjaya-love-it-or-hate-it/

thanks for the link blow. im newbie to cyber. There is no less than 1mil for landed. It seems cyber is poised to be high-end residential area. Oversupply on highrise.. no middle class property, 600k to 700k. i m presuming high risk investment, with possibility of low return, lesser purchaser. those can only can afford less than 1 mil can only settle in condos.