28/08/2025

PROPERTY THURSDAY | AUG 28, 2025

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Sustainability a core pillar in NCT Group’s developments

Paramount buys 295 acres of freehold land in Kedah PETALING JAYA: Paramount Corporation Bhd is acquiring four contiguous parcels of freehold land measuring 295.55 acres at Bandar Lunas in Kulim, Kedah, marking a strategic move to replenish its landbank at locations with strong growth potential and where it already has a strong presence. Paramount Property (Seaview) Sdn Bhd, a wholly owned unit of Paramount, recently entered into a sale and purchase agreement with Golden Bluechip Sdn Bhd, a local company principally involved in palm oil trading and property development, to acquire 295.55 acres of freehold land for a total cash consideration of RM128.74 million. The transaction will be funded through a combination of internally generated funds and bank borrowings. The proposed development, which is expected to launch in 2027, carries an estimated GDV of RM946 million over seven years. The site is located just 12km north of Kulim town centre and about 4km north of Phase 4A of the Kulim Hi-Tech Park (KHTP) in Kedah, one of Malaysia’s most successful and strategic industrial parks. Over the past 40 years, Paramount has established a strong brand in northern Peninsular Malaysia, especially in Kedah, where it set new standards in township planning with Taman Patani Jaya, and reinforced its reputation with two award winning developments in Sungai Petani — Bandar Laguna Merbok and the ongoing Bukit Banyan.

and high-speed digital connectivity through partnerships with Telekom Malaysia and Solarvest. Yap said both developments are designed for Industry 4.0-enabled manufacturing, logistics and cross border trade, aligning with Malaysia Madani, the New Industrial Master Plan 2030 and other national transformation agendas. NCT is exploring sukuk, REIT listings and green bonds to unlock value and finance expansion. In 2024, it partnered with RHB Banking Group to introduce the N Grow SME Sustainable Financing Scheme, offering up to 90% financing at 3.9% interest for NSIP unit purchasers, the first green financing facility of its kind for SMEs in an industrial park in Selangor. According to him, several major projects are slated for launch in the second half of 2025. These include the RM3.4 billion Ion Marina Bay mixed-use waterfront project in Sabah; Phase 2 of Ion Borneo Garden; the official debut of NCT Innosphere and the Grand Ion Majestic in Genting Highlands featuring the 1001 Nights Hotel and 178,000 sq ft of retail space. “These launches reflect more than project progression, they represent our vision to shape inclusive, resilient and future-ready environments,” Yap said. With ESG-aligned industrial parks, next-generation housing and smart city technology at the forefront, NCT is positioning itself not just to weather market volatility, but to set the pace for Malaysia’s property and industrial evolution over the next decade.

Building Materials Cost Index (BCI) with steel bars by building categories and area in Peninsular Malaysia recorded an increase between 0.1% to 3.5% in July 2025 as compared to the previous month. The increase for BCI with steel was recorded for all building categories except in Selangor, W.P. Kuala Lumpur, Malacca and Negeri Sembilan. BCI with steel bars in Sabah registered a slight decrease between -0.1% and -0.2% for several building categories in Kota Kinabalu and Sandakan in July 2025 as compared to the previous month. Meanwhile, BCI in Tawau recorded a slight increase between 0.1% to 0.3% for almost all categories of building. A monthly comparison of BCI with steel bars in Sarawak also recorded a slight decrease between -0.2% to - 1.5% for each categories of buildings in Kuching and Sibu. Meanwhile, BCI in Miri recorded an increase between 0.2% to 0.5% for all categories of building. operational continuity,” he said. Leveraging Malaysia’s 2025 Asean Chairmanship, NCT is deepening foreign partnerships to attract foreign direct investment. Key deals include an MoU with the Malaysia Enterprises Investment Association to draw Guangdong investors to NSIP and a tie-up with Canada’s Intrinsic EO, whose RM615 million venture fund targets sectors such as semiconductors, MedTech, green tech and digital infrastructure. “These partnerships reinforce NSIP’s position as a gateway for foreign investment,” Yap said, adding that the group is also eyeing opportunities in logistics and tourism across Asean. NCT is integrating smart technology into its projects, with NSIP serving as Malaysia’s first solar-ready industrial park. The park incorporates AI powered safety systems, IoT enabled infrastructure, and smart energy monitoring, alongside EV charging stations via OM Charge and high-speed connectivity through SMARTSEL and Mikro. Through a partnership with Solarvest, NSIP’s buildings are pre designed to support rooftop solar panels. Meanwhile, an MoU with SIDEC provides digitalisation support and business matching for tenants, enhancing the park’s competitiveness. The RM10 billion NSIP in Selangor and NCT Innosphere in Kedah anchor the group’s push into fully managed, ESG-compliant industrial parks. These hubs feature solar-ready factories, centralised labour quarters

o Company strives to future-proof portfolio amid shift in homebuying trends and rising demand for smart and green industrial parks

