Malaysian home prices may go up 5~8%; heart-warming CNY family ties with EcoWorld 全家福

From Left :- Director of Valuation Services Chee Kok Thim , Rahim & Co Executive Chairman Senator Tan Sri Dato' Abdul Rahim Abdul Rahman, DIrector Real Estate Agency Robert Ang and Director of Research & Strategic Planning Sulaiman Saheh after Press conference and Q&A session - Review on Malaysian Property Market and the prospects of 2016 - on Thursday Feb 4 2016.

KUALA LUMPUR: The property market is expected to remain challenging, with the hike in house prices slowing to between 5% and 8% this year, compared with 7% to 10% last year.

Rahim & Co Chartered Surveyors Sdn Bhd director Sulaiman Akhmady Mohd Saheh expects prices to rise but sees only marginal price gains for the residential sector.

“Depending on location and type of property, some may see price consolidation as the gap between sellers’ asking prices is closing towards the buyers’ expected prices,” he said during the firm’s property market review.

He said that there were concerns that the number of transactions may drop this year, as new property launches could face more challenges and slower take-up.

He said that based on average annual household incomes to the price of average terraced homes, housing affordability could have slightly improved last year compared with 2014 although house prices in general continued to increase.

“Nevertheless, housing affordability is still a big concern especially in urban centres and major towns throughout the country.

“The ratio improved from 3.6 in 2014 to 3.4 last year, which indicates that an average terraced house would cost an average household or family in Malaysia 3.4 times its annual gross income,” said executive chairman Tan Sri Abdul Rahim Abdul Rahman.

Note that the least affordable terraced house in Malaysia last year was in Sabah, with a 5.7 times ratio, Penang, 5.3 times, Kuala Lumpur, 5.2 times and Sarawak, at 4.5 times.

He said that home ownership continued to be beyond the reach of many Malaysians, especially the younger generation.

“The ratio indicate that generally our houses are still moderately unaffordable. For Sabah, Penang and Kuala Lumpur, average prices of terraced houses are even categorised as severely unaffordable,” he said.

He added that the pace of construction and completion for affordable housing needed to be improved in order to address the issue of affordability.

“It is progressing but there should be more effort, for example in PR1MA. Among these, PR1MA is to provide 175,000 units where 74,399 units are currently in various stages of construction. “At present, only 10,000 units is due to be completed by the end of the year.

“That 74,399 units under construction should be intensified instead of completing 10,000 units by the end of the year,” he noted.

For the commercial sector, particularly the office sector, it will still remain challenging as absorption of new supply coming into the market is expected to slow down.

More office buildings are expected to undergo refurbishment to prevent tenants from relocating to newer office buildings.

However, there are concerns on whether the retail property sector might be heading into a glut in supply as a number of malls are being launched within Klang Valley.

Last year, retail sales were affected by the goods and services tax, which was implemented from April as well as a weakening ringgit, driving up costs and lowering consumer spending.

By Nadya Ngui The Star/Asia News Network

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Heartwarning CNY video on family ties goes viral

Building strong ties: A video grab from EcoWorld’s ‘Family Portraits’ on its official YouTube page captures the essence of maintaining family values.

PETALING JAYA: A heart-warming Chinese New Year video showing a man’s life as seen through his family photographs has been released by EcoWorld Development Group Bhd.

The three-minute video titled Family Portraits, which can be seen on YouTube, has been viewed more than 78,000 times so far yesterday. It is meant to educate the viewer on maintaining strong family values. The video shows glimpses of the man’s life-long journey from early childhood until adulthood.



All throughout, viewers will notice that family plays a huge role in the main character’s life as he encounters the pivotal moments in life that are familiar to many of us. The loving embrace of his family is never too far away even as he grows up and leaves his parents to pursue a career and start a family of his own.

Family Portraits successfully conveys its message through very little dialogue, relying mostly on visual images that reflect the mood and spirit of the central theme of the video.

The touching video, while light hearted and filled with funny moments, sends a strong message that clearly emphasises the importance of family ties and the togetherness that is an integral part of the Chinese New Year festival.

“The love of a family is life’s greatest blessing. This Chinese New Year, capture the warmth and happiness with a family portrait and start a collection of beautiful memories to look back on for generations to come,” posted the company on its YouTube page.

Those who wish to view the video may do so at EcoWorld’s official YouTube page.

Earlier this week, the company announced that it was offering a special Chinese New Year treat for buyers of the few remaining units of EcoWorld’s Eco Meadow Phase 1 homes by giving rebates of RM22,888 on top of an additional 5% early bird rebate from now until Feb 22.

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Public Bank Q4 profit up 19%; RM5bil earnings for 2015

Public Bank Head Office in Kuala Lumpur - Founder and chairman Tan Sri Teh Hong Piow said expectations were for intense competition for market share

Public Bank Q4 profit up 19% but warns of challenges ahead

Public Bank Bhd, the country’s third largest bank, reported an increase of 19% in its fourth quarter net profit which stood at RM1.49bil compared to the net profit of RM1.25bil for the same period a year earlier but warns of challenges ahead.

Founder and chairman Tan Sri Teh Hong Piow said expectations were for intense competition for market share.

“And the more stringent capital and liquidity requirement will continue to put pressure on net interest margin and return on equity,” Teh said in a statement.

The bank’s increase in its fourth quarter ended Dec 31, 2015 net profit was boosted largely by a net writeback of loan impairment allowances and higher net interest income, it said in the statement yesterday.

It also announced a second interim divided of 32 sen per share for shareholders, bringing total dividends for the year to 56 sen per share or a total payout of 42.7% of the bank’s net profit last year.

For the entire FY15, Public Bank’s net profit stood at RM5.06bil which translates to a net return on equity of 17.8%, against a net profit of RM4.52bil in FY14 while revenue stood at a higher RM19.18bil compared with RM16.86bil earlier.

Public Bank continued to be the most efficient banking group in the country with its low cost-to-income ratio of 30.5% compared to the banking industry’s average cost-to-income ratio of 45.5%. It also continued to maintain a healthy level of capital with its common equity Tier 1 capital ratio, Tier 1 capital ratio and total capital ratio standing at 10.9%, 12.0% and 15.5% respectively as at the end of 2015, after deducting the second interim dividend, it said.

