| The factors that make Iskandar Malaysia such an enticing place for anyone to live and work in is based on a series of core factors: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Saturday, March 24, 2012
How Is It Different in Iskandar Malaysia? | Iskandar Malaysia
How Is It Different in Iskandar Malaysia? | Iskandar Malaysia
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
IRDA targets RM20b investments a year
KUALA LUMPUR: The Iskandar Reginal Devolopment Authority (IRDA), tasked with turning south Johor a thriving economic hub, aims to attract at least RM20 billion of committed investment annually from 2012 to 2018 into Iskandar malaysia to achieve a total investment of RM383 billion by 2025,said its CEO Ismail Ibrahim. "We have a long term target of RM383 billion, by the time we reach maturity in 2025. This is the cumulative committed investmentfrom the year 2006," Ismail told reporters on IRDA's insight and potential investment plan yesterday. "Last year, we managed to achieve RM15.3 billion. From 2012, on year to yea basis, we are working on the target of RM20billion of committed investments per year because we are confident with the growing investments coming in and with the right clustering, we'll be able to achieve the target," he said. Ismail said the economic corridor has drawn a cumulative investment of RM84.9 billion as of last December, of which 60% are domestic investments, and the remaining 40% foreign investments. He said the Iskandar Malaysia has progressed rapidly, with the several key developments completion. Progress is being achieve across multiple sectors including education, healtcare, leisure tourism, property, creative and retail. "We are now able to create better investment eco-system and we have catalyst projects that will spur the developments," he said. On whether IRDA is eyeing new investment into Iskandar Malaysia, Ismail said it is currently in discussion with potential local and overseas partners, particularly in tourism, oil and gas, and financial services. IRDA is a federal statutory body entrusted with regulating and driving the development of Iskandar Malaysia and its core functions include planning, promoting and facilitating the development of Iskandar Malaysia.
RM22 Billion Mersing Laguna Project
Developer building $9.2b tourist playground on reclaimed land
09 Mar 2012 15:45 by REME AHMAD
JOHOR BARU: A private Malaysian developer is planning to reclaim 810ha of land off sleepy Mersing town in north-east Johor in an ambitious RM22 billion (S$9.2 billion) project to create a tourist playground.
Led by a member of Johor royalty, the developer named Radiant Starfish Development said it plans to build hotels, serviced apartments, waterfront villas and a marina on three new islands created by reclaiming the land.
A RM1 billion theme park is being planned on the mainland.
Called Mersing Laguna, the three islands together will be larger than one of Singapore's biggest residential estates, Ang Mo Kio, which is about 680ha in size.
Mersing town, about a 90-minute drive from Johor Baru, is often visited by Singaporeans as a starting point for exploring Malaysian islands in the South China Sea, such as Pulau Tioman, and for fishing holidays on kelongs.
The town is also located near the Endau-Rompin National Park, a rainforest popular with jungle trekkers and nature lovers. Offshore are 42 small islands, which are part of the Johor marine park.
Unlike most big projects going up in Johor that form part of Iskandar Malaysia, the economic development zone in southern Johor, Mersing Laguna is part of investments in the East Coast Economic Region.
The region encompasses Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and Mersing district in Johor - mostly rural towns and districts which have been targeted for development.
The three reclaimed islands will be linked to mainland Johor by separate bridges, artist's impressions released by the company yesterday showed.
When asked why land is being reclaimed when there is ample land in Malaysia, Radiant Starfish president and chief executive Ungku Safian Abdullah said in an interview yesterday that he wants to retain the rustic feel around Mersing as that is what tourists look out for in eco-tourism.
This includes the fishing villages, the 36km-long beachfront and the fruit trees.
'These are my tourist products. You can buy fish from the fishermen at the jetty, get fresh fruit. How much would it cost to set up such a fishing village?' he asked.
The dredging of sand from the bottom of the South China Sea and the land reclamation will take about three years and some RM4.2 billion.
It will be carried out by China's Sinohydro Group, which was involved in building the Three Gorges Dam and Sarawak's Bakun Dam.
The islands raised from the sea will have to be left alone for just a few months before low-rise hotels, apartments and villas can be built on them.
Radiant Starfish, as the project's master developer, yesterday signed agreements in Johor Baru with several parties to kick-start the project.
The agreements included one to buy several parcels of land near Mersing town, another to dredge sand for the land reclamation and one for the development of the 80ha onshore theme park by two companies from China.
Inevitably, the huge size and cost of the project raised questions on its financing viability, as Malaysia has a mixed record on mega projects.
Ungku Safian said the project would be spread over seven years and that the company has 'presold' all the 22 parcels of land on the three upcoming islands to investors.
'It is an ambitious project. A lot of people will scoff at the period of seven years (to build up everything). I take that as a challenge,' he said.
