This article first appeared in City & Country, The Edge Malaysia Weekly on April 11, 2022 - April 17, 2022

Bandar Sri Permaisuri, also known as “Queen’s Town”, is a 220-acre township jointly developed by DBKL and Dwitasik Sdn Bhd, with PPC Glomac Sdn Bhd as the turnkey contractor. The township has two lakes, from which the name “Dwitasik” (two lakes) is derived.

Bandar Sri Permaisuri is located close to Taman Tasik Permaisuri, a popular park that bears a similar name.

It was initially conceived as a public golf course in the 1990s, but the plan was changed into a mixed development to provide more housing. Bandar Sri Permaisuri has 10 parcels of residential and seven parcels of commercial land, comprising mainly affordable high-rise apartments, townhouses and shoplots.

The township has a variety of restaurants, such as Original Penang Kayu Nasi Kandar, Marrybrown Q Avenue, Taco Bell, KFC, OldTown White Coffee and Kedai Ayamas. It also has banks, car workshops, dental clinics, delivery service providers and convenience stores such as Bank Simpanan Nasional, Bank Islam, Public Bank, Family Mart, 7-Eleven, Mail Boxes Etc, Watsons and Senheng. There are also offices and Klinik Primer PPUKM Cheras at Plaza Dwitasik.

Bandar Sri Permaisuri shares common boundaries with Cheras, Salak Selatan and Bandar Tun Razak. It is accessible via the East-West Link Expressway, Kuala Lumpur-Seremban Expressway, Maju Expressway and Middle Ring Road II (MRRII). The area is also connected to Salak Selatan KTM and LRT interchange station.

Nearby landmarks include Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz UKM, Unit Berkuda DBKL, Kompleks Renang Kuala Lumpur, the International Youth Centre, Cheras Stadium and Hospital Rehabilitasi Cheras.

Property consultants say that the residential rental market here is strong owing to its connectivity as well as proximity to the Kuala Lumpur city centre.

According to Metro Homes Realty Bhd executive director See Kok Loong, Bandar Sri Permaisuri was developed as an integrated, self-contained township that is expected to cater to an estimated population of 70,000.

“The residential rental market is always very active in Bandar Sri Permaisuri, thanks to its location close to the city as well as accessibility to public transportation. Furthermore, most of the developments are in the mid- to affordably-priced range.

“Covid-19 has not affected the rental market much as the majority of the residents are government servants or GLC (government-linked companies) employees who have experienced minimal impact to their income,” he says.

Laurelcap Sdn Bhd executive director Stanley Toh agrees that Bandar Sri Permaisuri’s residential properties are popular because of its location, accessibility and connectivity. Moreover, it has affordable yet relatively new apartments, compared with similar schemes in Kuala Lumpur.

“Bandar Sri Permaisuri is also where many people from other states usually find their lodgings when they first arrive in Kuala Lumpur. [However,] when Covid-19 struck, the rental market in the area was stagnant as the MCO [Movement Control Order] halted the movement of migrants,” he says.

“Many of the tenants of the residential properties there are working adults, young adults from other states seeking job opportunities in Kuala Lumpur as well as young families. Many of them work in Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz UKM, as well as lecturers and teachers of nearby schools.

“As for the commercial side, the tenants are mainly restaurants, banks, sundry shops and convenience stores. Bandar Sri Permaisuri offers good public infrastructure, is convenient and close to the Kuala Lumpur city centre,” adds Toh.

Both the consultants say that the tenant profile has not changed over the years, as the township continues to cater mainly to the lower- to middle-income earners. Toh observes that the number of foreign workers living in the area may have increased recently.

They are also positive on the rental market in Bandar Sri Permaisuri.

“Future demand looks to be steady but we don’t see the rental rates moving up so quickly. It is easy to rent out an apartment but the rental rate still remains unchanged,” Toh adds.

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.