Business Sustainability Model for Malaysian Housing Developers (eBook)

Professor Sr Dr. Mastura is currently attached to the Quantity Surveying Programme at the School of Housing, Building and Planning, Universiti Sains Malaysia. She has numerous years of experience in the construction industry dealing with project estimation and costing, finance and project management, development proposals, and project evaluation. Her areas of research, publication and supervision interests include strategic management in the construction, housing and tourism industries, entrepreneurship, project management and procurement management. Her scholarly contributions include innumerable publications in books and international journals, as well as international conference papers. She has taught strategic management courses in construction, housing and tourism, entrepreneurship, and procurement management, both at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. She is also currently supervising numerous postgraduate research students at the Master's and PhD level. She was the recipient of the Emerald Literati Network ‘Highly Commended Award’ in 2007 and 2015. Her publications have featured in Tourism Management; International Journal of Hospitality Management; Habitat International; Journal of Civil Engineering and Management; International Journal of Project Management; Journal of Project Management (JoPM); Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management (ECAM); Project Management Journal; and Journal of Construction in Developing Countries, just to name a few. She also serves on the editorial boards of several international and national journals. She is currently working in collaboration with several major heads of industry to conduct a series of housing entrepreneurial courses in Malaysia.Associate Professor Sr Azlan is the initiator and former Chairman of the Quantity Surveying Programme in the School of Housing, Building and Planning, Universiti Sains Malaysia, where he has served for more than 35 years. He was also involved in the establishment, in 1990, of the School’s Master’s of Science in Project Management, considered the pioneer in its field and actively teaches and researches in areas pertaining to Cost Management, Development Economics and Value Management. He has steered USM’s QS Programme to be widely regarded as one of the country’s, if not the region’s best, having secured accreditation with prestigious bodies like the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, the Pacific Association of Quantity Surveyors and the Board of Quantity Surveyors Malaysia (BQSM). Conjointly, he is also active in consultancy works and has been involved in the whole spectrum of project nomenclatures as professional quantity surveyor and project manager. He currently advises several QS, Project Management and Construction firms, large as well as ‘boutique’ in nature, with focus on strategic enhancement and synergistic alliances. In terms of continuing professional involvement, he was a full member of the 14th Session of the BQSM, was an Examiner with the Royal Institution of Surveyors Malaysia (RISM), contributed to the RISM Partnering arrangements, and active in the Examination and Accreditation Committees. He is currently a panelist of the Malaysian Qualifications Agency and has headed several accreditation programmes for private-sector undergraduate courses throughout Malaysia. A firm advocate of constant industry-academia collaboration, premised upon the consistent development of professionally-driven curriculum, he is a committed proponent of the ‘new-age’ QS, and espouses standout features of innovativeness, technical mastery, global awareness and ethical leadership.Mr. Syed Putra is currently a PhD candidate at the School of Housing, Building and Planning, Universiti Sains Malaysia. His Master's dissertation received commendable remarks by the external examiner from the National University of Singapore. He has involved in the research on Malaysian housing development since 2011 and has published widely in peer-reviewed journals, book chapters and conference proceedings within last five years. Hitherto, he has played an instrumental role in convening many training courses and academic conferences, organised by the university.

Foreword by the Vice-Chancellor of Universiti Sains Malaysia 5
Preface 7
Acknowledgements 10
Contents 11
Notes 32
Part I: Introduction: Private Housing Developers in Malaysia 33
Chapter 1: Private Housing Developers and Their Competitive Advantage 34
1.1 Introduction 34
1.2 Business Success and Competitive Advantage 34
1.3 The Underpinning Theories 35
1.3.1 Theme 1: Characteristics of Owner-Managers 36
1.3.1.1 Demographic Profiles 36
1.3.1.2 Positive Traits 37
1.3.2 Theme 2: Firm Resources and Management 37
1.3.2.1 Land Bank 37
1.3.2.2 Strategy and Planning 38
1.3.2.3 Market Analysis 38
1.3.2.4 Financial Management 38
1.3.2.5 Social Network 39
1.3.2.6 Marketing Principles 39
1.3.2.7 Quality Products 39
1.3.2.8 Innovative Projects 40
1.3.2.9 Project Location 40
1.3.2.10 Firm’s Reputation 40
1.3.2.11 Housing Price 41
1.3.3 Theme 3: External Factors 41
1.3.3.1 Government Roles 41
1.3.3.2 Macroeconomic Indices 42
1.3.3.3 External Fund 42
1.4 Summary 42
References 43
Chapter 2: Profile of Malaysian Housing Developers 44
2.1 Introduction 44
2.2 Brief History of Housing Developers in Malaysia 45
2.3 Housing Development Process 46
2.4 New Big Players and Mergers in the Malaysian Housing Industry 46
2.5 Perceived Success of Malaysian Housing Developers 49
2.6 Current Scenario of Housing Developers in Malaysia 49
2.6.1 Johor 50
2.6.2 Melaka 52
2.6.3 Negeri Sembilan 52
2.6.4 Klang Valley (Comprising Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya) 53
