This article first appeared in City & Country, The Edge Malaysia Weekly on December 13, 2021 - December 19, 2021

Mah Sing Group Bhd is set to launch M Senyum in Bandar Baru Salak Tinggi, Sepang, next month. Registration of interest started in August and the project has secured more than 5,500 registrants to date.

CEO of property subsidiaries Benjamin Ong Chin Yee tells City & Country in an exclusive interview that the concept of M Senyum is to bring countryside living to the heart of the Klang Valley. “Homes are now perceived as an important space not only to live but also to work and spend quality time with the family. We aim to provide countryside living with a luxurious outdoor living space for homebuyers to enjoy a peaceful lifestyle, away from the hustle and bustle of the city.”

Sitting on a 100-acre leasehold parcel adjacent to Stadium Bandar Baru Salak Tinggi, M Senyum has a gross development value of RM681 million and will comprise 1,176 double-storey terraced houses. Phase 1A (262 units) will be launched in January next year, followed by Phases 1B, 2A, 2B, 3A and 3B at a later date.

The 4-bedroom, 3-bathroom units will measure 20ft by 60ft, 20ft by 65ft and 20ft by 70ft, with built-ups of 1,555 sq ft for intermediate lots and 1,630 sq ft for corner lots. The indicative selling prices start from RM450,000. The houses are individually titled.

According to the developer, the word Senyum is inspired by the fragrance and colour of a plant called Senyumia granitica, and it also means smile in Bahasa Malaysia. Ong says it is a name that resonates with people and can be pronounced and remembered easily.

Homes at M Senyum will have a contemporary design and spacious layouts with picket fences and gable roofs. Ong reckons that double-storey terraced houses, both newbuild and on the secondary market, are often priced at over RM600,000 currently, which is unaffordable for most people. “Hence, we want to bridge the gap in providing affordably priced houses and yet give buyers a concept of space. These units will cater for those who are 29 to 39 years old, including first-time homebuyers, young couples, young families, upgraders, as well as those who do not want to live in a very densely populated high-rise development.”

He adds that the project is expected to attract a large catchment of upgraders as it is near established townships such as Kota Warisan, Bandar Baru Nilai, Dengkil, Putrajaya and Cyberjaya. The affordable price point would also attract homebuyers who are considering new properties in Seremban.

During the planning stage, Ong highlights that there was a delay of the project’s turnaround time due to the various iterations of the Movement Control Order. “However, we managed to overcome it by leveraging digital technology for productivity attainment, a faster decision-making process and improved workforce management.”

To most people, homeownership is important and a core pillar — they need to own a property before moving on to bigger things, Ong says. “When it comes to property, everything is about location. We spent a lot of time, research and cost doing due diligence on the sourcing of land. When buyers buy a property from us, they will know that we [took] a lot of time and effort to sift through and determine which land is best to buy to develop a property and sell to customers.

“We get the right piece of land, create the right design, set the right pricing and develop the best product for our customers. This is in our DNA, and our main priority is to be competitive and able to offer the best product to buyers,” Ong says.

The property industry has received a much needed shot in the arm from the high vaccination rate and the reopening of sales galleries. The significant increase in footfall to its sales galleries since their reopening indicates keen interest in Mah Sing’s properties. Ong says the demand for open green spaces has also increased during the Covid-19 pandemic, as people are more concerned about their health and well-being. As such, the green areas and facilities provided in M Senyum will allow future residents to enjoy outdoor activities and spend time with their families.

The development will feature an 8.6-acre community park, about the size of six football fields, consisting of three zones — Community Park, Lake Park and Leisure Park. Each zone features different types of recreational facilities, such as a nature playground, gazebo, parcourse/outdoor fitness area, giant lawn, multipurpose and futsal courts, multipurpose deck, wetland/breeze creek walk, outdoor gym and grand staircase with amphitheatre. 

The developer hopes to achieve a take-up rate of 90% for Phase 1A. If the response is good, Phase 1B will be launched soon after. “We believe there will be demand for this project as it is located in a mature area with easy access to major highways such as the North-South Expressway, Putrajaya-Cyberjaya Expressway, Elite Highway, Jalan Banting-KLIA and KLIA Extension Highway. It is also near amenities such as AEON Nilai, MesaMall, Giant Superstore Nilai, SK Bandar Baru Salak Tinggi, SJK(C) Chio Chiao, SMK Seri Sepang, Kolej Teknologi Timur, Xiamen University Malaysia, INTI International University and Nilai Medical Centre,” says Ong.

“Nearby transport hubs are the Salak Tinggi, KLIA and klia2 ERL stations. There are also many industrial parks nearby, including the Nilai Industrial Park, Cainiao Warehouse by Alibaba Group, Hartalega NGC and Bandar Enstek (Seremban).”

Going forward, projects in the pipeline include M Astra in Setapak; M Panora in Rawang; Cerrado Phase 2 in Southville City, Bangi; and M Arisa Phase 5 in Sentul, all of which are slated to be launched by next year.

“Although current market conditions remain challenging, properties in the right location and with the right pricing will continue to attract buyers,” says Ong.

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