This article first appeared in City & Country, The Edge Malaysia Weekly on July 29, 2024 - August 4, 2024

Au Foong Yee

Au Foong Yee is an editor emeritus at The Edge Malaysia and chief judge of The Edge Malaysia Best Managed & Sustainability Property Awards 2024.

A property that is shortlisted for site inspection inevitably gets a free audit of its overall upkeep, including the health of its “organs”.

The visit typically kicks off with a slide presentation by the property manager, who is sometimes joined by representatives of the management corporation (MC), joint management body (JMB), residents’ association (RA) or owner, whichever is applicable. The active participation of the latter is a positive sign of a desire for quality property management.

This is followed by a question-and-answer session while all relevant certifications are checked for compliance before the judges go on a walkabout. Guided by the award criteria, the judges zero in on areas such as the property manager’s adherence to budget, transparency of accounts, procurement procedures, collection of service charges, cost optimisation initiatives and innovation adoption. Pre-emptive and planned maintenance efforts as well as safety and security measures are also scrutinised.

Judges would point out any shortcomings, if any. Suggestions and solutions are given freely.

Challenges in managing commercial, mixed-use and residential properties differ. In commercial and mixed integrated properties, for instance, we have found that some fire doors remain open when they ought to be shut. Also, some fire doors opened in the wrong direction, which would hinder smooth evacuation in an emergency.

Some fire control rooms were ill-equipped and poorly ventilated. Electrical installations were found to have been placed thoughtlessly in the path of water dripping from the overhead air-conditioning system. This could cause a short circuit.

Some indoor gyms were ventilated only by air-conditioning units. Somehow, there is still a misconception among some that air conditioners are adequate for providing good-quality air. Ultimately, gyms need windows for added ventilation.

In residential buildings, we have seen substandard outdoor lighting installed in a haphazard manner. Meanwhile, in common areas, potted plants and ornamental structures were placed next to balcony railings. This yearning for aesthetics basically creates a potential safety hazard — young children could treat the objects as steps to climb over the railing.

These are but some of the common observations we have pointed out to the respective property managers. Quality property management is all about being preemptive, not reactive. Often, the devil is in the details. And life is precious.

Datuk N K Tong

Datuk N K Tong is the group managing director of Bukit Kiara Properties Sdn Bhd, a niche developer that offers innovative lifestyles. He is the immediate past president of the Real Estate and Housing Developers’ Association (Rehda) Malaysia, an independent non-executive director at Standard Chartered Bank Malaysia and the Construction Industry Development Board (CIBD), and a member of the KL City Advisory Board. He has a degree in architecture from the University of Manchester and an MBA in real estate finance from the Wharton School of Business.

Even though this is my third year judging the BMSPA, I continue to be surprised and amazed at the high standards of management and innovation exhibited in the projects that we have visited. What really stands out for the top projects are management corporations and managing agents that are aligned and work closely together to invest for the future.

Anthony Lee Tee

Anthony Lee Tee is an accredited architect, forensic building inspector and trainer at Architect Centre Sdn Bhd. A fellow member of the Malaysian Institute of Architects (PAM), he was honorary secretary in 2023/25 and has chaired the secretariat and finance, professional practice and disciplinary committees. He has more than three decades of experience in the regional construction industry. He is also the group COO at Bina Puri Group of Companies, overseeing the construction businesses operations. He is actively involved in numerous dispute resolution matters including mediation and arbitration, and has acted as a court-appointed expert on building defects.

I was overwhelmed by the record number of entries and site visits spanning the four corners of Malaysia, including Sabah and Sarawak. The standard of submissions has improved by leaps and bounds.  Site visits are needed. I feel the standard of submission is not just about the presentation, but also the actual state of the property.

What stood out were submissions from past winners in the hotly contested single-owned commercial and multi-owned strata residential categories (10 years and below) that showcase integration of state-of-the-art facility management and security systems, and balanced collections+opex+capex over the lifespan of these properties. I was impressed with the consistent high standards of some property managers and their dedication to refining their craft, ability to overcome difficult conditions, exemplary staff, leadership and effective working relationships with building owners that raise the bar.

With hundreds of diverse submissions since the awards’ inception in 2017, are we closer to uncovering the “secret” formula for best managed and maintained buildings? To unlock the magic formula, look closely at the past and 2024 winners!

Chris Tan Chur Pim

Chris Tan Chur Pim has been a practising lawyer since 2000. He founded Chur Associates in 2003. He is a regular speaker at corporate, academic and public events in Malaysia and overseas, a guest commentator on Chinese and English radio and TV stations as well as a frequent contributor of articles to local and overseas media publications — both print and online — in English, Chinese and Malay, especially on the topic of real estate.

With the dynamic and evolving nature of the laws and regulations of property management as a backdrop, there is no science in good property management that calls for making the most of the concrete structures to serve the best interests of the most diverse yet sophisticated community that has bought into it. Just like its regulating environment, sustainable property management is an art of constant evolution and adaptation to ever-changing human behaviours.