2.6.5 Perak 55
2.6.6 Penang 57
2.6.7 Kedah and Perlis 58
2.6.8 Kelantan 59
2.6.9 Terengganu 60
2.6.10 Pahang 61
2.6.11 Sarawak 62
2.6.12 Sabah 64
2.7 Foreign Developers in Malaysia 67
2.8 Conclusion 68
References 69
Part II: Small- and Medium-Scale Private Housing Developers 70
Chapter 3: Maka Corporation Sdn Bhd 71
3.1 How Did You Actually First Expose Yourself to the Business in the Housing Industry? 72
3.2 What Is So Interesting About the Career in Housing Development? 73
3.3 Don’t You Require a Large Capital to Become a Housing Developer? 73
3.4 Many People Said that This Joint Venture (JV) System Is Less Profitable, Compared to Direct Purchase of the Land from Landowners. What Are the Effects of These Transactions? 74
3.5 How Could Your Company Continue to Remain Active in This Business Despite All These Precarious Environments? 75
3.6 Could You Please Share with Us Your Specific Managerial Practices? 76
3.7 Do You Set any Particular Production Target to Be Achieved? 76
3.8 How Do You Deal with Public Relation and Networking? 77
3.9 Can You Share Some of the Marketing Methods Practised by Your Firm? 77
3.10 What Are the Main Challenges Currently Facing the Industry? 78
3.11 In Relation to That, What Are Regulations and Laws that Hinder the Growth of Housing Developers? 79
3.12 The Government Intends to Introduce ‘Build-Then-­Sell’ System Very Soon. How Will that Impact You as a Developer? 80
3.13 Have You Ever Had Problems in Getting Loans? 80
3.14 Business-Wise, What Was the Toughest Challenge Ever Faced by You? 81
3.15 Many Fellow Players Opine that You Do Not Fully Utilise Your Potential to Further Develop Your Business. How Do You Respond to This? 81
3.16 If You Dare Not to Take Risks, How Could You Manage to Earn More Profits? 82
3.17 What Else Do You Practise to Sustain Well in Business? 82
3.18 As a Conclusion, What Is Your Most Commendable or Proudest Achievement? 82
Chapter 4: Wira Homeland Sdn Bhd 84
4.1 Datuk Hanafi, Could You Please Share Your Background in Property Development and What Motivates You to Delve into This Field? 84
4.2 May You Please Share with Us How Do You Develop and Manage Your Company and the Challenges that You Have Faced? 85
4.3 How Do You Manage Your Life as a Land Developer and How Do You Manage Your Time? Also, What Is Your Future Planning for Your Company? 86
4.4 What Types of Innovation that You Have Made? 86
4.5 Can You Share the Current Scenario in Kelantan in Terms of Housing Industry? Please Give Advice to Newcomers 87
4.6 Does Economic Situation Affect Your Firm Planning? 87
4.7 What Are the Personal Traits that You Deem Have Influenced Your Business Survivability in This Industry? 88
4.8 Could You Please Share with Us Your Valuable Experience in This Industry? 88
4.9 Any Last Words from You to Be Shared with the Public? 89
Chapter 5: Pakadiri Developer Sdn Bhd 90
5.1 Please Tell Us About Your Family Background? 91
5.2 Prior to Setting Up this Business, What Did You Do? What Are The Factors That Prompted You to Delve into This Industry? 91
5.3 How Did You Manage to Acquire Quite Sizeable Land Banks in Terengganu? 92
5.4 Besides that, Are There Other Strategies Used to Accumulate New Land Banks? 93
5.5 What Were the Problems Faced by Your Company During the First Project? 93
5.6 In Order to Finance Your First Project, Did You Use Your Own Money or Bank Loan? 93
5.7 From Your Hindsight, What Are the Principles You Hold to Ensure that the Firm Keeps Moving Forward? 94
5.8 In Terms of Human Resource Management, Are There Any Specific Practices You Would Like to Highlight? Who Is in Charge of the Technical Part? 94
5.9 What Are the Reasons that Made You Stay for More than 28 Years in This Industry? Is It Because of Your Interest or Other Factors? 95
5.10 Talking About Targets, How Do You Implement Your Firm’s Management in Order to Achieve the Preset Goals? 95
5.11 How Does This Firm Market Its Product? 95
5.12 What Do You Consider the Most Unique Strategy Implemented by Your Firm that Distinguishes You from Other Fellow Developers? 96
5.13 This Firm Is Considered a Veteran in the Industry Have You Implemented Any Types of Innovation on Your Products?
5.14 Can We Say that You Are Focusing in Terengganu Because You Are Well Versed and Originally from Here? So, Do You Find It Easy to Be ‘in Contact’ with the Local Authority? 97
5.15 How About Your Managerial and Planning Skills? Are There Any Specific Systems Executed in Your Daily Business Affairs? 97
5.16 May You Please Share with Us the Housing Industry Scenario in Terengganu? 97
5.17 Last But Not Least, Do You Mind Sharing Any Words of Wisdom as a Golden Rule for Nascent Entrepreneurs Who Wish to Be Involved in this Industry? 98
Chapter 6: Macinda Sdn Bhd 99
6.1 Can You Share a Bit About the History of Macinda and What It Stands for? 99
6.2 Can You Share Your Company’s Vision and Mission? 100
6.3 Who Actually Initiated This Firm? 100
6.4 So, the Development Part Is Headed by You? 100
6.5 How Does Macinda Start Property Development Projects and How Big Are They? 100
6.6 Can You Share Your Experience in Handling the Development of Projects? 101
6.7 Government Is Implementing BTS (Build-Then-Sell) Model Right Now. Will You Implement It on Your Future Projects? 101
6.8 Mr. Jonathan, What Are the Aspects or Features that Should Be Highlighted by Housing Developers? 102
6.9 Any Successful Business Person You Admire Most? 102
6.10 The Government’s Rules Are Now Getting Stricter than Before. How Do You Adapt to This Circumstance? 102
6.11 How Do You Market Your Products/Projects? 103
6.12 Who Is Your Target Marketing Group and What Is Your Current Project? 104
6.13 How About the Housing Scenario in Kuantan, and Are There Any Competition Around? 104
