This article first appeared in City & Country, The Edge Malaysia Weekly on August 8, 2022 - August 14, 2022

Launched in 2017, The Edge Malaysia Best Managed & Sustainable Property Awards (BMSPA) recognise real estate that is sustainable and managed with excellence. Initially organised by EdgeProp Malaysia, it was decided this year that BMSPA would be hosted by The Edge Malaysia in a move to step up efforts to promote the awards and its objectives.

The awards, the first of their kind, aim to raise the bar on property management practices and sustainable real estate in Malaysia, benchmarking them against the best in class globally.

This year’s sponsors are Nippon Paint Malaysia and Panasonic Malaysia, which are the main and supporting partners ­respectively.

The Edge Media Group publisher and CEO Datuk Ho Kay Tat expressed his delight with the partnership at the sponsors’ meet last Tuesday. “On behalf of The Edge, I would like to thank Nippon and Panasonic for their partnership with us. We hope they have found the partnership a good one,” he said.

Nippon Paint has been a sponsor since the inception of the awards while this is Panasonic’s fourth year.

Nippon Paint (M) Sdn Bhd general manager Tay Sze Tuck stated, “Nippon Paint is a Total Construction and Coating Solutions provider, offering a total compatible system for every quality and beautiful finishing from bare to finish. We view sustainability as an important aspect of our property and construction industry. Aligning with the objective of The Edge Malaysia Best Managed & Sustainable Property Awards, we truly believe we can together assist property stakeholders [to design, build and maintain Malaysian real estate sustainably].

“We believe that the brand would not be where we are today without the continuous support of our partners. We are grateful for the relationships that have been forged over the years and we are also looking to strengthen our relations with building managers, esteemed judges as well as other partners of this prestigious award,” Tay added.

Panasonic Corp’s QAFL (Quality Air For Life) Business Promotion Office managing director Ichiro Suganuma said: “Through the awards, Panasonic would be promoting ­[itself] as a supplier of high-quality products to the market, with our cutting edge technology for indoor air quality. That’s the reason we have sponsored the awards for several years. At the same time, the awards are also an opportunity for us to know the top management of developers in the industry and learn the market trends.”

Ho noted that a well-managed property is a significant factor for investors, as was highlighted at The Edge Malaysia RealTalk event last month. “Tenants living in apartments for the long term want to ensure that the facilities are not only well managed but also sustainable.

“The Ministry of Housing and Local Government is quite happy that we’re setting a benchmark that buyers can follow. Many managements want to participate because for them to win an award is good recognition for their projects,” he said.

Emphasising the key aspects of the BMSPA, The Edge Malaysia editor emeritus and the awards’ chief judge Au Foong Yee said, “I think the market has improved a lot and aligns with what the awards stand for. It’s a very ‘hardworking’ award and it’s meant to be that way. Ultimately, sustainability and well-managed simply means livability.”

Tay, meanwhile, was of the opinion that BMSPA would encourage developers to perform better. “With the main objective being to raise the bar on Malaysian property management practices, the awards will not only push property managers and developers to provide better management and sustainability elements in their day-to-day operations but also put them among the best in their class globally. This award will not only continue to drive up standards in property management practices but will also acknowledge efforts by building managers to care for the properties built for the comfort of its community,” he said.

Ichiro concurred with Tay. “The quality of the property is one of the most important factors for house owners. BMSPA could be the motivation for developers to pay attention to their product quality because they would like to rank higher in the categories of the BMSPA when they promote new projects. In the end, that tendency could put this industry in a desirable direction.”

The audited results for ­BMSPA 2022 will be announced at the awards ceremony on Aug 15.

Save by subscribing to us for your print and/or digital copy.

P/S: The Edge is also available on Apple's AppStore and Androids' Google Play.