Property sector
Maintain overweight: The main objectives of a recent conference were to provide an update on the status of developments in Iskandar Malaysia as well as highlight the current and future investment opportunities.

KUALA LUMPUR: UOA Development Bhd's wholly-owned subsidiary Paramount Properties Sdn Bhd has received the 2011 Green Building Index (GBI) Provisional Gold Rating award for its four office towers located at The Horizon, Phase 2 in Bangsar South, Kuala Lumpur.

KUALA LUMPUR: Following the launch of four rating tools over the past two years, Green Building index (GBI) has launched two new ratings for industrial buildings: the Industrial New Construction Tool and the Industrial Existing Building Tool.

KUALA LUMPUR: Zecon Bhd has received a letter of intent from Public Works Department for the proposed construction of the Petra Jaya Hospital in Kuching, Sarawak.

In a filing to Bursa Malaysia, Zecon said the Ministry of Finance would appoint the company for the implementation of the proposed project by way of direct negotiation on the "design & build" basis.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Ministry of Energy, Green Technology and Water is currently in talks with Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) on the possibility of providing soft loans for consumers to purchase solar photovoltaic (PV) panels.

Solar panels for one kilowatt peak would cost about RM15,000.

KUALA LUMPUR: Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia on Tuesday, June 7 called for a more integrated approach in implementing development programmes in the country to reduce the risk of disasters.

He said coordination between ministries and its agencies, non-governmental oganisations and the community must be strengthened to mitigate climate change.

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia will need to plant seven million trees to every one million of its city population in order to absorb at least 15% of the greenhouse gases released.

Deputy Tourism Minister Datuk Dr James Dawos Mamit said to date, on average a Malaysian city could only absorb up to 1.5% of the gases.

KUALA LUMPUR: Hap Seng Consolidated Bhd plans to spend RM460 million in capital expenditure (capex) for its six divisions this year, said its group managing director Datuk Edward Lee Ming Foo.

The divisions are plantations, property investment and development, credit financing, trading of fertilizers and automotive, as well as building materials and stone quarries.

BANGI: The government targets to build 5,692 new houses and restore another 3,454 for the poorest in the country under the Housing Assistance Programme before the year-end.

Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal said of the total figure, 1,618 of the new houses would be built in the peninsula, 2,345 in Sabah and 1,729 in Sarawak.

KUALA LUMPUR: OSK Research Sdn Bhd has maintained its "overweight" call on the property sector.

In a note on Tuesday, June 7, OSK said the biggest gainers from the current upcycle were the mid- to high-end developers, particularly those with focus on developing landed properties and also had significant exposure in high-growth areas.