6.14 Did You Ever Receive Any Awards from the Authority? 104
6.15 What Is Your Advice to New Developers? 105
Chapter 7: Dynaton Holdings Sdn Bhd 106
7.1 Can You Tell Us About Your Educational Background? 107
7.2 What Did You Do After Schooling? 107
7.3 Who Motivated You to Start This Business? 107
7.4 What Makes You to Get Involved in This Business? 107
7.5 What Is Your Business Philosophy? 108
7.6 Do You Have Any Business Mentor? 108
7.7 Are You a Member of Any Developer-Related Association? 108
7.8 What Was Your First Development Project? 108
7.9 What Is Your Company’s Focus Right Now? Housing or Commercial Development? 108
7.10 How Does Dynaton Acquire Land for Development? 109
7.11 What Is Your Target Group? 109
7.12 Who Is In Charge of Project Department and Who Is Responsible for Managing Sites? 109
7.13 Have You Applied Any Financial Assistance from Financial Institutions? 109
7.14 How Does Dynaton Handle Financial Matters and Quality Inspection? 110
7.15 Temerloh Is a Small Town with Less Population Compared to Other Districts in Pahang, So How Confident Are You that You Can Excel Doing Development Business There? 110
7.16 How Many Developers Are There in Temerloh? 110
7.17 How Do You Market Your Products? 111
7.18 Why Do You Think Customers Prefer Your Products Compared to Others? 111
7.19 How Do You Come Out with Innovative Ideas? 111
7.20 How Did This Company Create a Good Reputation? 112
7.21 What Aspects of Quality Are You Really Concerned About? 112
7.22 How Frequent Do You Hold Your Management Meetings? 112
7.23 Can You Briefly Explain Your Company’s Relationship with Stakeholders and How You Manage Them? 112
7.24 How About Your Internal Process? How Do You Manage It? 113
7.25 Do You Consider This Business as Risky? 113
7.26 Do You Agree If I Say That Dynaton’s Focus Has Diverged from Housing Development to Commercial Development? 113
7.27 What Is Your Future Business Diversification? 114
7.28 What Is Your Dream in Relation to Your Current Profession Now? 114
7.29 Would You Plan to Let Your Children Inherit Your Business? 114
7.30 In Your Opinion, What Are the Characteristics to Be a Successful Businessman? 114
7.31 Can You Give Some Motivations to Newcomers? 115
Chapter 8: Orchard Vest Sdn Bhd 116
8.1 First and Foremost, How Do You Define Success in the Housing Development Industry? 117
8.2 Please Share with Us Your Background and the Reasons You Entered This Industry? 117
8.3 May We Know a Bit About Your Company? 118
8.4 Please Tell Us Your Company’s Vision and Mission? 118
8.5 Do You Find the Housing Business as a Risky One? 118
8.6 Could You Please Share the Characteristics Needed by Housing Developers to Succeed in This Industry? 119
8.7 May You Please Share the Initial Stages of Developing This Company? What Were the Challenges Encountered Throughout Your Journey to Be at This Level? 119
8.8 What Is the Company’s Marketing Approach? Do You Have Any Special Strategies or Methods That You Can Share with Us? 119
8.9 Do You Outsource for Contractors, Surveyors, Architects and Other Related Professionals? 120
8.10 How Do You Acquire Land for Housing Purposes and How Many Land Banks Do You Currently Have? 120
8.11 What Are the Criteria Considered in Deciding the Site Location? 120
8.12 Are There Any Innovation Being Applied on Your Company or Housing Projects? 120
8.13 How About the Financial Status of Your Company? The Former REHDA President Said Cash Flow Is Very Vital in the Performance of Developer, What Is Your Opinion on This? 121
8.14 As You May Well Be Aware, Economic Cycles Happened Every 10 Years, How Do You Tackle This Situation in Regard to Your Company Performance? 121
8.15 Does Government Play an Important Role to Help You Succeed in This Housing Industry? 121
8.16 What Are Current Challenges Perceived as Obstacles for Developers? 122
8.17 Have You Received Any Awards from Your Housing Business? 122
8.18 Any Lessons or Advices for Newcomers Delving into the Housing Industry? 122
Chapter 9: Taman Jadi (1989) Sdn Bhd 123
9.1 Could You Please Briefly Tell Us About Your Family Background? 124
9.2 How Did You Start Your Own Business? 124
9.3 How Did You Develop an Interest in the Housing Industry Given that You Had No Prior Related Experience? 124
9.4 What Attributes Do You Need to Succeed in This Industry? 125
9.5 With Respect to Your Initial Operation, What Was the Strength of Your Company in Terms of Human Capital and Long-Term Target? 125
9.6 How About the Factor of Competition? What Made Your Products Different with Others? 126
9.7 In the Future, Where Will Your Focus of Development Be? Will It Be in Penang Only? 126
9.8 What Is the Latest Project of Jadi Group? 126
9.9 From Your Experience, Which Department in Your Organisation Plays the Most Crucial Part? 127
9.10 In Terms of Marketing, What Channels Have Been Adopted to Ensure that the Group’s Targets Are Well Reached? 127
9.11 Regarding Financial Management, How Do You Control Your Firm’s Accounts and Finance to Sustain in This Business? 127
9.12 Do You Implement Outsourcing Strategy or Only Hire Consultants and Professionals to Work with You Under One Roof? 128
9.13 How Do You Acquire Your Land Banks? Do You Have Any Malay Reserve Land in Your Collection? 128
9.14 On a Separate Note, Do You Consider the Macroeconomic Effects Towards Your Projects? 128
9.15 Last but Not Least, Could You Please Give Some Words of Wisdom for Individuals that Intend to Dabble in the Housing Development Industry? 129
Chapter 10: PDG Property Sdn Bhd 130
10.1 Could You Please Describe Your Educational Background? 131
10.2 How Did You Start Your Career in the Property Development Business? 131
10.3 So, Are You Telling Us that Those Who Are Tied Up with Loans Will Be Facing Problems? 132
