KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 20): Gamuda Bhd – property division (Gamuda Land) took the No 1 spot at The Edge Malaysia Top Property Developers Awards (TPDA) this year, the first time it is taking home the top award. The developer also bagged the sub-awards for Best Quantitative and Qualitative attributes, the first time a single company has won all three awards, scoring a hat-trick for Gamuda Land.

The TPDA anchor The Edge Malaysia Property Excellence Awards (TEPEA) 2023, which were presented at the gala dinner on Monday (Nov 20) night at the Mandarin Oriental, Kuala Lumpur. Gamuda Land ranked No 2 in the TPDA in 2022.

“I am very happy and honoured that Gamuda Land has been ranked as the top property developer in Malaysia. This is a great recognition of the hard work and innovation of our team. We are thankful to The Edge for acknowledging us. We will continue to maintain our high standard of excellence. We couldn't have achieved this without the support of our customers and business partners. We are excited about the future and look forward to making a positive impact in our work,” said Gamuda Land chief executive officer Chu Wai Lune.

Other developers on the Top 10 list were: Sunway Bhd — property division (No 2), S P Setia Bhd (joint No 3), Sime Darby Property Bhd (joint No 3), UOA Development Bhd (joint No 3), IOI Properties Group Bhd (No 4), IJM Land Bhd (No 5), Eco World Development Group Bhd (No 6), UEM Sunrise Bhd (No 7), Mah Sing Group Bhd (No 8), Matrix Concepts Holdings Bhd (No 9) and IGB Bhd (No 10).

The results of the TPDA were evaluated on both qualitative and quantitative merits. In the qualitative category, judges evaluated each company on its expertise, image, innovation and creativity, as well as product quality and the value it creates for buyers. For the quantitative category, companies were evaluated on their shareholders’ funds, turnover, profitability and cash holding or gearing.

Deloitte Malaysia audited the scores and rankings for TPDA 2023, which is in its 21st instalment now.

The TPDA were first introduced in 2003. “We started [TPDA] as the country was recovering from the Asian Financial Crisis, and we have persisted through the Global Financial Crisis of 2008/2009, and more recently, the Covid-19 pandemic,” said The Edge Media group CEO and publisher Datuk Ho Kay Tat during his opening speech.

Today, the TPDA remain the most anticipated property developer awards, Ho noted.

“Annual rankings are a good indication of how each company has performed. What is more important, however, is to be strong and great to last the test of time. Like any business, developers do go through expansionary and consolidation phases depending on market conditions.

“Our TPDA methodology has not changed, so any change in ranking is a manifestation of developments in the market and, possibly, also due to a shift in strategy by the companies,” he added.

Also under the TEPEA 2023 are 10 other awards, namely: The Edge Malaysia-PAM Green Excellence Award, The Edge Malaysia-PEPS Value Creation Excellence Award, The Edge Malaysia Affordable Urban Housing, The Edge Malaysia Outstanding CEO, The Edge Malaysia Outstanding Contribution to the Real Estate Industry, The Edge Malaysia Property Development Excellence (township community hub and neighbourhood mall), The Edge Malaysia Excellence in Place Regeneration, The Edge Malaysia Excellence in Conservation and Adaptive Reuse, and The Edge Malaysia Outstanding Overseas Project.

The winner of The Edge Malaysia-PAM Green Excellence Award was Kapas Heights by Domaine Architects Sdn Bhd and Kapas Heights Sdn Bhd.

The Edge Malaysia-PEPS Value Creation Excellence Award was bagged by Ayera Residences at Tropicana Danga Cove by Tropicana Corp Bhd and Iconia Garden Residence (Precinct A - Phase 10A) at Taman Impian Emas by Gunung Impian Development Sdn Bhd.

For The Edge Malaysia Affordable Urban Housing Excellence Award, SkyAwani 3 Residences by SkyWorld Development Bhd and Hibiscus 3 at Bandar Seri Coalfields by KLK Land have emerged as winners. Meanwhile, Residensi Bandar Bukit Mahkota by Pr1ma Corp Malaysia and Taman Nuri Sentosa by SPB Properties Sdn Bhd received the honorary mention.

There were three winners for The Edge Malaysia Outstanding Overseas Project Award, namely Royal Mint Gardens by IJM Land, 1060 Carnegie by MRCB Australia and The Mansions @ ParkCity Hanoi by ParkCity Group.

The Edge Malaysia Outstanding Property CEO Award was awarded to ParkCity Group CEO Datuk Joseph Lau and Sime Darby Property Bhd group managing director Datuk Azmir Merican.

Apart from that, Datuk Soam Heng Choon — Rehda president 2018 to 2022 and formerly the CEO and managing director of IJM Land Bhd (2004 to 2015) and IJM Corp Bhd (2015 to 2019) — was conferred The Edge Malaysia Outstanding Contribution to the Real Estate Industry Award.

The Edge Malaysia Property Development Excellence award was split into two categories: Excellence in Township Community Hub and Excellence in Neighbourhood Mall. Winners for the Township Community Hub category were The Waterfront @ Desa ParkCity by ParkCity Group and D’Network @ Setia Eco Park by S P Setia Bhd. Under the Neighbourhood Mall category, 163 Retail Park by YNH Property Bhd and Bangsar Shopping Centre by BRDB Developments Sdn Bhd emerged as winners.

For The Edge Malaysia Excellence in Place Regeneration Award, Kwai Chai Hong by Bai Chuan Management Sdn Bhd and Bukit Bintang City Centre by BBCC Development Sdn Bhd were winners for this category.

Lastly, there were three recipients of The Edge Malaysia Excellence in Conservation and Adaptive Reuse Award. The three were: Hin Bus Depot, APW Bangsar by Art Printing Works Sdn Bhd and Else Kuala Lumpur by GF Land Sdn Bhd.

The awards were presented by City & Country, the property pullout of The Edge Malaysia weekly, and supported by EdgeProp.my. The official solar partner was GSPARX Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Tenaga Nasional Bhd.