In FY15, the bank grew its loans by 11.6%, aided by its retail banking segment and extension of credits to small and medium enterprises while total customer deposits saw a growth of 8.9%.

Its domestic customer deposit grew by 7.5%, higher than industry’s growth of 1.8%.

As at the end of 2015, the group’s impaired loan ratio was at 0.5%, significantly lower than the industry ratio of 1.6% while its loan loss coverage ratio of 120.8% as at the end of last year was also higher compared to the local banking industry’s ratio of 96.2%.

Teh said growing fee-based revenue remained a key strategic focus of the Public Bank group.

“Arising from the group’s initiative to drive growth of its non-interest income in order to sustain better return for its shareholders, the group’s non-interest income increased by 22.4% in 2015 as compared to 2014, mainly contributed by higher income from its unit trust business, foreign exchange related transactions and fee income from banking operations,” he said.

Shares of Public Bank finished yesterday higher at RM18.38, up 4 sen.

Public Bank's 2015 earnings cross RM5bil mark 

 

 

Public Bank's Founder and chairman Tan Sri Teh Hong Piow

KUALA LUMPUR: Public Bank Bhd recorded a stellar set of results, with net profit surpassing RM5bil for the financial year ended Dec 31, 2015. It rewarded shareholders by declaring a second interim dividend of 32 sen per share, bringing the full-year dividend to 56 sen.

The total dividend paid and payable for 2015 amounted to RM2.16bil and represents a total payout of 42.7% of the group’s net profit for 2015.

Public Bank posted a net profit of RM5.06bil, up 12% from RM4.52bil it recorded a year ago, translating to a net return on equity of 17.8% for 2015. Revenue was 13.8% higher at RM19.18bil compared with RM16.86bil in 2014.

In its filing with Bursa Malaysia on Wednesday, the bank said it owed its improved earnings to higher net interest income, higher non-interest income and lower loan impairment allowances.

However, these were partially offset by higher operating expenses due to higher personnel costs.

Gross loans grew 11.6% to RM273.4bil driven by growth in property financing, financing of passenger vehicles and lending to SMEs.

Deposits from customers were 8.9% higher to RM301.2bil, which partly contributed to the higher net interest income during the year.

"The results reflected the consistent execution of the group’s organic growth strategy which continues to deliver favourable results to our customers and our shareholders,” said founder and chairman Tan Sri Teh Hong Piow in a statement.

He added that the bank's robust funding position was mainly supported by its strong retail franchise and large domestic depositor base of over five million customers who continue to place their trust and confidence in the group in safeguarding their funds.

Public Bank’s impaired loan ratio improved to 0.5% as at end-December 2015.

For the fourth quarter, the bank posted a 19% year-on-year gain in net profit to RM1.49bil while revenue was 8.8% higher at RM4.93bil.

Moving forward, the group said it will leverage on its internal strength and capitalise on its customer service and service delivery to maintain its leading market share in the domestic retail segment, supported by steady demand for home mortgages, vehicle financing and SME lending.

By Wong Wei-Shen The Star/Asia News Network

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Malaysia revised budget 2016 to GDP growth 4.0%~4.5% from original 4.0%~5.0%

PUTRAJAYA: The Government’s recalibrated Budget 2016 reinforces its pledge to look after the people in times of economic challenges.

The adjustments – reflected in 11 measures to be undertaken – largely serve to cushion the impact of the increase in the cost of living.

In presenting the adjustments yesterday, the Prime Minister said the recalibration and restructuring of Budget 2016 centred on the need to ensure the economy remained on a strong growth trajectory and to protect and safeguard the welfare and wellbeing of the people.

“These measures are proactive, transparent and realistic, in tandem with the current global economic challenges,” Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said in his 46-minute address to a packed audience comprising ministers, senior civil servants, economic stakeholders, foreign missions and representatives of non-governmental organisations.

Also present were Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Second Finance Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah, Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Dr Ali Hamsa, Treasury secretary-general Tan Sri Dr Irwan Serigar Abdullah and Bank Negara Governor Tan Sri Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz.

Najib said the recalibration was within the range of initiatives and allocation of the Budget approved by Parliament last year, and emphasised that Malaysia was neither in economic nor technical recession.

He noted that other countries were also affected by the slowdown, with world trade anticipated to be moderate from 4.1% to 3.4% and economies such as the United States, Brazil and China expected to grow at a slower pace.

“This trend proves that we are not alone in facing the global economic challenges. Other countries too, are affected by the uncertainties,” he said, adding the drastic decline in world crude oil prices had a significant effect on the nation’s revenue.

The strengthening of the US dollar also affected the economy and the ringgit, which depreciated by 11.3% from RM3.77 in June last year to RM4.25 as of Wednesday, said Najib.

Other currencies also affected are Brazil’s Real which depreciated by 23.2%, China’s yuan (-5.7%), Cana­dian dollar (-11.3%), Russian ruble (-29.3%) and Singapore dollar (-5.6%) against the US greenback.

“In fact, the ringgit is underva­lued and does not reflect the true economic fundamentals. However, the ringgit is expected to better reflect the strength of the economy when the global financial market stabilises and oil prices recover to more reasonable levels,” said the Prime Minister.

Sources: The Star  mazwin nik anis, foong pek yee, ho wah foon, joseph kaos jr, adrian chan, tho xin yi, tashny sukumaran, victoria brown, nurbaiti hamdan, akil yunus, hanis zainal, joash de silva, andrebecca grace rajaendram

Malaysia can withstand oil shocks

Meeting the media: (from left) Irwan, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Abdul Wahid Omar and Bank Negara governor Tan Sri Zeti Akhtar Aziz at the 2016 Budget recalibration forum

PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia can withstand sustained oil price decline to US$25 (RM105) per barrel.

According to secretary-general of Treasury Tan Sri Mohd Irwan Serigar Abdullah, the various scenario analyses conducted by the Government showed that Malaysia would still be able to sustain its economic growth and its recalibrated Budget 2016 would remain on track as long as crude oil prices remain above US$25 per barrel.

He, however, acknowledges that if oil prices were to go any lower than that, there will be great challenges, not only for Malaysia, but also for the global economy.