10.4 What Are Your Company’s Strengths? 133
10.5 May You Please Share with Us Any Innovative Efforts that Have Been Applied by Your Firm? 133
10.6 Do You Have Any Target Per Year that You Want to Accomplish? 133
10.7 Is There Any Person that You Consider Him/Her as a Mentor? Have You Received Any Awards Along Your Journey in This Field? 134
10.8 How Do You Secure Your Land Banks? 134
10.9 What Motivates You to Venture into This Housing Development? Will It Be for Profit or Interest? 134
10.10 How Do You Assure the Quality of Every Project? 135
10.11 On a Related Note, How Do You Market Your Projects? 135
10.12 Since You Are Now in the Midst of Venturing into the Johor Market, Provided You Do Business Through Outsourcing, How Do You Manage Your Business at that Particular New Market While All Your Subcontractors Are Based in Melaka? 136
10.13 We Would Say that Johor Is Progressing Very Swiftly Especially in Iskandar Malaysia: Do You Consider Any Threats from Local Competitors? 136
10.14 How Do You Create Your Firm Reputation or Branding? 136
10.15 If You Do Not Mind, How Much Profits Do You Make for Every Project? 137
10.16 In Terms of Government Role, Does It Contribute to the Success of Housing Developers? 137
10.17 We Would Like to Know About Your Financial Management Strategy? Does It Contribute to Your Success? 137
10.18 What Are the Business Principles that You Hold to Ensure the Sustainability of Your Business? 138
10.19 How Many Local Developers Compete with You Here, in Melaka Especially? 138
Chapter 11: Fairview Development Sdn Bhd 139
11.1 Datuk, What Is Your Background and How Did You Jump into This Field? 140
11.2 Has Anybody in Your Family Involved in This Business? 140
11.3 How Did You Constitute This Company? 140
11.4 Have You Involved in Professional Bodies Other than REHDA? 140
11.5 Have You Receive Any Reward from Authority or Government? 141
11.6 How Did You Get Started in This Business? 141
11.7 How About the Diversifications that You Have Initiated? 141
11.8 What Trigger You to Diversify the Business? 142
11.9 What Drive You to Sustain in This Business Despite All Challenges? 142
11.10 How Did Your Knowledge in Accounting Help You in This Business? 142
11.11 Is Money Your Motivation to Get Involved in This Business? 142
11.12 May You Please Elaborate on Your First Project? 143
11.13 Can You Share Any Challenges that You Ever Faced? 143
11.14 What Is Fairview’s Strength? 143
11.15 Why Do You Think People Will Buy Fairview’s Houses? 143
11.16 Other Development Companies Started Their Business with Sufficient Capital and Land Banks, While Your Company Is Otherwise. Could You Please Say Something on This? 144
11.17 Just Now You Mentioned that You Treat Your Staff Like Your Partners. Is There Anything You Do to Value Your Staff? 144
11.18 Why Do You Think Malay Is Not Successful in This Business? 144
11.19 How About Innovation? Do You Implement One? 145
11.20 As a Supreme Committee Member of REHDA, How Do You See Government Influence on This Industry? 145
11.21 How Do You See Today’s Economic Situation Could Affect the Survivability of Housing Development? 145
11.22 How Do Competitors Here Give Impact to Fairview? 146
11.23 Any Lessons Learnt that You Wish to Share with the Newcomers? 146
11.24 Any Other Business Philosophies that You Want to Share with Us? 146
Chapter 12: Sri Anika Development Sdn Bhd 147
12.1 Before We Dwell on Further, Please Provide Your Own Views on the Concept of Success in This Housing Business 147
12.2 What Is Your Highest Level of Education? Does It Help or Contribute Towards Your Success in Business? 148
12.3 What Do You Think About the Contribution of Previous Related Experience Towards Business Success? Do You Mind to Tell Us Your Experience Before Dabbling in This Industry? 148
12.4 Do You Have Any Personal Target in This Business? 149
12.5 Plenty of Outstanding Entrepreneurs Have Admired Few Notable Persons as Their Mentors. How About You? 149
12.6 Business in Housing Is Rather Unique as It Consumes Large Capital with Late Return and the Profit Is Entirely Based on Sales What Are the Characteristics Shall the Housing Entrepreneur Possess in Order to Succeed?
12.7 Do Strategic Management and Planning Give Impacts Towards Business Success? 150
12.8 At Present, How Many Staff Do You Have? 150
12.9 Does Your Company Utilise Any Marketing Strategies? Please Share Any Specific Promotional Tools that Have Been Implemented 151
12.10 In Short, What Type of Strategies Did You Focus to Become Customer-Oriented Business? 151
12.11 Why Do You Think the Buyers Will Purchase Your House? 152
12.12 How Do You Create Firm’s Reputation? 152
12.13 What Type of Innovations that You Have Applied on Your Housing Projects? 152
12.14 Could You Please Tell Us on the Funding Capital During the Early Stage of Inception? 153
12.15 Have You Diversified Your Business into Other Industries? How About the Overseas Market, Any Plans to Tap into Property Development Abroad? 153
12.16 How Do You See the Importance of Economic Factors in Contributing Success Towards Your Venture? What Do You Think About the Roles Played by the Government in Assisting Your Business? 153
12.17 Any Awards/Acknowledgements from Industry that You Have Obtained Throughout Your Career as a Housing Developer? 154
12.18 Could You Provide Any Extra Lessons that You Have Undergone as an Eye-Opener for Other Fellow Industry Players? 155
Part III: Large-Scale and Public-Listed Housing Developers 156
Chapter 13: I& P Group Sdn Berhad
13.1 Would You Mind Sharing Your Story with Us? 158
13.2 In a Succinct Manner, Could You Please Explain What Your Position Involves? 159
13.3 What Are the Strengths of I& P Group if We Compare with Other Real Estate Developers that Are Predominantly Chinese-owned?