This edition of this unique awards continues to draw huge interest and record-breaking participation, from first-time entries to past winners. Given the awareness garnered over the years, the playing field is almost level with participants that are befitting of Malaysia, from both sides of the South China Sea. One notable factor is that strata property and strata management are now no longer legal considerations for the peninsula alone but for the whole of Malaysia with negligible differences. This further explains why property management is now regulated and has a role in managing stake funds in trusts.

The judging standard is now at an unprecedented peak where mere compliance with regulations can only get you an entry. I am pleased to witness the growth of this awards event since its inception, and I am even overjoyed by the outcome — that the winners are setting new standards with new considerations for the betterment of the entire value chain of real estate in Malaysia.

Ishak Ismail

Ishak Ismail is founder and managing director of IM Global Property Consultants Sdn Bhd, a property consulting firm registered with the Board of Valuers, Appraisers and Estate Agents and Property Managers (Bovaea). He has been in real estate practice since 1991 and was licensed by Bovaea to practise as a registered valuer, estate agent and property manager in 1998.

He is a member of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors and has been a registered chartered surveyor since 2008. In 2015, he was accredited as a certified valuation specialist or business valuer by the International Association of Consultants, Valuators and Analysts. He has also been actively involved in the auction industry since 1992 after obtaining a licence to conduct auctions for Kuala Lumpur, Selangor and Penang. In recent years, he has been appointed REIT property manager for Damansara REIT Managers Sdn Bhd (Al-Aqar KPJ REIT), Pelaburan Hartanah Nasional Bhd and Pelaburan Hartanah Bumiputera.

He is president of the Malaysian Institute of Property and Facility Managers and vice-president of FIABCI Malaysia.

The Edge Malaysia Best Managed and Sustainable Property Awards are organised to acknowledge the best property management practices in the country. They are also an industry recognition as well as a benchmark for properties that are managed with excellent sustainability.

Hence, I am very proud and honoured to congratulate all the winners. They have demonstrated commitment to meet the needs of the current and future residents without compromising on the building maintenance budget.

I hope this prestigious award will motivate other companies to be more innovative to not just create ecological features but also create sustainable living environments that enrich people’s lives. The winning properties stood out for their exceptional maintenance standards, effective communication with residents and innovative strategies for improving sustainability.

I wish to record my appreciation to the property management teams for their attention to detail and commitment to providing a positive living experience for residents and working environment for the tenants.

Overall, I was impressed by the management practices. Congratulations to all the winners!

Richard Chan

With more than 43 years of experience, Richard Chan is an adviser to the Malaysia Shopping Malls Association, which he helped found in 1984. He is a founding member of the Building Management Association of Malaysia and has been a corporate member of its national committee since 2010. He is also a member of Fiabci Malaysia. In 2018, he was appointed a registered property manager and has been called to serve as a board member (2019 to 2021 and 2021 to the present) with the Board of Valuers, Appraisers, Estate Agents and Property Managers Malaysia (Bovaea).

The awards has grown and will continue to grow. We are seeing more entries, unique concepts, diverse properties and advanced management systems. However, all this means nothing without the human elements to manage it. In my view, all participants are already winners! You have won through your effort, commitment, hard work and perseverance. Being good and efficient is just the baseline. To stand out, you must break barriers, be creative and go beyond the norm.

Tan Choon Siang

Tan Choon Siang is CEO and executive director of CapitaLand Malaysia REIT Management Sdn Bhd, the manager of CapitaLand Malaysia Trust (CLMT). He is also the vice-chairman of the Malaysian REIT Managers Association.

Tan was the chief financial officer of Ascendas Property Fund Trustee Pte Ltd, the trustee-manager of Ascendas India Trust. Prior to that, he was the head of corporate finance and treasury at Ascendas-Singbridge Pte Ltd.

Between 2006 and 2011, he was an executive director in the Securities Division at Goldman Sachs in Hong Kong and Singapore. He has also had stints in the Investment Banking Division at Deutsche Bank and the Ministry of Finance, Singapore. He holds a Master’s Degree in Economics and a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Since the launch of The Edge Malaysia Best Managed & Sustainable Property Awards in 2017, the increasing number of submissions reflects a growing awareness of sustainable property management in Malaysia. This year’s submissions reflect the commitment and effort by the participants in meeting the liveability needs of their stakeholders.

I would like to congratulate not just the winners but all participants for being able to fulfil the stringent criteria set out for this awards. The Edge Malaysia must also be commended for its effort in holding the awards year after year to continuously raise the bar on property management and building sustainable properties.

I hope the awards will motivate more private and public sector companies to instil sustainable initiatives in providing quality property management services. Thank you to The Edge Malaysia for having me as one of the judges.