“In our estimation (for Budget 2016 revision), we even went to US$25 per barrel and we find that the budget will still be intact ... that is not a problem because we have a lot of measures in place,” Irwan said.

“But if it goes further down to US$20 or US$15 per barrel, it will be a world recession! Every oil-producing country will face a problem,” he told reporters at a forum after the Budget 2016 recalibration announcement here yesterday.

The Government had been forced to revise its Budget 2016 three months after tabling it in Parliament due to the continuous decline in global crude oil prices.

The recalibrated Budget 2016 saw the Government lowering its average-price assumption for Brent, which is the international oil benchmark, to US$30-US$35 per barrel, compared with US$48 per barrel under the original Budget 2016 when it was unveiled in October last year.

Under the recalibrated Budget 2016, the Government’s revenue is expected to decline by 3.5%-4.2% to RM216.3bil-RM217.9bil, compared with the originally estimated RM225.7bil, while its total spending (operating and development expenditure) will be cut by 3.0%-3.6% to RM255.7bil-RM257.2bil from the initially proposed RM265.2bil.

“Most of the forecasts by analysts and research institutes expect oil prices to average at US$30-US$40 per barrel this year. But we have taken a more conservative estimate of US$30-US$35 per barrel.

“If it goes below US$30 per barrel, we can still sustain economic growth; it won’t affect the budget that much, given the various mechanisms we have at hand,” Irwan said.

Brent crude was traded at around US$33.50 per barrel yesterday. Last week, prices of the commodity fell to a 13-year low of around US$28 per barrel.

Irwan said the Government was expecting additional income from various sources to act as “buffer” if oil prices declined further.

He pointed out that the Government had yet to add this additional income into its revenue projection for the revised Budget 2016.

Among the new measures expected to generate extra income for the Government were the sale of telecommunications spectrums and greater reinforcement to reduce leakages in duty-free islands such as Labuan.

As for managing its expenses, Irwan said the Government would continue to optimise and slash unnecessary spending to manage its operating expenditure; and prioritise high-impact projects and programmes for the country’s growth and people’s well-being, while postponing non-critical projects to manage its development expenditure.

“In terms of reprioritising our development expenditure, what we are going to do is to go further into project-implementation planning.

“There are some projects that will be shifted to beyond 2016 but some important projects that will have an impact on people such as rural roads, schools and hospitals will continue to be implemented,” Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Abdul Wahid Omar said.

Wahid, together with Irwan and Bank Negara governor Tan Sri Zeti Akhtar Aziz, were the three panellists at the forum yesterday.

Essentially, Wahid said, the Government would continue to pursue its overall fiscal consolidation targets.

On that note, the fiscal-deficit to gross-domestic-product (GDP) target for 2016 remained unchanged at 3.1% under the revised budget.

Malaysia’s GDP growth, however, had been revised to a narrower range of 4.0%-4.5% for this year, compared with 4.0%-5.0% under the original Budget 2016.

“We have detected moderation in domestic demand,” Zeti said. “The key to support domestic demand is to boost private consumption by putting money into the pockets of consumers through income transfers,” she added.

She pointed out that the newly introduced measure to allow employees’ EPF contribution to be reduced by 3% between March 2016 and December 2017 was one of the ways to boost consumer spending.

However, she stressed: “These measures are only temporary because retirement savings are important.”

By Cecilia Kok The Star

Main points of Budget 2016 revision

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had on Thursday announced the revised Budget 2016 in the face of the fall in crude oil prices which has affected the government's revenue.

The Prime Minister said the government revenue would be based on Brent crude oil at US$30 to US$35 per barrel when compared with the US$48 when it prepared the Budget 2016 last year.

He also said the economy was expected to grow at a slower pace of between 4% and 4.5% when compared with the earlier forecast of 4% to 5%.

Later, Ministry of Finance Secretary-General Tan Sri Dr. Mohd Irwan Serigar Abdullah said the recalibrated Budget 2016 remains on track even if Brent crude oil prices were to deteriorate further to US$25 per barrel

Main points of Budget 2016 revision:

• Revised Budget 2016 will enable the government to save RM9bil
• Govt will maintain the Goods and Services Tax
• Fiscal deficit target at 3.1% of GDP
• Govt revenue to be based on Brent crude oil at US$30 to US$35 per barrel from US$48
• Trimmed GDP growth outlook for 2016 to 4%-4.5% from 4%-5%
• Govt debt to be reduced to 55% of GDP
• Govt will not peg the ringgit
• Govt to reduce EPF contributions for employees by 3% from March 2016 to December 2017, contributors from employers unchanged Govt to give special tax relief of RM2,000 to individual tax payers earning RM8,000 a month for year of assessment 2015
• Malaysia to restructure foreign labour system
• Govt to give special tax exemption for some selected income groups
• Govt to allocated RM5bil for the Higher Education Fund (PTPTN)
• Govt will liberalise the control on import quotas or approved permits for eight agricultural produce for temporary period. It includes raw coffee beans, buffalo meat, beef and mutton
• To enhance the efficiency and amount of tax collection, govt will double compliance and auditing efforts on tax evaders
• Govt to give special consideration on relaxation for penalty on taxpayers to encourage them to come forward and declare their past years’ income. The tax arrears must be settled before 31 December 2016.
• For duty-free islands, to reduce leakages which resulted in revenue loss of nearly RM1bil, the government will restructure the selling channel of cigarettes and liquors limited to duty-free outlets licensed by the Royal Malaysian Customs Department (RMCD)
• The free duty treatment on imported vehicles in duty-free islands will be tightened.
• However, the restructuring of sales on cigarettes, liquors and vehicles will not affect the tourists and locals who are residing in these duty-free islands
• Govt will optimise the revenue from the telecommunication spectrum through a redistribution and bidding process which will be implemented soon

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Developers shift focus to higher-priced residential properties in Penang; Busy in construction sector 2016

Projects worth RM41bil in Penang next year

 

Chan: ‘We still foresee the volume and value transactions of properties to contract in 2016. However, the contraction this time won’t be so sharp." (Default Alternate Text: "Chan: ‘We still foresee the volume and value transactions of properties to contract in 2016. However, the contraction this time won’t be so sharp.