13.4 You Are Managing a Number of Companies Under I& P Group. What Are the Unique Strategies that You Employ to Manage Them Well?
13.5 What Is the Role of the Board of Directors in This Company? 160
13.6 As a Civil Engineer Who Has Become a Managing Director, What Strategies Have You Implemented to Succeed in Your Career? 160
13.7 What Are the Extraordinary Characteristics of I& P Projects? How About the Overall Achievements in Terms of Projects?
13.8 From Your Viewpoint, What Are the Measurements Used to Gauge Success in the Housing Industry? 161
13.9 Which Department Would You Say Is Crucial to Ensure the Company Excels in Its Performance? 162
13.10 How Do You Tackle and Control Business Risks? 162
13.11 Sustainability of Housing Development Firms Depends Very Much on Their Land Bank. What Is Your Opinion on This? 162
13.12 The Growth of Science and Technology Also Has Great Impact on the Housing Industry. How Does I& P React to This, Especially in Terms of Building Innovation?
13.13 Do You Find Networking to Be an Indispensable Feature in the Firm’s Success? 163
13.14 How Does the Economic Climate Affect the Performance of Your Company? 164
13.15 In Terms of Market Focus, What Types of Houses Do You Concentrate on Building? 164
13.16 Who Are the Buyers of Your Housing Products? 164
13.17 Do You Implement Outsourcing or Internal Recruitment in Terms of Staffing? 164
13.18 What Are the Major Selling Points of Your Projects? 165
13.19 Do You Mind to Share with Us Any Recognitions or Awards Received by Your Ownself and I& P?
13.20 Do You Have Any Last Words of Wisdom to Share with Other Industry Players? 166
Chapter 14: LBS Bina Group Berhad 167
14.1 Could You Please Tell Us on How This Company Was Founded? 168
14.2 May You Elaborate a Bit on Your Family Background? 168
14.3 How About Your Personal Background? 169
14.4 What Is Your Vision in Life? Do You Set Any Personal Target in This Business? 169
14.5 Do You Have Any Business Mentors that Have Inspired and Assisted You in Business? What Were the Lessons that You Have Learnt? 169
14.6 How Do You Define Success in This Housing Business? 170
14.7 What Do You Think About ‘Luck’ in Handling Businesses Especially in the Housing Sector? 170
14.8 What Are the Traits that Should Be Instilled by a Businessman Like You in Order to Succeed in This Industry? 171
14.9 Please Tell Us the Managerial Side of This Company. Perhaps You May Share with Us Any Specific Methods Utilised in Daily Form 171
14.10 Do You Think This Property Business Is Risky? 172
14.11 Why Do You Want to Make Your Firm as a Public-­Listed Company? 172
14.12 Regarding Your Company Activities, Who Are the Decision Makers Accountable for Organisational Assets and Projects? What Type of Housing Projects Your Company Is Concentrating on? 172
14.13 Could You Please Tell Us a Bit on Your Experience Developing Houses in Cameron Highlands? 173
14.14 On a Separate Note, How Did LBS Manage to Acquire Business in China? 173
14.15 What Factors Do You Think Have Made LBS as One of the Leading Developers in Malaysia? 174
14.16 That Being the Case, Why Do You Think the Buyers Are Purchasing Your Houses? 174
14.17 So, How Does Your Company Retain Your Buyers? 175
14.18 What Do You Think About the Importance of Land Bank for Housing Developers? In Relation, How Do You Implement Land Selection? 175
14.19 Is It Critical for Housing Developers to Market Their Own Projects? 175
14.20 Do You Think Network Plays a Significant Role to Achieve Success in Business? 176
14.21 Since Malaysia Experiences Precarious Housing Cycles, What Strides Have Been Taken by LBS to Sustain Its Success? 176
14.22 Does Government Play Important Roles in Your Business? 177
14.23 What Are the Plans of LBS in the Near Future? 177
14.24 Has LBS Receive Any Awards for Its Outstanding Projects? 178
14.25 Any Specific Working Cultures that Are Implemented by Your Company that You Think Contribute to the Business Success? 178
14.26 Do You Mind to Share with Us Any Commandments to Be Learnt by Nascent Entrepreneurs Keen to Dabble in This Industry? 179
Chapter 15: Ken Holdings Berhad 180
15.1 Please Narrate a Bit on the History of This Firm 181
15.2 How About Your Background? How Do You Get Involved in This Business? 181
15.3 What Potentials Do You See of This Firm During Your First Year Here? 181
15.4 When Did You Take over This Company from Your Father? 182
15.5 Please Share with Us When Was the Firm Able to Foresee the Opportunity of Green Technology 182
15.6 I Would Say that Your Father Is Your Mentor, so What Have You Learnt from Your Father? 183
15.7 In Terms of Personality of Your Father, What Are the Traits You Envision that Lead Him to Success? 183
15.8 How Does He Manage This Company? 184
15.9 With the Sluggish Movement of Housing Market, What Are Your Strategies to Tackle It? 184
15.10 How Do You Acquire Your Land Banks and Where Is the Target Area? 185
15.11 Nowadays, Many Developers Refuse to Have Many Branches Because They Do Not Want to Deal with Different Local Authorities. So, How Do You Cope with This Circumstance? 185
15.12 What Is the Annually Target for This Company? 186
15.13 How Do You Manage Your Staff? What Are the Mechanisms Used to Ensure They Will Be Loyal to Your Organisation? 186
15.14 Do You Have Any Management Structure to Gauge the Staff Performance? 187
15.15 How Do You See Housing Development as a Risky Business? 187