Lim Lan Yuan

Lim Lan Yuan is president of the Association of Property and Facility Managers (APFM) as well as a few other allied professional organisations. He chaired a technical committee that introduced standards and technical references for building maintenance and management. He is a tribunal member of the Strata Titles Board in Singapore and the author of the book A Guide to Management Corporations as well as several other publications on property and facility management.

This year saw the highest number of submissions for the awards, which have become the benchmark for effective property management in Malaysia. With the increasing building stock and demand for quality management, developers, designers, builders and property managers will need to keep pace with the latest requirements and uphold the rising standards, as well as cope with the higher expectations of residents and occupants. Sustainability, design for maintainability and the application of new technology will be the trends in effective property management going forward.

I wish to congratulate all the winners as well as the participants in the awards! It is a clear sign that developers, architects and property owners have become much more aware of the importance of property management in enhancing the asset value of their developments and properties. Many of them have adopted best practices and incorporated innovation in their management. Having won their first awards, a few of them have returned to compete again, a sign of great confidence in maintaining their standards.

Au Foong Yee

Au Foong Yee is editor emeritus at The Edge Malaysia and chief judge of The Edge Malaysia-ILAM Sustainable Landscape Awards 2024

Aesthetically pleasing landscapes that are designed, curated and maintained sustainably are true gems. More than just eye candy, they are a key contributor to the community’s well-being as they provide a green sanctuary for placemaking, exercise, recreation, education and cultural activities.

Post-Covid-19, the significance of sustainable landscapes has moved up several notches. It is now hard to visualise life without greenery. An outstanding sustainable landscape is akin to a living canvas that promotes nature’s beauty. In it, the all-important ecological balance and natural habitat are preserved and natural resources prioritised.

However, successful sustainable landscapes do not happen by accident. Their creation and management demands knowledge, skill, innovation, cost planning, close monitoring and passion. While visual impact is important, future-proofing the plants selected for cost reasons is equally if not more important.

The winners of this year’s awards have successfully showcased how a successful sustainable landscape can transform and raise the quality of the living environment. More than that, it can potentially be a value creator for the real estate that surrounds it.

One of the takeaways from the winners is that size or scale does not have to matter — functionality does. The look and feel of a sustainable landscape within a condo, for instance, can be expected to differ from that in a sprawling office complex. Yet, the role of the landscape is similar for both developments.

Bodies of water in any landscape are the icing on the cake — provided that they are maintained diligently and in a sustainable manner. Poorly maintained water features are not only an eyesore but a potential health hazard. Of course, safety is always key.

Congratulations to all award winners. Please give yourselves a pat on the back for the outstanding effort.

Nor Atiah Ismail

Nor Atiah Ismail is an associate professor at the Department of Landscape Architecture, the Faculty of Design and Architecture, Universiti Putra Malaysia. She graduated with a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture and Master of Science in Architecture from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia and obtained her PhD in Landscape Architecture from Lincoln University in Canterbury, New Zealand. Her areas of research specialisation are rural and urban cultural heritage landscapes.

She is president of the Institute of Landscape Architects Malaysia (ILAM) (2024-2026). She is a Fellow member of ILAM and the Malaysian delegate of ILAM to the International Federation of Landscape Architects (IFLA), IFLA Asia-Pacific and the World Congress and ICOMOS-IFLA. She is also honorary secretary of the Malaysian Professional Centre. She is one of the expert panellists for the architecture and landscape heritage committee at the National Heritage Department of Malaysia and Perbadanan Adat Melayu dan Warisan Negeri Selangor. She is actively involved in conserving and preserving cultural heritage monuments and sites.

The winning developments showcase a commendable commitment to sustainable landscaping and management. The thoughtful integration of native plants, efficient irrigation systems and the use of organic fertilisers highlight a dedication to environmental stewardship. Sustainability in landscape design and management not only enhances the aesthetic appeal but also contributes to biodiversity, soil health and water conservation. The careful planning and execution reflect a deep understanding of sustainable practices, making these properties models of eco-friendly landscaping.

While the current efforts are impressive, there are a few areas where further enhancements could be beneficial, which is by incorporating rainwater harvesting. The harvested rainwater systems could further reduce dependence on external water sources and enhance sustainability. Introducing more composting practices and green manure can improve soil fertility and structure, leading to healthier plant growth. Expanding integrated pest management (IPM) practices can minimise chemical pesticide use and promote a balanced ecosystem. Utilising solar-powered garden lighting and equipment can reduce the carbon footprint and operational costs.

Looking forward, the chosen developments have the potential to become a beacon of sustainable landscape development. By continuing to innovate and adopt the latest sustainable practices, the landscape can serve as an educational example for the community and other property owners. Embracing a vision of continuous improvement will not only enhance the environmental benefits but also inspire others to follow suit. Investing in sustainable technologies and practices will pay dividends in ecological health, property value and community well-being.

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