GEORGE TOWN: Five developers will undertake RM4.33bil in property projects in Penang next year despite a challenging year for the property market.

The developers planned to price their mostly residential properties from between RM480,000 and RM3.3mil.

The price range came on the heels of this year’s launches of between RM200,000 and RM400,000 in strategic locations.

The developers would be shifting their focus to higher-priced residential properties.The condominium units in Bayan Lepas will be from 1,000 sq ft and priced from RM480,000 while three-storey houses with built-up of 5,300 sq ft will be priced at RM3.3mil in Seri Tanjung Pinang.

The developers are IJM Land Bhd with gross development value (GDV) of RM415mil, Ideal Property Group (RM1.46bil GDV), Hunza Properties Bhd (RM600mil GDV), Eastern & Oriental Bhd (RM650mil GDV) and Mah Sing Group Bhd (RM1.2bil GDV).

Real Estate & Housing Developers’ Association (Penang) chairman Datuk Jerry Chan told StarBiz that developers could be shifting their focus to properties priced from RM400,000 as there was a large supply of housing priced between RM200,000 and RM400,000 targeting first-time buyers.

This did not mean that buyers have lost interest in affordable housing with built-up of 900 sq ft and priced from RM500 to RM600 per sq ft.

Chan pointed out that developers would continue to build housing in the affordable range to leverage on the higher density for plots of land but there would be a gradual shift to the “non-affordable” range.

He added that there would be fewer launches in 2016, due to the difficulties in obtaining bridging and end-financing loans from banks.

Referring to the incoming supply of housing that were currently under construction, Chan said this would be spread over a five- to 10-year period, depending on market demand and the size of the schemes.

The National Information Property Centre (Napic) report revealed that the state would see an incoming supply of 72,114 units into the market.

According to the Napic report, the existing stock of houses in the state stood at 393,303, compared with 383,484 in the first half of 2014.

“We still foresee the volume and value transactions of properties to contract in 2016. However, the contraction this time won’t be so sharp,” Chan said.

Ideal executive chairman Datuk Alex Ooi said the group had developed 4,840 units of affordable projects on the island for the last two years.

“We have sold about 60% of these properties. Moving ahead, the strategy is to move into the non-affordable range priced between RM400,000 and RM600,000.

“Ideal Property still has around 300 acres of land bank on the island. We have some 25,000 units of properties planned for the land bank.

“There are still 8,000 units of properties with more than RM4bil in GDV to be implemented over the next 10 years, priced between RM400,000 and RM600,000,” Ooi said.

‘Moderate to flat’ outlook

Ooi expected property market conditions to be “moderate” to “flat” in the coming year.

Mah Sing (North) senior general manager Law Wei Keong said the company had recently completed a survey on the preference of housing products in the country.

“The study revealed that a majority of the 6,000 surveyed favoured houses priced in the range of RM500,000 to RM700,000,” he said.

Of the RM2bil worth of housing projects launched in the country this year, about 16% were priced from RM1mil, while the remaining 84% are below RM1mil, according to Law.

IJM Land senior general manager (north) Datuk Toh Chin Leong said despite the weak market sentiment, the company would continue to launch properties priced below RM800,000.

“It will be a slow year for the property market in 2016,” Toh said.

 TrehausIJM Land’s pipeline of projects for next year in Penang included the RM232mil Waterside Residence in The Light Waterfront project next to Penang Bridge, the RM64.7mil Trehaus Condo Villa scheme in Bukit Jambul, and the RM118.4mil Senjayu Terrace project in Jawi, South Seberang Prai.

The Trehaus and the Waterside Residences scheme would be launched in the second quarter of 2016, while the Senjayu Terrace would be introduced in late 2016.

“The price of the three property schemes ranged between RM730,000 and RM1.3mil,” he said.

Meanwhile, Ideal would be launching the RM460mil Forestville, RM600mil Queens Waterfront Residences, and RM400mil Camerlina, located in Bayan Lepas, priced between RM480,000 and RM800,000.

“There is still growing need for mid-range houses that is reasonably priced, located within mature township, surrounded and supported by amenities such as schools with good accessibility, lower density with lifestyle concept,” he said.

Eastern & Oriental will develop the recently launched RM482mil Tamarind and 50 units of terraced houses with a RM168mil GDV in Seri Tanjung Pinang.

The Tamarind units, ranging between 1,000 sq ft and 1,770 sq ft, are priced around RM691,000 and RM1.16mil, while the terraced units, with built-up areas of 5,300 sq ft, are priced from RM3.3mil.

Its general manager (marketing and sales) Christina Lau said the Tamarind was scheduled for completion in 2019.

No date has been set for the completion of the 50-terraced properties.

Mah Sing to unveil Ferringhi Residence 2

Mah Sing will launch the RM735mil Ferringhi Residence 2, the RM350mil Icon Residence and an unnamed RM150mil project in Southbay City, Batu Maung.

“We are targeting the Ferringhi Residence 2 launch in the first quarter,” Law said.

The Ferringhi Residence 2 consists of three blocks offering 632 units with built-up areas from 1,208 sq ft to 2,910 sq ft, priced from RM775,265.

Law said the pricing for the unnamed project would be below RM680 per sq ft.

“The units have built-up areas of 750 sq ft to 1,000 sq ft,” he said.

Meanwhile, Hunza will develop the RM600mil Alila 2 project in Tanjung Bungah, 270 units which have built up of between 1,900 sq ft and 3,300 sq ft, priced from RM775 per sq ft.

“We will promote the 9.8acre project in Indonesia, Hong Kong, and Singapore early next year.

“The key attractions are the size of the units, which are extremely scarce on the island nowadays,” group managing director Khor Siang Gin said.

By David Tan The Star

Construction sector to be busy in 2016 with projects worth RM83bil 

KUALA LUMPUR: WITH over RM83bil worth of infrastructure jobs to be awarded next year, it is going to be a busy year for the construction sector in 2016.

“The 11th Malaysia Plan unveiled in May 2015 has reaffirmed the strong pipeline of construction jobs till 2020. The record awards of project delivery partners (PDPs) for four major infrastructure projects with total value of RM80bil have further reiterated the potential works,” said Maybank IB Research in a recent strategy report. This flow of contracts if they are rolled out according to plan, is a new record, outpacing the high of RM28bil dished out in 2012.