15.16 How Far that the Use of ICT in Your Company Made Contribution to Success? 187
15.17 Apart from e-Marketing, Do You Implement Any Other Strategies to Market Your Product? 188
15.18 Which Category of Houses Are You Focusing on? What Factors that You Think Made Your Products Preferable? 188
15.19 Could You Please Tell Us the Profit Range of Your Business? 189
15.20 Who Are the Buyers of Your Housing Products? 189
15.21 Any Other Salient Factors that You Think Might Be Important for Housing Developers to Consider? Have Economic Factors Influence on the Profit and Selling Trend? 189
15.22 Do You Plan to Diversify into Other Industries? 190
15.23 Anyway, Are You Active in Any Corporate Associations? 190
15.24 We Believe that with Such Novelties, This Firm Must Have Collected a Number of Awards. May You Please List Out the Awards Received by Your Esteemed Organisation? 190
15.25 If You Do Not Mind, Please Render Some Advice for Upcoming Housing Developers 191
Chapter 16: Mah Sing Group Bhd 192
16.1 Could You Please Tell Us a Bit on Your Background? 193
16.2 Tell Us How You Came to the Decision to Venture into Property Development? What Inspired You or Was It a Purely Business Decision? 194
16.3 How About Your Plastic Manufacturing Business? Do You Mind to Share Its Current Business Growth? 195
16.4 How Do You Define Success in This Housing Business? 195
16.5 What Are the Factors That Contribute to Mah Sing’s Success? 195
16.6 Do You Think that Your Prior Related Experience Contributes Towards Business Success? 196
16.7 May You Share with Us How Did You Manage to Succeed and Overcome the Challenges from the Beginning of Your Venture in This Property Development Industry? 196
16.8 In Your Opinion, What Are the Traits That Should Be Possessed by Businessperson Like You in Order to Succeed in This Industry? Any Business Mentors That Have Inspired You? 197
16.9 Please Share Your Business Principles that You Apply to Sustain High Achievements 197
16.10 What Are the Current Directions and Visions of Mah Sing? 198
16.11 Which Department in Your Company Is the Most Critical and Plays Key Roles in Upholding Superior Performance? 198
16.12 Location-Wise, How Do You Implement Site Identification and Selection? May We Know the Total of Land Bank Owned by This Company? 199
16.13 With Iskandar Malaysia Undergoing Massive Development, Will Mah Sing Acquire More Lands in Johor? 200
16.14 For Future Plan, What Type of Houses that Mah Sing Will Look Forward to Be Developed? 200
16.15 Do your Company Utilise Any Marketing Strategies? Please Share Any Specific Tools That Have Been Implemented 201
16.16 Why Do You Think the Buyers Will Purchase Your House? How Do Your Company Retain Your Buyers? 201
16.17 Do You Set Any Future Plans for Mah Sing? Perhaps, Do You Have Any Upcoming Strategic Investments or Potential Diversification? 202
16.18 What Are the Strides That Have Been Employed by Mah Sing to Give Back to the Society? 202
16.19 What Do You Think on the Role of Government in Facilitating Your Business? 203
16.20 How Do You See the Importance of Economic Factors in Contributing Success? 203
16.21 Please List Down the Awards That Have Been Received by You and Mah Sing, Respectively 204
16.22 Please Share with Us Any Specific Working Cultures of Your Esteemed Organisation. How Do You Treat and Manage Your Staff? 205
16.23 Lastly, Could You Please Provide Some Wisdom Words to Be Pondered by Fellow Players? 206
Chapter 17: Titijaya Land Berhad 207
17.1 Firstly, We Would Like to Know Your Personal Profile. Could You Please Tell Us Your Family Background and How Did You Manage to Enter This Industry? 208
17.2 How Did You Manage to Secure the Project at Fraser’s Hill, Pahang? 208
17.3 When Did You Start Your First Project? 209
17.4 Why Did You Dabble in This Housing Development Industry? 209
17.5 What Are the Differences Experienced by This Company When It Went Public? 209
17.6 In Order to Succeed, What Traits that You Think Should Be Imbued by Housing Entrepreneurs? Do You Mind Sharing with Us Other Success Factors that You Deem Important to Excel in This Industry? 210
17.7 Take the Example of Subang Park Homes, How did You Acquire the Land? 210
17.8 Marketing Is Very Important in Business. Do You Have Any Special Methods to Market Your Properties? 211
17.9 Could You Please Elaborate on the Managerial Procedure of Your Company? 211
17.10 At the Moment, Do You Have Any Specific Strategies for Your Business? 211
17.11 Please Brief Us on Titijaya’s New Projects Which Are Scheduled to Take Off Soon 212
17.12 Does Titijaya Involve in Any Other Industry, Apart from Housing and Commercial Developments? 212
17.13 What Do You Think of the External Forces of This Industry? Do You Think Government Intervention, Macroeconomic Factors and Competition Affect Your Business Performance? Are There Any Related Challenges that You Want to Highlight? 213
17.14 We Notice that the Management of Your Company Has Been Spearheaded by Your Children. Can You Please Clarify a Bit on This Approach? 213
17.15 When Were You Conferred the Titles Tan Sri and Dato’? Do You Mind Sharing with Us the Other Awards That Were Received by Titijaya and You Personally? 214
17.16 Could You Please Provide Some Words of Wisdom That Would Be Useful for Young Entrepreneurs Who Wish to Delve into the Housing Development Industry? 214
Chapter 18: EUPE Corporation Berhad 216
18.1 How Did This Company Get Started? 217
