EXCLUSIVE LUNCHEON FOR BUSINESS LEADERS IN MALAYSIA HERALDS ARRIVAL OF GALA CELEBRATION
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — The PropertyGuru Asia Awards Malaysia in partnership with iProperty kicked off the programme’s milestone 10th edition with an intimate gathering for some of the country’s top developers and business leaders.
As the Malaysian economy gears up for recovery and further improvements to the housing market, PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards, in collaboration with PropertyGuru For Business, organised a luncheon on Thursday, 25 May 2023 for C-suite executives and senior industry figures at Sabayon @ EQ, the award-winning, fine-dining rooftop restaurant in downtown Kuala Lumpur.
The luncheon comes ahead of the presentation of the 10th PropertyGuru Asia Awards Malaysia in partnership with iProperty on Friday, 24 November 2023 at The Majestic Hotel Kuala Lumpur, the official venue of the Awards.
Entries to the Awards are accepted via asiapropertyawards.com until Friday, 30 June 2023. An independent panel of judges will provide their unbiased insights during the Live Judging Days set in July 2023.
Key dates for the 2023 edition:
30 June 2023 – Entries Close
24-26 July 2023 – Live Judging Days
14-31 July 2023 – People’s Choice Awards voting period
24 November 2023 – Gala Dinner and Awards Ceremony in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
8 December 2023 – Regional Grand Final Gala Presentation in Bangkok, Thailand
This year, the Awards have more than 100 categories at stake, with a wide range of titles segmented by many asset types, pricing segments, and target markets. Prospective competitors can represent a wide range of locations across the country, including Central Malaysia, Southern Malaysia, Northern Malaysia, and East Malaysia.
Consumers and residents in Malaysia will have a chance to vote for their preferred, most trusted developers through the People’s Choice Awards, also set in July 2023. These will honour 10 companies that deliver the Best in Trust, Quality, and Value for Money.
The luncheon drew 45 guests from 30 esteemed companies, including Mah Sing Group which had won Developer of the Year, the highest honour at the 9th PropertyGuru Asia Awards Malaysia in partnership with iProperty in 2022. Representatives from other companies such as Glomac, IJM Corporation, LBS Bina Group, S P Setia, Tan & Tan Developments, and UEM Sunrise were also in attendance.
Speakers included Jules Kay, general manager of PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards and Events, and Sheldon Fernandez, country manager of PropertyGuru Malaysia.
Jules Kay said: “For 10 years, the Awards have served as a reliable gauge for the quality of property development and design on offer in Malaysia. Coming off a high-growth year for the Malaysian economy in 2022, the PropertyGuru Asia Awards Malaysia in partnership with iProperty continues to combine the expertise and network of two leading brands to raise the Gold Standard of real estate in the country. With the help of trusted property experts, we are able to select high-calibre residential, commercial and industrial developments and showcase the best of them to Malaysia’s consumers, agents and investors.”
Sheldon Fernandez said: “We look forward to presenting the recipients of the 10th PropertyGuru Asia Awards Malaysia in partnership with iProperty. We mark a decade of celebrating Malaysia’s finest real estate as the economy benefits from domestic demand, significant infrastructure projects, and rebounding tourist arrivals amid the uncertain global outlook. With economic fundamentals remaining strong despite slower growth, the recipients of the Awards are set to be a showcase of Malaysia’s resilience and global appeal as a property market.
Stability and balance
The gathering comes as market forces in the residential real estate segment seek balance amid global challenges. The Sale Demand and Sale Supply Indices are expected to stabilise in 2023, according to the PropertyGuru Malaysia Property Market Report Q2 2023.
The Sale Demand and Sale Supply Indices track the number of enquiries of all property sale listings and the number of all property sale listings on PropertyGuru Malaysia, respectively.
Supported by labour market recovery and domestic demand expansions, Malaysia’s economy grew by 7% in Q4 2022, with a full-year growth of 8.7%. The impressive rate of recovery had positive repercussions on the residential market, with the National Property Information Centre (NAPIC) recording a 22.3% annual increase in transactions in 2022.
As with several countries across the region, Malaysia anticipates slower economic recovery in 2023 as it faces external challenges such as weak global growth, high risk aversion in financial markets, and repercussions from geopolitical conflicts. The second half of the year holds promise as the economy takes advantage of China’s reopening, which could come to the aid of tourist arrival numbers and reduce supply chain disruptions, according to the PropertyGuru Malaysia Property Market Report Q1 2023.
Newly elected chairperson
Thought leaders and experts, spanning fields from real estate consultancy to architecture, have joined forces, forming a panel of judges who will take part in the selection process of the awardees. In 2023, Datuk Ar. Ezumi Harzani Ismail, president of the Malaysian Institute of Architects: 2020-2022, has been elected chairperson of the independent panel of judges. He succeeds Dato’ Sr Lau Wai Seang, president of the Royal Institution of Surveyors Malaysia (RISM): 2017-2018, who remains on the panel.
Datuk Ar. Ezumi Harzani Ismail said: “I am so pleased to lead the independent panel of judges of the Awards in Malaysia as the programme recognises the finest real estate in the country for the 10th year running. Along with the independent panel of judges, I join Malaysia’s consumers in helping reward the achievements of the real estate sector and moving the recovering economy towards progress and prosperity. With this year’s entrants and competitors, we will raise the bar of design and development together in Malaysia.”
Supervised by HLB, the global network of independent advisory and accounting firms, the Awards programme makes full use of a professionally run judging system, with an established reputation for fairness and credibility.
Best in Asia from Malaysia
Main winners from the PropertyGuru Asia Awards Malaysia in partnership with iProperty will qualify to compete for regional accolades at the 18th PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards Grand Final 2023 in Bangkok, Thailand on 8 December.
Several ‘Best in Asia’ honours were given to projects in Malaysia at the 17th PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards Grand Final 2022. KL Wellness City by KL Wellness City Sdn Bhd was named Best Mixed Use Development (Asia) while Infinity8 Reserve JBCC by Infinity Group won Best Co-Working Space (Asia).
Established in 2005, the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards continue to reward high-calibre work within the industry, encompassing property development, construction, architecture, interior design, and sustainable building practices. The series initially covered Southeast Asia and has expanded over the years to include the region’s dynamic property markets, including Australia, China, Greater Niseko in Japan, and India.
Organised by PropertyGuru Group, Southeast Asia’s leading property technology company, the 10th PropertyGuru Asia Awards Malaysia in partnership with iProperty are supported by official portal partners PropertyGuru.com.my and iProperty.com.my; official venue The Majestic Hotel Kuala Lumpur; official magazine Property Report by PropertyGuru; media partners BERNAMA, Kopi and Property, Niaga Times, Penang Property Talk, The Grid Asia, The Malaysia Voice, and Top 10 Malaysia; supporting association REHDA Institute; and official supervisor HLB.
PropertyGuru For Business is a new brand from PropertyGuru Group, dedicated to empowering businesses through a unified suite of proprietary solutions to enterprise customers in all its markets. A destination for every developer and business partner’s needs, PropertyGuru For Business has a host of enterprise solutions, including a high-quality developer sales enablement platform, FastKey, DataSense, ValueNet, Awards, events, and publications across Asia.
For more information, please visit www.propertyguruforbusiness.com.
