The Team

From left: 1. Chai Yee Hoong, writer 2. Natalie Khoo, writer 3. Rachel Chew, writer 4. Tan Ai Leng, writer 5. Rosalynn Poh, editor 6. Ewe Shufei, writer 7. E Jacqui Chan, deputy editor 8. Sharon Kam, contributing editor for The Edge Property 9. Au Foong Yee, managing director 10. Racheal Lee, senior writer 11. Hannah Rafee, writer 12. Lam Jian Wyn, assistant editor 13. Wong King Wai, deputy editor. Photo by The Edge

This is the 13th edition of The Edge Malaysia’s property awards, introduced to recognise Malaysia’s best developers and to raise the benchmark for them and their development projects.

The awards were launched in 2003, though the categories have since been refined. The changes were needed to ensure that the spirit of the awards remained intact in the face of an evolving real estate sector that is influenced by economic and political sentiments both at home and abroad.

This year, we introduced The Edge Malaysia Lifetime Property Achievement Award and The Edge Malaysia Outstanding Property CEO Award. Three awards were also renamed — The Edge Malaysia Outstanding Property Entrepreneur Award replaces The Edge Outstanding Property Personality Award, The Edge Malaysia Outstanding Property Award is now known as The Edge Malaysia Property Development Excellence Award and The Edge Malaysia Notable Property Achievement Award replaces The Edge Malaysia Notable Achievement Award.

 

Debut in 2003

The Edge property awards debuted in 2003 as The Edge Malaysia Top Property Developers Awards, which have since 2010 anchored The Edge Malaysia Property Excellence Awards (see milestones).

The Edge Malaysia Top Property Developers Awards initially ranked only developers listed under properties on Bursa Malaysia but was opened to privately owned developers and the property arms of companies listed on Bursa Malaysia in 2008, thus providing a platform for all developers, irrespective of size, to be ranked. But while the former are automatically scrutinised, the latter are required to submit their financials — signed off by their respective auditor — for our perusal.

All developers are judged on their quantitative and qualitative attributes. From 50:50 when the awards started, the weightage was changed to 35:65 in 2010 to better reflect a changed marketplace where consumers are selecting developers based more on their qualitative attributes.

The qualitative attributes of all the companies are ranked by a panel of distinguished property experts familiar with the real estate market and players. For credibility, all judges are required to abstain from voting on development companies in which they may have a direct or indirect interest. The results are tabulated and audited by Deloitte Malaysia.

Over the years, questions, such as “Why do the same names keep appearing on the winners list?” “How fair is the panel of judges?” and “What if a member of the panel decides to vote out a competitor’s company?” have been asked of us.

The Edge property awards do not recognise developers on a rotational basis but those who work hard to reach the top and who continue to work hard to stay there.

The Edge representatives apart, the judges are selected for their wide and deep knowledge of the property industry and its players. It must be noted that all of them are highly regarded by their peers in the industry.

Excellence in a real estate product is what property investors seek and excellence is what the winners of The Edge Malaysia Property Excellence Awards stand for. Ultimately, it is all about the awards staying relevant. — By Au Foong Yee

 

Au Foong Yee was an executive editor of The Edge when she conceptualised The Edge Malaysia Top Property Developers Awards in 2003, which have since evolved into the anchor for The Edge Malaysia Property Excellence Awards. She is now the managing director of The Edge Communications Sdn Bhd, which publishes The Edge Malaysia weekly, The Edge Financial Daily and haven. Au is also managing director of TheEdgeProperty.com and The Edge Galerie Sdn Bhd.

 

 

The Edge Malaysia Property Excellence Awards

 

Milestones

 

2003     The Edge initiates a ranking for all property developers listed on Bursa Malaysia

 

2004     The Edge’s ranking of top property developers is officially named The Edge Malaysia Top Property Developers Awards (TPDA). Winners were honoured in an award presentation ceremony.

 

2007     TPDA results were audited for the first time

 

2008     TPDA was opened to privately owned developers and property arms of companies listed on Bursa Malaysia

 

2010     TPDA and two new awards — namely The Edge - PEPS Value Creation Excellence Award and The Edge - PAM Green Excellence Award — come under the overarching banner of The Edge Malaysia Property Excellence Awards (TEPEA)

 

2010     TPDA: Qualitative attributes were given greater weightage (65% for qualitative, 35% for quantitative) in the evaluation, compared with a 50:50 weightage for both attributes previously

 

2012     New awards were introduced under TEPEA, namely The Edge Malaysia Notable Achievement Award, The Edge Malaysia Outstanding Property Personality Award, The Edge Malaysia Outstanding Property Project Award and the Best in Qualitative Attributes Award

 

2013  Honorary, merit and special mentions were awarded in The Edge - PEPS Value Creation Excellence Award and The Edge - PAM Green Excellence Award

 

2014    The Edge Malaysia Affordable Urban Housing Excellence Award was introduced

 

2015     New awards were introduced under TEPEA, namely The Edge Malaysia Lifetime Property Achievement Award and The Edge Malaysia Outstanding Property CEO Award. Three awards were renamed. The Edge Malaysia Outstanding Property Entrepreneur Award replaced The Edge Outstanding Property Personality Award while The Edge Malaysia Outstanding Property Award was renamed The Edge Malaysia Property Development Excellence Award. Lastly, The Edge Malaysia Notable Property Achievement Award replaced The Edge Malaysia Notable Achievement Award. TEPEA 2015

Do not ask your BFF about the value of your home. Click here at The Edge Reference Price to find out.

This article first appeared in City & Country, a pullout of The Edge Malaysia Weekly, on Dec 7, 2015. Subscribe here for your personal copy.