18.2 May We Know a Little Bit about Your Father’s Background? 217
18.3 How About Your Own Background? 217
18.4 Please Elaborate on Your Flagship Project, Taman Ria 218
18.5 Could You Please Explain to Us How Did You Build Up This Company After You Took Over the Office? 218
18.6 What Are the Characteristics that You Think Are Important for You to Lead This Company? 219
18.7 How Does EUPE Come Up with Diversification Strategy in Business? 219
18.8 How Do You Acquire the Land Bank Specifically in Other States? 219
18.9 How About Your Overseas’ Projects? 220
18.10 Looking at the Recent Market, How Do You Cope with the Changing Market Preferences? 220
18.11 What About the Implementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST)? 220
18.12 We Perceive that a Lot of Housing Projects Are Mushrooming in Sungai Petani, How Did You Manage to Steadily Sell Your Products? 221
18.13 How About Your Sky Residences Project? Who Are the Target Buyers for This Project? 221
18.14 Is It Your Own Initiative to Build a Water-Themed Park? 221
18.15 How Much Is the Profit of This Company? 222
18.16 How Do You See the Importance of Different Departments in Your Company? Which Departments Would You Like to Emphasise for Contributing to the Firm Success? 222
18.17 Can You Share Your Marketing Strategy? 222
18.18 What Are the Overriding Strategies to Compete with Other Rivals? 222
18.19 Do You Apply Any Innovation in Your Products? What Type of Innovations, and How Is It Applied? 223
18.20 Since Your Company’s Vision Is to Be a Trusted Brand in Housing Development, Could You Please Elaborate More on the Importance of Reputation Towards Business Success? Are There Any Other Qualities That You Think Have Made the Buyers to Purch 223
18.21 How About the Use of ICT? Is It Useful in Your Marketing Strategies? 223
18.22 Currently, Many Housing Developers Lament that the Housing Loans for Homebuyers Are Very Hard to Be Approved. Do You Agree with That Situation? 224
18.23 From 2008 to 2013, Kedah Was Ruled by the Opposition Party, and Now It Returns Back to the Federal Government, Are There Any Differences Working with a Different State Administration? 224
18.24 Please Share with Us the Overall Business Approach that You Have Utilised and How It Relates with Your Organisational Values 224
18.25 Do You Have Any Lessons that You Are Keen to Share with the Nascent Developers that Are Interested to Thrive in This Housing Industry? 225
Chapter 19: Koperasi Tunas Muda Sungai Ara Berhad 226
19.1 May You Please Brief Us About Your Personal Background? How Do You Manage to Lead This Housing Cooperative? 227
19.2 What Is the Process of Electing the Board Members? 227
19.3 Do You Have Any Specific Mentors that Inspire You to Excel in This Field? 228
19.4 What Is the Vision of This Organisation? 228
19.5 Please Tell Us on How This Cooperative Developed Its Business in This Real Estate Industry 228
19.6 How About Your Cooperation with Sunway Berhad to Develop Housing Estates and Collaboration with Pantai Medical Group to Build a Private Medical Centre at Your Area? 229
19.7 How About Other Land Banks in Penang? 229
19.8 Can We Know About Your Market Focus? Who Are Your Target Markets? 230
19.9 While You Dealt a Lot with the Vagaries of the Board of Directors, What are the Main Problems that You Need to Overcome? 230
19.10 How About Staff Management? Is the Construction Site Handled by Different Workers? 230
19.11 Do You Mind Sharing with Us the Minimum Profit Recorded by This Housing Cooperative? 231
19.12 What Do You Think About Branding Strategy? Is It Necessary for Housing Developers? 231
19.13 In Terms of Marketing, Are There Any Strategies to Boost the Market? 231
19.14 How About the Aspect of Financial Management? 232
19.15 If We Could Refer to Other Fellow Players in Kuala Lumpur, They Have Moved Forward by Forming Good Relationship with the Customers After the Delivery Period. What Is Your Opinion on This Situation? 232
19.16 With Respect to Management, What Do You Think Makes This Cooperative Perform Better Compared to Other Cooperatives? 232
19.17 How About the Implementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST)? Please Give Your Opinion on This 233
19.18 In Terms of Your Own Personality, What Are the Traits That You Deem Have Affected the Performance of This Organisation? 234
19.19 Penang Is Currently Administered by the Opposition Party, Do You Find Any Related Challenges that Hinder the Progress of Your Organisation? 234
19.20 What Types of Approach Were Employed to Implement the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Towards the Public? 234
19.21 For the Time Being, Any Other Diversifications that the Cooperative Wishes to Dabble in? 235
19.22 How About the Competition from Other Private Developers in Penang? 235
19.23 KTMSAB Is Known as the Top Housing Cooperative in Malaysia. Are There Any Other Awards Obtained Within the Past Few Years? 235
Part IV: State-Owned Enterprises/Government-Linked Companies 236
Chapter 20: Darulaman Realty Sdn Bhd 237
20.1 Mr. Zainudin, Could You Please Briefly Describe Yourself? How Did You Manage to Join This Company? 238
20.2 What Is the Status of Darulaman Realty Sdn Bhd? 238
20.3 Do Kedah Holdings Sdn Bhd and Darulaman Realty Sdn Bhd Represent One Entity? 238
20.4 We Heard That Darulaman Realty Sdn Bhd Had Acquired New Land Bank at Pokok Sena. Is There Any Development to Be Planned There? 239