Radiant Starfish is 30 per cent owned by foreign investors, including those from China, with the remainder being held by Malaysians. The company has a paid-up capital of about RM700 million.
Led by a member of Johor royalty, the developer named Radiant Starfish Development said it plans to build hotels, serviced apartments, waterfront villas and a marina on three new islands created by reclaiming the land.
A RM1 billion theme park is being planned on the mainland.
Called Mersing Laguna, the three islands together will be larger than one of Singapore's biggest residential estates, Ang Mo Kio, which is about 680ha in size.
Mersing town, about a 90-minute drive from Johor Baru, is often visited by Singaporeans as a starting point for exploring Malaysian islands in the South China Sea, such as Pulau Tioman, and for fishing holidays on kelongs.
The town is also located near the Endau-Rompin National Park, a rainforest popular with jungle trekkers and nature lovers. Offshore are 42 small islands, which are part of the Johor marine park.
Unlike most big projects going up in Johor that form part of Iskandar Malaysia, the economic development zone in southern Johor, Mersing Laguna is part of investments in the East Coast Economic Region.
The region encompasses Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and Mersing district in Johor - mostly rural towns and districts which have been targeted for development.
The three reclaimed islands will be linked to mainland Johor by separate bridges, artist's impressions released by the company yesterday showed.
When asked why land is being reclaimed when there is ample land in Malaysia, Radiant Starfish president and chief executive Ungku Safian Abdullah said in an interview yesterday that he wants to retain the rustic feel around Mersing as that is what tourists look out for in eco-tourism.
This includes the fishing villages, the 36km-long beachfront and the fruit trees.
'These are my tourist products. You can buy fish from the fishermen at the jetty, get fresh fruit. How much would it cost to set up such a fishing village?' he asked.
The dredging of sand from the bottom of the South China Sea and the land reclamation will take about three years and some RM4.2 billion.
It will be carried out by China's Sinohydro Group, which was involved in building the Three Gorges Dam and Sarawak's Bakun Dam.
The islands raised from the sea will have to be left alone for just a few months before low-rise hotels, apartments and villas can be built on them.
Radiant Starfish, as the project's master developer, yesterday signed agreements in Johor Baru with several parties to kick-start the project.
The agreements included one to buy several parcels of land near Mersing town, another to dredge sand for the land reclamation and one for the development of the 80ha onshore theme park by two companies from China.
Inevitably, the huge size and cost of the project raised questions on its financing viability, as Malaysia has a mixed record on mega projects.
Ungku Safian said the project would be spread over seven years and that the company has 'presold' all the 22 parcels of land on the three upcoming islands to investors.
'It is an ambitious project. A lot of people will scoff at the period of seven years (to build up everything). I take that as a challenge,' he said.
Radiant Starfish is 30 per cent owned by foreign investors, including those from China, with the remainder being held by Malaysians. The company has a paid-up capital of about RM700 million.
Originally Published in The Straits Times
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Traders Hotel in Johor Bahru
Press Releases
Shangri-La Hotels And Resorts Signs Agreement To Open Traders Hotel, Puteri Harbour, Iskandar, Malaysia In 2012
Updated: January 2012
Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, Asia Pacific’s leading luxury hotel group, has signed an agreement with Themed Attractions and Resorts Sdn Bhd (TAR), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Khazanah Nasional Berhad – the investment holding arm of the Government of Malaysia – to open, and operate Traders Hotel, Puteri Harbour, Iskandar, Malaysia. This marks the first international hotel in the newly developed area of Nusajaya, Malaysia, and the only hotel to be associated with Malaysia’s soon-to-be-built first family indoor theme park.
Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, Asia Pacific’s leading luxury hotel group, has signed an agreement with Themed Attractions and Resorts Sdn Bhd (TAR), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Khazanah Nasional Berhad – the investment holding arm of the Government of Malaysia – to open, and operate Traders Hotel, Puteri Harbour, Iskandar, Malaysia. This marks the first international hotel in the newly developed area of Nusajaya, Malaysia, and the only hotel to be associated with Malaysia’s soon-to-be-built first family indoor theme park.
Set to open in 2012, the four-storey 283-room Traders Hotel will be located in the heart of Nusajaya, one of the five flagship zones in Iskandar Malaysia, in the waterfront precinct and will form part of an integrated complex that comprises an indoor theme park, a family entertainment centre and a 100,000-square-foot retail centre. Puteri Harbour will also house a water transport terminal and three marinas in the near future. The hotel will be a 15-minute drive from the Malaysia-Singapore Second Link, the bridge that connects Singapore and Johor, Malaysia; approximately a 35-minute drive from Senai International Airport; and a 3-hour drive from Kuala Lumpur.