PETALING JAYA: Property developer NCT Group of Companies is banking on sustainable infrastructure, smart city integration and Asean-driven cross-border investments to future proof its portfolio, as shifting home buying trends and rising demand for industrial hubs reshape Malaysia’s property landscape. Founder and group managing director Datuk Seri Yap Ngan Choy said younger buyers’ growing preference for rental flexibility and affordability has prompted NCT to reimagine housing concepts. “The new generation seeks not just affordability, they seek flexibility, function and forward-thinking living environments,” he said. The company’s residential strategy includes the 200-acre Ion Belian Garden township in Batang Kali, where Phase 1 is complete and Ion Estuary Park in Ayer Keroh, which pioneers a Condotel concept merging ownership flexibility with rental potential. In Sarawak, Ion Borneo Garden is being built with multigenerational layouts to cater to evolving family needs, with all projects strategically located in growth corridors to ensure long term value retention. Ű BY DEEPALAKSHMI MANICKAM sunbiz@thesundaily.com He said the highest decrease was observed in Kuching (-3.5%), followed by Sibu (-1.5%) and Selangor, W.P. Kuala Lumpur, Malacca & Negeri Sembilan (-0.8%). However, he added a slight increase was recorded in several areas, including Perak (1.2%), followed by Terengganu & Kelantan (0.3%). Mohd Uzir said that the unit price index of steel and metal sections showed a light increase in July 2025, with month-on-month change ranging from 0.2% to 0.5%. In contrast, the unit price index of cement remained unchanged as compared to the previous month. In addition, the unit price index for sand also remained unchanged in most areas of Peninsular Malaysia, except for a slight increase (0.1%) in Selangor, W.P. Kuala Lumpur, Malacca, and Negeri Sembilan. Meanwhile, the unit price index for this material

Banking & Finance The highest increase was observed in Johor (3.7%), followed by Tawau (3.6%) and Sibu (2.3%). Mohd Uzir stated that the average price per unit of steel, consisting of mild steel round bars and Mycon 60 high tensile deformed bars, recorded a slight increase (0.2%) with an average price of RM3,488.65 per metric tonne as compared to the previous month (June 2025: RM3,480.10 per metric An annual comparison for the period of July 2024 and July 2025 indicated that the unit price index for steel recorded a decline ranging from -4.9% to -12.9% involving most areas in Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak. Nevertheless, the year-on-year comparison of the unit price index of cement increased between 0.1% to 3.7% in July 2025 as compared to the same month last year for across most areas in Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak. With environmental, social and governance (ESG) requirements now standard in development, Yap stressed that NCT views sustainability as “a core pillar of future-ready development” rather than a compliance exercise. The group’s ESG Roadmap (2025–2029) mandates that green standards, carbon accounting and low-carbon city frameworks be embedded from the planning stage. Its flagship NCT Smart Industrial Park (NSIP) in Selangor has already achieved GreenRE certification and a five-diamond Low Carbon Cities 2030 rating, making it Malaysia’s largest GreenRE-certified ESG industrial park. In Kedah, the upcoming NCT Innosphere, a 127-acre managed industrial park, secured GreenRE Silver Provisional certification earlier this year. Across projects, NCT focuses on energy and water efficiency, sustainable procurement, circular construction practices and emissions monitoring. Despite currency fluctuations and construction cost pressures, Yap said NCT’s timelines remain intact, supported by early procurement, phased execution and value engineering. “Our diversified portfolio enables us to respond flexibly to market shifts while maintaining

Unit price index of steel down slightly in July PUTRAJAYA: The unit price index of steel recorded a slight decrease in July 2025, ranging from -0.2% to -3.5% as compared to the previous month, said Chief Statistician Malaysia, Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin. recorded an increase in Sabah and Sarawak ranging from 0.1% to 0.5%, with the highest increase observed in Kota Kinabalu (0.5%), followed by Tawau and Kuching (0.2%), respectively. tonne). Meanwhile, the average price of Ordinary Portland cement remained unchanged, with an average price of RM23.80 per 50kg bag.

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