20.5 Has the Change in the Political Landscape of Kedah Affected the Direction of the Company? 239
20.6 Are You the One who Makes Decisions in This Company? 240
20.7 What Attributes Have Made You Successful? 240
20.8 Do You Have Any Formal Property Education? 240
20.9 Is There Any Future Plan for Darulaman Realty to Acquire More Land Banks? 240
20.10 Is There Any Specific Risk Encountered by This Company That You Can Share with Us? 241
20.11 How Does Darulaman Realty Sdn Bhd Market Its Housing Products? 241
20.12 What Are Your Product Specialties? What Are the Differences Between Yours and Others? 241
20.13 So, How Do You Make Your Products Differ from Others? What Innovative Ideas Do You Implement in Your Development Projects? 242
20.14 Do You Follow the Statistics of Purchasers’ Composition, Based on Race? 242
20.15 What Is Your Comment on Build-Then-Sell (BTS) Concept that the Government Is Trying to Impose? 242
20.16 How Do External Factors Affect Your Company’s Performance? 243
20.17 With That, What Is Your Opinion on the Current Housing Development Scenario in Malaysia? 243
20.18 Can You Share with Us the Working Culture that You Inculcate at Darulaman Realty Sdn Bhd? 243
20.19 Do You Have Any Mentor Who You Perceived Have Steered You Towards Success? Who Is He? 244
20.20 Could You Please Provide Any Advice to New Property Developers Who Wish to Delve into This Industry? 244
Chapter 21: Binaraya PKINK Sdn Bhd 245
21.1 Can You Briefly Share with Us Your Background? 245
21.2 Where Did You Gain Experience in Housing Development? 246
21.3 Could You Please Narrate a Bit About This Company and Your Role? 246
21.4 What Is the Main Objective of the Foundation of Binaraya PKINK Sdn Bhd? 247
21.5 How Do You Position This Firm in Comparison with Other Government-Linked Companies? 247
21.6 Is There Any Specific Target or Vision Set by the Board? 248
21.7 What Is the Current Performance of This Company? 248
21.8 Do You Mind to Reveal the Total of Houses Built and Barriers that Hampered Your Company to Provide Affordable Homes to the People of Kelantan? 248
21.9 What Is Your Vision in Managing This Company? 249
21.10 Since You Hold an Important Post in a State-Owned Enterprise, Can You Share Your Future Vision for Kelantan? 249
21.11 What Is the Strength of This Company? 250
21.12 As a Company Under the State Government, What Are the Limitations for This Company in Terms of Performance? 250
21.13 Do You Have Any Specific Characteristics that You Think Have Contributed to Your Success? Next, Please Share Some Advice for Novice Homebuilders 250
21.14 Lastly, What Is Your Personal Vision? 251
Chapter 22: Perbadanan Kemajuan Negeri Selangor 252
22.1 Could You Please Succinctly Expound to Us About Your Organisation and Its Vision on Property Development? 253
22.2 If You Do Not Mind, Kindly Please Brief Us About PKNS and Its Development Policy? 253
22.3 Anyway, What Are Your Generic Responsibilities as a General Manager of PKNS? 254
22.4 May You Please Share with Us Your Prior Working Experience? 254
22.5 What Are the Skills That You Have Acquired Throughout Your Working Hindsight? 255
22.6 What Do You Think About Your Personal Strengths That Might Be Useful for PKNS? 255
22.7 Do You Mind to Share with Us the Roles of PREC? 256
22.8 Would You Mind to Elaborate on the Entrepreneurship Programme Embarked by PKNS for the Retailers? 257
22.9 What Have You Done in KDEB That You Think Might Be Beneficial to PKNS? 257
22.10 Since You Were with Other Sectors Before, How Do You Gain New Motivation to Restart Your Career in the Property Development? 258
22.11 May We Know the Recorded Profit of PKNS for the Past Years? 258
22.12 What Are the Current Challenges Faced by PKNS? 259
22.13 Accordingly, What Are the Overarching Strategies Employed by PKNS to Remain Competitive? 259
22.14 Does PKNS Involve in the Provision of Affordable Homes? 260
22.15 How About the Recent Projects of PKNS and the Strategic Plan for Upcoming Years? 261
22.16 Land Bank Is an Indispensable Resource to Housing Developers. How Does Land Bank Might Be Related with Your Notable Projects? 261
22.17 While We Are Glad to See PKNS Develops Suburban and Rural Areas, Do You Have Any Projects Situated in City Centres? 262
22.18 We Heard That PKNS is Also Involved in Commercial Development. Please Elaborate on the Projects 263
22.19 What Kind of Innovations That Have Been Implemented by PKNS? 263
22.20 How Does Reputation Affect the Business Success of PKNS? 264
22.21 What Are the Other Factors That Have Made PKNS as the Preferred Housing Developers in Malaysia? 265
22.22 How Do You See the Pattern of Current Market Outlook in Selangor? Is There Any Momentous Influence of Environmental Forces, Such as Economic and Political Uncertainty Towards the Vision and Planning of PKNS? 265
22.23 In Search for Excellence, What Is Your Personal Aim for PKNS? 266
22.24 So, What Are the Actual Targets of PKNS? 266
22.25 As a Government-Linked Company (GLC), Do You Enjoy Any Special Advantages in Terms of Access to Funds, Tenders and Other Opportunities? 266
22.26 Do You Have Any Other Secret Mantra in Managing a Company? 267
22.27 Please Share with Us Your Chief Working Principles 267
22.28 How Many Awards Have Been Obtained by PKNS Throughout the Lifespan of More Than 50 Years? 268
Part V: Summary: Emerging Factors in Achieving Sustainable Competitive Advantage 269
Chapter 23: Conclusion 270
References 276
Index 277