THE EDGE Property Excellence Awards 2013: Top property developers honoured at gala night

THE MALAYSIAN property industry’s crème de la crème were honoured at The Edge Malaysia Property Excellence Awards 2013 (TEPEA) last Thursday. Despite a downpour and massive jams in Kuala Lumpur that evening, more than 250 guests attended the gala night, including the guest of honour Minister of Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan.

This year marked the 11th time The Edge Malaysia Top Property Developers Awards (TPDA) was held. TPDA is the anchor award for the TEPEA. The other categories are The Edge-PEPS Value Creation Excellence Award, The Edge-PAM Green Excellence Award, The Edge Outstanding Property Personality Award, The Edge Outstanding Property Project Award and Best in Qualitative Attributes Award.

S P Setia Bhd was ranked first in the TPDA, making it the eighth time — from 2005 to 2008 and again from 2010 to 2012 — the developer had won the top honours.

Sunway Bhd chairman and founder Tan Sri Jeffrey Cheah took home the Outstanding Property Personality Award. The company’s Sunway Resort City was awarded the Outstanding Property Project Award.

S P Setia also took home The Edge-PEPS Value Creation Excellence Award in the non-residential category for its SetiaWalk project in Puchong, Selangor, and The Edge-PAM Green Excellence Award for its Setia City Mall development in Setia Alam, Shah Alam, a joint-venture project with Land Lease.

Trinity Group Sdn Bhd’s The Zest @ Kinrara 9 was the winner of The Edge-PEPS Value Creation Excellence Award 2013 (residential category).

Sunway Bhd came in second in the TPDA ranking, followed by Sime Darby Property Bhd, UEM Sunrise Bhd, IGB Corp Bhd, Bandar Utama City Corp Sdn Bhd, UOA Development Bhd, Gamuda Bhd’s property division, I&P Group Sdn Bhd and Mah Sing Group Bhd.

The Edge-PEPS Value Creation Excellence Award merit awards were presented to Hicom-Gamuda Development Sdn Bhd for its Lagoon Suites condominium, I&P Group for its Temasya Suria superlinks (residential category) and Gamuda Land Sdn Bhd for its Botanic Business Gateway in Klang (non-residential category).

The Intermark Sdn Bhd’s Integra Tower, The Intermark and Khor Joo Saik Sdn Bhd’s Menara Binjai received honorary mention for The Edge-PAM Green Excellence Award while IOI Properties Bhd got a special mention for its Palm Garden Golf Club.

At the gala, Abdul Rahman said in order for developers to gain a competitive edge in the property market, they need to create brand names for themselves. “This will associate them with quality attributes, such as a good track record, fine workmanship and on-time delivery.

“This in turn will bring about customer loyalty and good recommendations among potential buyers, thereby increasing sales.”

He said some developers had not only succeeded in creating a brand name for themselves, but also become global players. “Malaysian property investors and developers are making waves overseas.”

The Edge Media Group publisher and CEO Ho Kay Tat said many views have been put forward on what needs to be done to ensure that the property sector remains a robust part of the economy and, at the same time, make sure that there is an adequate supply of affordable homes and financing.

“The issues are complex and some are outside the control of the industry,” he said. “But with the collective input of the key players in the industry and the regulators, I am sure we can achieve what needs to be done.”

The Edge-PEPS Value Creation Excellence Award was jointly initiated by The Edge and the Association of Valuers, Property Managers, Estate Agents and Property Consultants in the Private Sector (PEPS) while The Edge-PAM Green Excellence Award was in partnership with the Malaysian Institute of Architects (PAM).

The main sponsor of the event was Malayan Banking Bhd while N S Bluescope was the supporting sponsor. The official TV channel was Astro Awani.

The TPDA results were audited by Deloitte Malaysia. For full coverage of TEPEA, please refer to Pages 36 and 45 and the City & Country property pullout of The Edge Malaysia.

This article first appeared in The Edge Malaysia Weekly, on October 14, 2013.