SUNWAY Property prides itself on being a Master Community Developer in Johor, with two landmark projects along the two land borders with Singapore.
Sunway City Iskandar Puteri (SCIP) chief executive officer Gerard Soosay said this is an exciting time for both the company and state, driven by the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) and the Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link connecting Bukit Chagar in Johor Baru to Woodlands North in Singapore.
“With these two projects, we have anchored our developments near the checkpoints in both Johor Baru and the Second Link, contributing to Johor Baru’s transformation into an international gateway city,” he said.
In Johor Baru, he added, this was achieved through its strategic partnership with MRT Corp to jointly develop an integrated mixed-use development on a 1.71ha site adjacent to the RTS Bukit Chagar station.
The company has been developing SCIP, an 809ha integrated township near the Second Link, since 2014. SCIP is modelled after Sunway City Kuala Lumpur, the flagship development of Sunway Group, one of the leading conglomerates in South-East Asia.
Gerard said the RTS mixed-use development in Johor Baru will include a five-star hotel along with three blocks of about 1,700 serviced apartment units.
“When people arrive from Singapore via the RTS, they will be greeted by around 400,000sq ft of retail, hospitality and wellness space,” he said, adding that this partnership has a gross development value (GDV) of RM2.6bil.
He said 30% of SCIP’s total land bank has been utilised to date, with up to 7,000 residents calling it home. The ultimate goal is to house 200,000 residents upon the project’s full completion.
“The township has become a prime residential destination in line with the growing number of Singaporeans and Malaysians working in Singapore. About 33% of our property buyers are Singaporeans or Malaysians who are working in Singapore,” he said.
Unlike conventional plot developments, SCIP follows a unique build-own-operate model.
“This means that rather than just constructing buildings and selling them, Sunway retains ownership and manages key assets such as malls, hotels and offices.
“For us, integration is key,” Gerard said, adding that Sunway envisions a thriving ecosystem where people can live, work, learn, play and stay in a safe, healthy and connected environment, in line with its status as a Master Community Developer and commitment to be “With You For Generations”.
He said this approach informs SCIP’s development strategy, which prioritises an educational institution as its first development.
Sunway International School, opened in 2017, attracts families seeking quality education for their children and has fostered a vibrant community.
“Sunway and the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation also gifted RM18mil to fund the construction of SJK(C) Cheah Fah, the first Chinese national-type primary school built in Johor in over 20 years, to cater to growing local demand.
“We opened the school in 2022 with 223 students. Now, we have over 700 students,” he said.
Living up to the group’s philosophy of “Doing Well by Doing Good”, Gerard said they recently held a fundraising dinner for the school, raising RM6mil to add 18 more classrooms and increase its capacity to 1,400 students.
These developments align with the vision of Sunway Group founder and chairman Tan Sri Sir Dr Jeffrey Cheah, who established the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation to make quality education affordable and accessible to as many young people as possible.
The foundation is the largest of its kind advancing education in Malaysia, and has awarded more than RM745mil in scholarships and grants to date.
Gerard said they have also ventured into a Free Commercial Zone by jointly developing a 42.5ha site in the township with Singapore-based logistics company Equalbase.
“The Equalbase Sunway 103° project will involve five million square feet of warehousing space, a GDV of RM8bil and the potential to create 13,000 jobs,” he added.
Looking ahead, he said SCIP will introduce new attractions, including a 4.5km Sunway Circuit that will establish SCIP as a regional hub of motoring tourism.
“The circuit is designed with high-end motor enthusiasts in mind, can accommodate over 400 members and offers state-of-the-art storage for their supercars.
“Suitable tracks are hard to come by for Singaporeans who own supercars. Our circuit will provide them with an exclusive, well-maintained venue that’s just a short drive away,” he added.
When asked if there are plans for a theme park, he said this is in the exploratory stages, especially after Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi announced that the state’s entertainment tax would be lowered from 25% to 5% in perpetuity.
He said Sunway Healthcare Group is also poised to introduce a 300-bed tertiary hospital offering top notch diagnostic and treatment options in focus areas such as oncology. Plans are also underway for a senior living facility.
He said there is also a focus on green living within SCIP, incorporating extensive pedestrian walkways, elevated pathways and eco-friendly elements to champion the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
The township was recently awarded two five-diamond recognitions from Malaysian Green Technology and Climate Change Corporation (MGTC) for its green master plan design, and their joint effort with the Iskandar Puteri City Council (MBIP) in developing a low-carbon city.
Source: The Star