“The Traders brand is well known around the world, and as Puteri Harbour, Nusajaya, establishes itself as one of the newest tourism zones in Malaysia, we are excited to be helping to develop this dynamic region. We look forward to working hand in hand with Themed Attractions and Resorts Sdn Bhd (TAR) to create an unforgettable integrated experience for families and tourists to the area,” said Greg Dogan, president and chief executive officer of Shangri-La International Hotel Management Limited.
The hotel guestrooms at Traders Hotel, Puteri Harbour, Iskandar, Malaysia will be a minimum of 36 square metres, with a selection of themed rooms. Food and beverage outlets will include an all-day dining restaurant, a lobby lounge, a sky lounge and a bar. A 620-square-metre ballroom and a range of function rooms suited for small to large events will cater to Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, and Exhibitions (MICE) guests. Recreational facilities such as a rooftop swimming pool, a health club, and a rooftop garden will also be available.
The 60,000-square-foot indoor theme park will feature world-renowned and popular children’s characters in three main areas: Hello Kitty Town, showcasing Hello Kitty and friends by Sanrio; the Little Big Club featuring HIT Entertainment's Thomas and Friends, Barney, Bob the Builder, Pingu and Angelina Ballerina; and a themed family restaurant by popular local cartoonist, Lat.
A new development area west of Johor Bahru, Nusajaya comprises over 10,000 hectares and is envisioned as a fully integrated city with a world-class environment for business, living and leisure, upon its completion.
.Hong Kong-based Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts currently owns and/or manages 72 hotels under the Shangri-La, Kerry and Traders brands, with a room inventory of over 30,000. Traders hotels cater to today’s savvy and passionate traveller with brilliant simplicity and warm sincerity. They provide a friendly yet professional environment designed to complement guests at work, rest or play. Based in major business centres in Asia and the Middle East, Traders Hotels are the practical choice for business and leisure travellers.
Traders Hotels are located in Abu Dhabi, Beijing, Changzhou, Dubai, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Male, Manila, Penang, Shenyang, Singapore and Yangon, with scheduled openings in Chennai and Iskandar. The group has a substantial development pipeline with upcoming projects in Canada, mainland China, India, Malaysia, Mongolia, Philippines, Qatar, Sri Lanka, Turkey and United Kingdom. For more information and reservations, please contact a travel professional or access the website atwww.tradershotels.com.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Legoland Malaysia now 40% complete
JOHOR BAHRU (Dec 7, 2011): Legoland Malaysia, the RM720 million theme park taking shape here, is over 40% completed and is on track to be opened at the end of next year, with the developer targeting one million visitors in the first year of operation.
IDR Resorts Sdn Bhd CEO Muhammad Zainal Ashikin Muhammad Rejab said: "The development progress is tremendous. Our contractors are working double time and I can assure that we are on schedule. Overall, we are already past the 40% mark of the development progress."
He was speaking to reporters yesterday at the unveiling of the steelworks for its roller-coaster ride called Lego Technic Test Track.
Also present were Iskandar Investment Bhd president and CEO Datuk Syed Mohamed Ibrahim and Legoland Malaysia general manager Siegfried Boerst.
Legoland Malaysia, which will be the first Legoland in the Asia Pacific and the sixth in the world, is expected to grow into a key tourist attraction in the region, Muhammad Zainal said.
IDR Resort, a unit of Iskandar Investment, is responsible for the development of the 31ha theme park in Iskandar Malaysia in partnership with Merlin Entertainments Group.
Other Legoland theme parks are in Denmark, Britain, Germany, and Florida and California in the United States.
"We have many attractions in the park and it will be divided into seven themed areas such as Lego City, Miniland, Land of Adventure, Imagination, Lego Kingdom. The activities are the same as in other Legoland parks," said Boerst.
He said each themed area is designed to ensure that "heroes of all ages" will find much to explore and enjoy at the Lego experiment centres, roller-coasters, water attractions and shows.
He said Legoland Malaysia is doing promotions and roadshows locally and overseas from this month. Those interested can also get more information on its website, http://www.legoland.com.my/
The theme park, Boerst said, will also be launching its annual passes this month at a special discount for 2013.
The special prices are RM195 for adults, RM150 for children while a RM30 discount for MyKad holders is offered for a limited period.
The normal annual pass costs RM275 (adult) and RM210 (child), with a RM30 discount for MyKad holders.
Boerst said the entrance fee for an adult has been fixed at RM140, a child at RM110 and MyKad holders will get a RM30 rebate.
"Our target is to attract one million visitors in the first year. We are hoping to receive even more and we always looking at attracting as many as possible but we cannot give you the exact figure because this market is new for us," he said.
"Legoland Malaysia will not stay as it is when it is opened. We want to add new things in the park every year and we looking at adding a water park near the theme park. We have a lot of land for expansion in the next 10 to 15 years."
**Courtesy of http://www.thesundaily.my/news/231161
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