The strong job flows are expected to be driven from new tenders in public transport, oil & gas downstream infrastructure and water-related jobs.

New award phase for the Klang Valley Mass Rapid Transit Line 2, is set to take off from the first half of next year while the other rail project coming on strean is the Klang Valley Light Railway Transit (KVLRT) 3. The Gemas-JB double track, which is being reviewed, is another potential.

The total value of rail-related construction jobs was estimated at RM39bil in the medium term, said CIMB Research. “These could be broken into 17-20 chunky packages worth between RM800mil and RM1.5bil each, excluding underground portions,” the research firm said in its recent outlook report.

As for highways, there are the RM4.2bil Damansara-Shah Alam Highway (DASH), the Sungai Besi-Ulu Kelang Elevated Expressway (SUKE), and the remaining West Coast Expressway (WCE) packages to be awarded. In East Malaysia, eleven more packages of the 1,090km Pan-Borneo Highway is expected to be tendered out in phases next year.

As for oil and gas infrastructure, Petronas’ Refinery and Petrochemicals Integrated Development (Rapid) project in Pengerang, Johor, is expected to see investments worth RM18bil based on Budget 2016.

On water-type contracts, CIMB Research reckoned that over RM2bil worth of jobs could be dished out and this excludes potential jobs from the private sector side.

The country’s strengthened ties with China have also injected further optimism into the construction sector.

“Chinese contractors have expressed interest in the rail projects, specifically, the Gemas-JB double track rail and Kuala Lumpur-Singapore high speed rail. Local contractors could partner them in bidding for the projects. With the Chinese companies’ ability to offer attractive financing packages, this would raise their chances of winning the projects, while allaying concerns on project funding issue,” said Maybank Research.

One other key project to watch for is the Penang Transportation Master Plan (PTMP) that is said to have contract value of RM27bil.

As for stock picks, Maybank IB Research has Gamuda Bhd at its top pick. The stock was a likely beneficiary of the PTMP and could also clinch additional jobs from the mega rail projects including KVLRT 3 and Gemas-JB double track rail, the research firm said.

CIMB Research also has Gamuda as its big-cap pick for the largest exposure to MRT 2. Among small/mid-cap it has Muhibbah Engineering Bhd as the preferred stock for the company’s US-dollar theme and exposure to Petronas’ Rapid.

“In the water segment, Salcon Bhd could emerge with a bigger share of wins. The company’s tender book currently stood at RM1bil to RM2bil,” said CIMB Research.

On the other hand, Public Invest Research has a neutral “call” on the sector as “most of the counters under our coverage were already fairly valued.”

“Currently, the construction index is priced at 13 times one-year forward earnings, which is also equal to its long-term mean. Hence, we believe the sector is fully valued for now, with most positives already priced in.”

As for stock picks, the research firm favours WCT Holdings Bhd as its job replenishment was better than expected with RM2.7bil clinched to-date, bumping up its unbilled orderbook to more than RM5bil. “Hock Seng Lee Bhd is expected to benefit from the Pan Borneo project, while Gamuda also looks attractive after the stock dipped below our fair value.”

By Gurmeet Kaur The Star

Immigration & education drive property prices; Secondary property sales may take lead

Immigration and education are two drivers of property prices in cities in the next 10 years to 2024, said property consultancy Knight Frank International.

Its Asia-Pacific reaearch director Nicholas Holt said up to 76,000 Ultra High Net Worth Individuals (UHNWI) from China have immigrated the last 10 years - the highest - while up to 72% of Malaysia’s UHNWI send their children abroad, the highest. (See graphics below).

The cities include London, New York, Hong Kong and Singapore.

Holt was presenting his Wealth Report 2015 updated till third quarter 2015 at the 25th National Real Estate Convention in Kuala Lumpur.

He defined UHNWIs as those with US$30mil and above in investible income excluding their primary residence.

In an Attitudes Survey involving 600 advisors of UHNWIs by Knight Frank, the advisors - bankers included - said about 10% of their Malaysia’s ultra-high net worth clients were considering changing their domicile in the earlier part of this year.

“This compares with an overall 12% in Asia who are considering changing domicile,” said Holt.

Data show drop in primary market transactions

SUBANG JAYA: The ongoing slowdown in the local property sector could see transactions in the secondary property market overtaking that of the primary market.

Citing data from the National Property Information Centre (Napic), PPC International Sdn Bhd managing director Datuk Siders Sittampalam said the economic slowdown has affected transactions in the primary property market this year.

"Siders: ‘Total volume of transactions in the primary market has dropped, and this has also resulted in values dropping. >>

“Total volume of transactions in the primary market has dropped, and this has also resulted in values dropping.

“As such, there will come a time when the secondary market will lead the primary market,” he said at a press conference after the launch of the 25th National Real Estate Convention (NREC) 2015 yesterday.

Siders said it was difficult to provide a specific timeline on when he expected transactions in the secondary market to exceed that of the primary market.

“In terms of value, the primary market will find it harder to match the secondary market due to rising land and building costs,” he said.

Siders said he expected transactions in the primary market to improve once cooling measures imposed on the local property sector have been relaxed.

“Once the economy picks up and Bank Negara backs off on its cooling measures, the primary market will pick up again.”

He also said a drastic hike in interest rates will have an impact on the property sector.

“Over the last few years, the property market had been steadily growing due to various measures such as the developers interest bearing scheme (DIBS). Because of these measures, pricing in the market has been distorted.

“Now, when people have committed to their loans, especially youths and first time buyers, and there is a sudden hike in interest rates, there will be a dip in the market.

“Loans go bad and many properties will go under the hammer. This will not be a healthy market.” Siders said he was hopeful that any interest rate hike by the central bank would be a “sustainable increase.”

Bank Negara maintained its overnight policy rate in September at 3.25%.

The NREC was organised by the Royal Institution of Surveyors Malaysia and the Association of Valuers, Property Managers, Estate Agents and Property Consultants in the Private Sector, Malaysia.

The event highlighted major concerns for the future of the real estate industry in Malaysia during the current economic period.

