This article first appeared in The Edge Malaysia Weekly on November 4, 2019 - November 10, 2019

S P Setia Bhd clinched the top spot in The Edge Malaysia Top Property Developers’ Awards (TPDA) 2019 last Thursday, winning the award for the fourth consecutive year. It had dropped to third and fourth position in 2014 and 2015 respectively before regaining the title in 2016.

S P Setia president and CEO Datuk Khor Chap Jen said the developer was pleased to be awarded the top honours for the 12th time since the inception of the awards in 2003.

“We are honoured and excited by our win. I want to attribute this success to Team Setia,” he added.

“Because of the challenges the market is facing, the thing that makes us different is the people who come up with unique ideas and services that position Setia as purchasers’ top preference.”

S P Setia is also the winner of the Best in Qualitative Attributes sub-award.

The others in the top 10 list are Sunway Bhd — property division (No 2), UOA Development Bhd (No 3), IJM Land Bhd (No 4), UEM Sunrise Bhd (No 5), Mah Sing Group Bhd (No 6), Gamuda Bhd — property division (No 7), IOI Properties Group Bhd (No 8), Sime Darby Property Bhd (No 8), Eco World Development Group Bhd (EcoWorld) (No 9) and IGB Bhd (No 10).

UOA Development also won the Best in Quantitative Attributes sub-award.

The TPDA is evaluated on both qualitative and quantitative attributes. In the qualitative category, judges evaluate each company on its expertise, image, innovation and creativity, product quality and the value it creates for buyers.

In the quantitative category, companies are evaluated on their shareholders’ funds, turnover, profitability and cash or gearing. The scores and rankings of the TPDA are audited by Deloitte Malaysia.

The TPDA also anchors The Edge Malaysia Property Excellence Awards (TEPEA). In recent years, TEPEA has expanded to include sub-awards such as The Edge-PEPS Value Creation Excellence Award, The Edge-PAM Green Excellence Award, The Edge Malaysia Affordable Urban Housing Excellence Award, The Edge Malaysia Outstanding Property CEO Award and The Edge Malaysia Lifetime Property Achievement Award.

The TEPEA gala dinner was held last Thursday at the Shangri-La Hotel Kuala Lumpur with more than 400 real estate players and experts coming together to celebrate the event.

In his speech, The Edge Media Group publisher and group CEO Datuk Ho Kay Tat said TEPEA not only recognises the best in property development but also serves as a guide to those looking for properties to buy. The idea, he added, is to help them make better decisions.

“We launched these awards to provide a guide to the public on the strongest and best real estate players in the country.

TEPEA has become an industry benchmark for companies that have sustainable financial strength and have delivered quality products to their customers to be used as a home or as an investment asset.”

There was a new award this year — The Edge Malaysia Outstanding Overseas Project Award — which went to Gamuda Gardens in Gamuda City, Hanoi, whose developer is Gamuda Land, as well as Circus West Village in Battersea Power Station, London, whose developer is the Malaysian consortium comprising S P Setia, Sime Darby and the Employees Provident Fund.

Ireka Corp Bhd executive chairman Datuk Lai Siew Wah was presented The Edge Malaysia Lifetime Property Achievement Award in recognition of his efforts to steer the company successfully through the boom and bust of several economic cycles over the past 50 years.

This year, the winner of The Edge Malaysia Outstanding Property Entrepreneur Award was UOA Development managing director C S Kong. The award recognised his contribution to building the company into the fourth largest on Bursa Malaysia with a market value of around RM4 billion and one that boasts a significant presence in the Klang Valley.

IGB and IGB Real Estate Investment Trust group CEO and managing director Datuk Seri Robert Tan took home The Edge Malaysia Outstanding Property CEO Award. The award recognised his leadership that has enabled a business started by his father and uncle to turn into a giant in residential and commercial development and real estate investment trusts. The two companies under his stewardship now have a collective market capitalisation of close to RM9 billion.

The Edge Malaysia Property Development Excellence Award recognised two township developments this year that showcased how entrepreneurial grit can deliver modern township living to where it did not exist before. The award went to I-Bhd for its i-City development in Shah Alam and Matrix Concept Holdings Bhd’s Bandar Sri Sendayan in Seremban.

The Edge-PEPS Value Creation Excellence Award — started in partnership by The Edge and the Association of Valuers, Property Managers, Estate Agents and Property Consultants in the Private Sector — recognises developments that have provided outstanding rewards to their purchasers in terms of capital appreciation.

This year’s winners were Pangsapuri Danau Seri by Gamuda Land (residential category) and Gateway 16 @ Bandar Bukit Raja (1½-storey semi-detached factory) by Sime Darby USJ Development Sdn Bhd (non-residential category). Special mention went to Gamuda Land’s Phase 27, Ambang Botanic 2.

In partnership with the Malaysian Institute of Architects, The Edge-PAM Green Excellence Award recognises projects that demonstrate sustainable design innovation while contributing positively to the community. The winner this year was International School of Kuala Lumpur.

The Edge Malaysia Affordable Urban Housing Excellence Award, which honours affordable housing projects for the urban middle-income group undertaken wholly by Malaysian private developers, was presented to D’Cerrum Apartment by Setia Ecohill Sdn Bhd.

This year, The Edge Malaysia Property Excellence Awards was sponsored by Euromobil Sdn Bhd, the largest distributor of Audis in Malaysia, and specialist building materials supplier USG Boral.

The awards were presented by City & Country, the property pullout of The Edge Malaysia weekly and supported by EdgeProp.my. Full coverage of the awards will be carried in the Nov 11 issue of City & Country.

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