BY EUGENE MAHALINGAM

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Property is the safest way to invest

Liquidity risk: If your objective of purchasing properties is to leave your child or children with a sizeable monetary legacy when you pass on, there may be other viable alternatives.

Works on fundamentals still vital

TIME and time again, we hear about the need to save up to buy our first property. Then we hear about why we should save up to buy the next property (presumably for the “certainty” of investment gains), and the success stories of those who made their first million, primarily through property investment.

So, anyone who has received a healthy dose of these for a few years would naturally deduce that in order to gain significant returns to our investment portfolio, the key is property. This does not always hold true.

As with any investment, you must still go through the fundamental questions that help you ascertain whether property is the right tool for you.

We will get back to what these fundamental questions are after forming a backdrop from two somewhat representative examples.

In 2009, 38-year-old Albert bought a 4,300 sq ft condominium at a prestigious location in the heart of Kuala Lumpur for RM4.3mil. At RM1,000 per sq ft, many would deem this a good buy; more so now that the current market value has risen to RM5.1mil.

Now, let’s see this “gain” from a different perspective. Since Albert bought the property for investment purposes, he had two options to earn returns from this investment – either rent it out for an amount higher than the loan repayment value, or sell the property to monetise the higher market value.

Unfortunately for Albert, he has as yet not been able to find a buyer even though it has been six years since he bought the property. Given the softer property market, although he has been lucky to find a tenant, he is receiving a rental yield that is lower than his loan repayment. This is fine as long as Albert remains gainfully employed and is able to afford the loan repayment for as long as it takes to sell the property.

Capital gain

Let us look at another property owner. Also in 2009, Nik and Sara, a newly-married couple, purchased a 3,100 sq ft landed residential property in a fast-developing suburb in the Klang Valley for RM350,000. Unlike Albert, they bought the property for their own residential use.

Over the years, given that their home is located close to a major shopping mall and to the highway, the market value of their property rose to the current RM1mil.

Did they “gain” from this property? Similar to Albert’s case, in order for Nik and Sara to make capital gains from this property, they would need to sell it to lock-on the value.

However, since they are residing in that property, selling it would mean looking for alternative accommodation.

Would they be able to maintain the same standard of living (i.e. an equally convenient 3,100 sq ft living space, and so forth) with the proceeds received from the property sale? If not, then like for Albert, the higher market value would not have resulted in any direct investment gain for them.

But unlike Albert, it doesn’t matter as they did not purchase the house as an investment instrument and the loan repayment does not result in any unexpected negative cashflow.

So on the backdrop of both these scenarios, we are ready to move on to the fundamental questions you should consider when assessing the suitability of any investment instrument, property or otherwise. The six most fundamental considerations are, perhaps, best rendered acrostically as O.H.A.M.L.A.:

• Objective – or what you hope to use of those funds for (i.e. the capital) in the future; 
• Holding period – the length of time you are able to sustain financially without touching the returns    or capital for that investment; 
• Affordability – would you need to compromise your standard of living if there is no cashflow from     the investment throughout the holding period; 
• Market risk – the quantum of price movement that you could stomach during the holding period; 
• Liquidity risk – how long would it take for you to sell the investment and receive your funds; and 
• Alternative instruments – are there any that could achieve the same investment objective with lower risks attached.

Going back to Albert’s case; he bought the condominium with the objective of making significant capital gains in five years (i.e. the holding period).

At the point of purchase in 2009, he assumed his employment status would not change and that he would earn the same or a higher salary over the course of his holding period. However, he is now self-employed, hence his earnings are no longer fixed each month.

Therefore, the affordability factor is now compromised as he needs to ensure his loan commitments are met each month despite a fluctuating income.

Next, although he made the fair assumption (which turned out to be right) that the property would appreciate in market value in the future, he underestimated the liquidity rush when investing in properties, i.e. finding a willing buyer for the price he is willing to sell and getting the cash from that sale within a short period of time.

As many of us may have experienced, due to legal and loan documentation requirements, it could take up to a few months to get back our funds even after a willing buyer has been identified.

Lastly, unfortunately for Albert, other alternative instruments that could perhaps meet his investment objective for significant returns (eg. investing in high risk companies in the stock exchange or investing in a start-up company) also carry similar, if not higher, risks.

First-time buyer

That said, property or real estate remains an important instrument for most investors. For a first-time property buyer, owning a property that you could live in removes the risk that rental prices could escalate where you may be forced to compromise your lifestyle to find alternative accommodation.

Individuals with significant excess funds after investing in a diversified portfolio consisting of instruments such as high yielding deposits, blue chip shares, unit trusts, endowment insurance plans and bonds, should consider property as the next instrument to augment their investment portfolio.

If you are an investor seeking a consistent stream of income, other than rental income, alternative instruments that could give you that regular payout could be unit trust funds with an income-generating mandate, endowment insurance plans, high dividend blue chip stocks or even bonds.

With all these instruments, especially unit trusts and endowment policies, you would be able to easily liquidate your investments and get your sale proceeds within 14 days or less. This is important when you do not have a significant amount of excess cash in hand for potential financial emergencies.

If your objective of purchasing the property is to leave your child or children with a sizeable monetary legacy when you pass on, there may be viable alternatives. For some, this means building up a stable business for the children to inherit.

For many others, there is always the traditional portfolio that consists of shares, unit trust funds, bonds and so forth.

The lesser-known alternative would be to purchase a universal life insurance policy that would ensure your beneficiaries receive a sizeable payout after you have passed on.

So if you are 40 years old, instead of spending RM2mil to buy a bungalow in Kajang that your children may likely liquidate anyhow once you have passed on – after all, your intended legacy was the cash value of the property – you could instead spend a little over quarter that amount to purchase a universal life policy that would pay RM2mil in cash to your children once you are gone.

By using O.H.A.M.L.A. as a guide, your investment universe could open up your world to a wide array of instruments beyond property to help you meet your objective. As the old proverb goes: There are more ways than one to skin a cat.

By EVELYN YEO - FINANCIAL MYTHBUSTER

Yeo is OCBC Bank (M) Bhd head of wealth management.

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IJM and Genting excluded from investments wealth fund due to severe environmental damage

Environmental issues: IJM and Genting have interests in palm oil operations.

Norwegian fund to call off investments on environmental issue

PETALING JAYA: Norway’s US$871bil sovereign wealth fund Norges Bank has excluded IJM Corp Bhd and Genting Bhd from its investments due to risks of “severe environmental damage”.

Two other companies that the fund said it would not invest in are South Korean steelmaker POSCO and Daewoo International Corp, a trading company and listed subsidiary of POSCO.

“Norges Bank has decided to exclude the companies IJM Corp, Genting, POSCO and Daewoo International Corp from the investment universe of the Government Pension Fund Global.

“The companies are excluded based on an assessment of the risk of severe environmental damage,” it said in a statement. Both IJM Corp and Genting have interests in palm oil operations.

According to the fund’s website, it held US$46mil investments in IJM Corp and US$40.8mil in Genting.

The fund also has investments in IJM Land Bhd and Genting Malaysia Bhd.

The world’s top sovereign wealth fund has a range of ethics criteria for excluding firms from its portfolio, including environmental factors, nuclear weapons-making and labour conditions.

A handful of Malaysian companies are also on Norges Bank’s list of “exclusion of companies”, including WTK Holdings Bhd, Ta Ann Holdings Bhd, Lingui Development Bhd and Samling Global Ltd.

Norges has been one of the largest foreign fund investors in Malaysian equities since 2010. As at end-2014, the fund had invested about US$1.66bil in 139 Bursa Malaysia-listed companies. - Starbiz

Norwegian fund Norges allots RM800mil to invest in Malaysian small, mid-cap stocks

The foreign fund has invested about RM1.7bil in 53 Bursa Malaysia-listed companies.

PETALING JAYA: Norwegian fund Norges has allotted RM800mil more to invest in small to mid-cap stocks in Malaysia.

A market source said the foreign fund appointed Eastspring Investments Bhd about a month ago and was investing in general equity, with a preference for the small to mid-cap equity space.

“There are no specific guidelines as to which sector Norges is keen on. It wants to look at good companies and it so happens the local small and mid-cap space is doing well this year,” the source said.

Norges has been one of the largest foreign fund investor in Malaysian equities since 2010.

In April, StarBiz reported that the foreign fund had invested about RM1.7bil in 53 Bursa Malaysia-listed companies, managed by Kenanga Investors Bhd. At the time, the fund was already sitting on a paper gain of some RM600mil, with its entire holdings in Malaysia valued some RM2.3bil. Its performance in Malaysian equities was attributed to the big run-up in many of the small oil and gas companies since last year.

The source added that Norges was still looking for more fund managers to manage its investment in Malaysia. “It has always had this allocation for Malaysia which it had not entirely fulfilled yet. So it is continuously looking for fund managers,” the source said.

PublicInvest Research in its strategy note for the second half of 2014 said smaller-capitalised stocks in Malaysia have had a good run year-to-date, reflected by the FBM Small Cap Index’s 18.6% gain compared with the FBM KLCI’s 0.3% gain and FBM Mid 70 Index’s 1.2% rise.

Eastspring Investments had about US$105bil (RM334.2bil) in assets under management as at March 31.

The asset management house was named Asia’s leading retail fund manager for 2013 in an annual survey by Asia Asset Management.

Norges, also referred to as the Norwegian oil fund, has a market value of 5,038 billion kroner (RM2.73 trillion) as of end-2013.

Norges is managed by Norges Bank Investment Management, the asset management unit of the Norwegian central bank.

As of end-2013, it is invested in 8,000 stocks in 82 countries and owns 1.3% of the world’s listed companies, delivering annual returns of 5.7% since 1998. - By LIZ LEE Starbiz

Norwegian fund nibbling at Malaysian small and mid caps

PETALING JAYA: Norway-based Norges, one of the largest foreign funds investing in Malaysian equities, has been nibbling small to mid cap stocks that offer exciting upside here.

It has taken up small stakes in 53 Bursa Malaysia-listed companies, with total investments of around RM1.7bil, according to a fund manager.

Norges has a market value of 5,038 billion kroner (RM2.73 trillion) as of end-2013.

Norges began investing heavily in the Malaysian market since 2010 and is now sitting on a paper gain of some RM600mil, giving its entire holdings in Malaysia a value of some RM2.3bil.

Among Norges’ investments are a string of mid-sized oil and gas firms such as Alam Maritim Bhd, Daya Bhd, Scomi Energy Services Bhd and Barakah Offshore Petroleum Bhd.

It has even invested in special purpose acquisition companies Sona Petroleum Bhd and Cliq Energy Bhd.

“An investment from Norges is a positive endorsement from an independent party. It shows that the company has fulfilled the international standards of a foreign sovereign fund,” said one fund manager, who tracks Norges’ movements.

In Malaysia, Norges’ appointed fund manager since 2010 has been Kenanga Investors Bhd. Every year since then, sources said that Norges had allocated Kenanga at least RM150mil as it was pleased with its local counterpart’s performance.

Prior to Kenanga Investors, Norges’ appointed fund manager was RHB Investment Bhd.

“Kenanga Investors has been investing in small and mid caps even before the recent run-up in such companies over the last one year. The big run-up in many of the small oil and gas companies has significantly enhanced Norges’ performance here,” said a fund manager familiar with Norges’ strategy.

This indicates that Norges has a lot of interest in the sector, which isn’t surprising considering that Norges itself has gained its funds from the oil and gas revenues of Norway’s state-owned pension fund.

Aside from oil and gas stocks, Norges has also invested in other sectors such as banking and property.

“The reason it has done well is because it identified mid cap investing very early on. While the Employees Providents Fund (EPF) only articulated its interest in investing in mid-sized companies last year, Norges has been doing that for the last 3 to 4 years,” said the source.

Last June, EPF chief executive officer Datuk Shahril Ridza Ridzuan said it was looking at making investments in 40 mid-cap stocks, adding that the fund was already invested in a number of mid-sized companies.

He said the EPF was happy to support companies that fulfilled its investment criteria, which include having ample liquidity, the ability to generate cash flows and dividends, and having good corporate governance practices in place.

Slightly differing from the EPF which oftentimes take substantial stakes, Norges has a policy of not going beyond 3% in any particular stock, sources said.

“Norges is in the business of portfolio management. It isn’t in the business of running companies,” said the source.

Norges, also referred to as the Norwegian oil fund, is managed by Norges Bank Investment Management, the asset management unit of the Norwegian central bank. Norges is mandated to hold 60% in stocks and 35% in bonds, and is aiming to build up a 5% holding in real estate.

As at end-2013, it is invested in 8,000 stocks in 82 countries and owns 1.3% of the world’s listed companies. Between 1998 to 2013, Norges has been delivering annual returns of 5.7%.

 - By LIZ LEE Starbiz

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Malaysian construction projects shrunk in Q1

The real property gains tax, the difficulties in obtaining housing loans from banks and the impact of the goods and services tax had affected demand, which in turn slowed down the number of new property launches, Penang Master Builders and Building Materials Dealers’ Association president Datuk Lim Kai Seng (pic) told StarBiz.

GEORGE TOWN: The value of construction jobs given out in the country in the first quarter of this year fell to RM11.6bil from RM12.5bil in the corresponding period a year ago.

The number of jobs contracted out in the nation has also declined to 614 from 671, according to the latest Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) report.

The real property gains tax, the difficulties in obtaining housing loans from banks and the impact of the goods and services tax had affected demand, which in turn slowed down the number of new property launches, Penang Master Builders and Building Materials Dealers’ Association president Datuk Lim Kai Seng (pic) told StarBiz.

“During the first-quarter of 2015, the number of residential projects dropped to 179 from 207 in the same period in 2014, while the non-residential figure shrunk to 239 from 268.

“In the corresponding period, the number of private projects given out also plunged to 459 from 537, while the number of government projects increased to 150 from 131.

“Normally, the first quarter is a slow period for the construction industry, due to the Chinese New Year celebration and holidays,” he said.

Lim said the rapid progression of mega projects such as the light rail transit (LRT) and mass rapid transit lines in the Klang Valley, and the efforts by the Federal Government to revive 74% of the abandoned housing projects in the country, should see more jobs being contracted to the construction industry this year.

Last December, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had said some 10.7% or 23 of these abandoned projects were in the process of rehabilitation, while 33 or 15.35% were in the planning stage.

“The total value and the number of construction jobs to be given out in 2015 are expected to improve by a strong single-digit percentage in 2015.

“Last year, a total of 7,180 projects worth RM149.5bil were given out nationwide,” Lim said.

In Penang, the number of projects contracted out for the first quarter 2015 was 55 compared with 44 in the same period a year ago.
br /> Lim said the delay in the issuance of advertising permits and developer licence by the Federal Government to developers in Penang had led to fewer projects being awarded in the first quarter of 2015.

“This delayed the commencement of work for most of the projects, slowing down the jobs awarded.

“The residential projects given out declined to 10 from 16 in the first quarter of 2014, while the value of the residential projects contracted out increased substantially to RM936.89mil from RM391.50mil.

“The value has appreciated because the density of units per project has increased.

“The units launched are also of higher value,” Lim said.

According to the CIDB report, the number of government projects given out in first-quarter 2015 was nine compared with 17 in the corresponding period in 2014, while the number of private projects shrunk to 35 from 38.

Lim said with the implementation of the RM27bil Penang Transport Master Plan, scheduled to take off this year, the local construction industry could expect some RM400mil to RM500mil worth of jobs to be outsourced.

“These jobs are related to the alignment and soil studies for the LRT system,” he said.

By David Tan The Star/Asia News Network

Malaysia's property market seen next high in 2018

SK Brothers Realty Sdn Bhd general manager Chan Ai Cheng (filepic) believes the market would bounce back as soon as the Government decides to “boost the sector,” namely, measures promoting the industry. “We hope the market will return within the next two years,” she said.

‘Next market high’ for property seen in 2018

PETALING JAYA: A combination of pent-up demand, improved buyer sentiment and overall business environment is expected to spur the local property market to its “next market high” in 2018.

PPC International Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Siva Shanker said conditions have been improving albeit slowly, with the implementation of the goods and services tax (GST) not really having much of an impact as originally expected.

“GST came and went and everyone is still carrying on. But the general perception is that business is slow. When things are slow, the first thing that suffers will be property, because it is a big-ticket item.”

Siva said property transactions, not prices, have been spiralling since 2012.

“But we believe things (transactions) are improving already and we expect 2018 to be the next market high,” he said.

SK Brothers Realty Sdn Bhd general manager Chan Ai Cheng believes the market would bounce back as soon as the Government decides to “boost the sector,” namely, measures promoting the industry.

“We hope the market will return within the next two years,” she said.

Chan admitted that property transactions this year have been a little slower compared with the same period in 2014.

“From our marketing activities and road shows so far, it (transactions) has reduced compared with last year. There’s a bit of hesitation.

She added that the central bank’s tighter lending rules has had an impact on transactions.

“Year-to-date bookings have been about the same as last year, but conversions into sales are not the same.”

An AmResearch report last week reaffirmed an “overweight” outlook for the local property sector.

“While we expect residential prices to continue moving sideways in 2015, a return of pent-up demand towards end-2015 – barring external shocks – is possible as the market is still awash with liquidity.

“Besides that, property cooling measures and post GST impact appears to have already been priced-in, given the steep 52% discount that property stocks within our coverage currently trade at vis-à-vis their respective net asset value.”

In terms of property sub-segments, Siva feels that high-end condominiums are oversupplied within the Klang Valley.

“With that, owners will have problems selling. The landed (residential), industrial and commercial sectors, I believe, will be alright.”

He said the office subsector was also oversupplied - but added that it wasn’t a worrying situation.

“In the short-to-medium term, the oversupply will be absorbed. This is normal. Not every building will be fully taken up - it usually takes a while to get tenants anyway.”

In terms of pricing, Siva said secondary property prices were between 20% and 40% cheaper than new launches.

“It’s the secondary market that’s doing better now. But the focus should be on affordable homes, namely those below the RM500,000-range.

“Landed property within this price range is grossly undersupplied,” he said.

Source: By EUGENE MAHALINGAM The Star/Asia News Network

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