EM ASIA FX-Sing dlr down, market players wary of policy shift

* Asian currencies slide as euro zone woes sap risk appetite

* Sing dollar hits 2-mth low, focus on MAS Oct policy decision

* Analysts see rising chance of MAS reducing appreciation slope

* Rupee hits fresh 1-yr low, rupiah touches 2-mth trough (Updates text, prices)

By Masayuki Kitano

SINGAPORE, Sept 12 (Reuters) - The Singapore dollar hit its lowest level in more than two months on Monday, hurt by investor jitters over the euro zone's debt crisis and growing market speculation that Singapore's central bank may ease its monetary policy next month.

Fears that the euro zone's support for Greece is wobbling dampened risk appetite and helped spur a sell-off in Asian currencies, dragging the Indian rupee down to a fresh one-year low and the Indonesian rupiah to a two-month trough.

The U.S. dollar's rally against the euro over the past week has had knock-on effects on Asian currencies, which have also been pressured by worries that Asian economies may increasingly feel the pinch from a slowdown in developed economies.

Chow Penn Nee, an economist for United Overseas Bank in Singapore, said she believes there's increased risk the Monetary Authority of Singapore "could ease monetary policy to one of a more gradual appreciation."

UOB's current forecast is for the MAS to keep monetary policy unchanged in October, when it issues a statement, but her bank thinks the probability of easing is increasing, Chow said.

"The heightened uncertainties in the global environment increase chances of a technical recession in Singapore," she said.

The Singapore dollar could extend its losses in the near term if forthcoming data comes in weak and causes a further shift in market expectations toward the MAS easing in October, rather than keeping policy unchanged, she added.

The Singapore dollar fell to as low as 1.2358 to the U.S. dollar , the Singapore currency's lowest level since late June.

One possible resistance for USD/SGD lies at 1.2448, a peak hit in late June and the next significant peak on charts. Higher up, the U.S. dollar's 200-day moving average comes in at 1.2507.

The greenback has risen 2.2 percent in the past three days, on track for its biggest three-day percentage gain since May 2010, when worries about Greece's sovereign debt crisis roiled financial markets.

At its last policy decision in April, MAS tightened monetary policy by re-centering its exchange rate policy band upwards, though to below the prevailing nominal effective exchange rate. The central bank left the slope and width of the band unchanged.

SINGAPORE DOLLAR

Nomura's FX strategists recommend taking a short Singapore dollar position over a period of two months, against a currency basket consisting of the U.S. dollar, Malaysian ringgit, Chinese yuan, Japanese yen, the euro, Indonesian rupiah, South Korean won and the Taiwan dollar.

The analysts said they saw downside risk for the Singapore dollar's nominal effective exchange rate, due to an increased risk of a policy shift from the central bank in October.

"We currently think the authorities are more likely to reduce the slope of SGD NEER appreciation (around 40 percent probability) rather than make an outright shift to neutral (35 percent)," the analysts said, referring to the Singapore dollar's nominal effective exchange rate.

"But the risk of a shift to neutral will rise if the global economic data continue to deteriorate over the next month," the analysts said in a research note.

"Given our belief that the broad market (especially real money) is still long SGD, we see a risk of a large negative SGD reaction to a shift towards/to neutral," they said.

The Nomura analysts added that they expect MAS to keep the width of the policy band unchanged in October.

MALAYSIAN RINGGIT

The Malaysian ringgit is testing support at its 200-day moving average at 3.0283 . If dollar/ringgit closes above the 200-day moving average, it would be for the first time since July 2009 and could set the dollar up for further gains.

Above the 200-day moving average, one possible resistance level for the dollar lies at 3.0470, an intraday high hit in early August and the next significant peak on charts.

INDIAN RUPEE

The dollar hit a fresh one-year high of 46.99 to the rupee , with the dollar extending its gains after data showed that India's industrial output rose at a sharply lower-than-expected 3.3 percent pace from a year earlier.

The median forecast in a Reuters poll was for an annual rise of 6.2 percent.

INDONESIAN RUPIAH

The rupiah dipped to 8,618 versus the dollar , its lowest level in more than two months, despite continued intervention from the central bank at staggered levels above 8,600.

Banks are not updating prices on their screens for fear of inviting phone calls and checks from the central bank, traders said.

A dealer for a European bank in Jakarta said the rupiah's weakness on Monday was partly due to overseas investors pulling money out of Indonesian bonds.

CURRENCIES VS U.S. DOLLAR

Change on the day at 0619 GMT Currency Latest bid Previous day Pct Move Japan yen 77.01 77.61 +0.78 Sing dlr 1.2340 1.2294 -0.37 Taiwan dlr 29.205 29.221 +0.05 Korean won 1077.00 1077.30 +0.03 Baht 30.11 30.05 -0.20 Peso 42.71 42.49 -0.52 Rupiah 8600.00 8565.00 -0.41 Rupee 46.96 46.56 -0.86 Ringgit 3.0270 3.0005 -0.88 Yuan 6.3880 6.3882 +0.00

Change so far in 2011 Currency Latest bid End prev year Pct Move Japan yen 77.01 81.15 +5.38 Sing dlr 1.2340 1.2820 +3.89 Taiwan dlr 29.205 30.368 +3.98 Korean won 1077.00 1134.80 +5.37 Baht 30.11 30.14 +0.10 Peso 42.71 43.84 +2.65 Rupiah 8600.00 9005.00 +4.71 Rupee 46.96 44.70 -4.81 Ringgit 3.0270 3.0820 +1.82 Yuan 6.3880 6.5897 +3.16

Engineer

Engineer

Based: Malaysia(Puchong)

Job Description

• Design for Infrastructure, Structure & Geotechnical scope  of work
• Assist Lead Engineers in support during Tender, Construction and Authorities Submission.

Requirements:

• Degree in Civil Engineering or equivalent
• Min 1 year experience in infrastructure and structure design  work.
• Fresh Graduate can also be considered.

Interested candidates are requested to submit their CV along with recent colour photograph, stating current salary and expected salary by email to suhana.majid@gmail.com or fax to 03-58854934 before 19 September 2011. Only shortlisted candidates will be notified.

Prestasi Perintis Sdn Bhd

We are an Engineering Consultancy Firm seeking qualified candidates who are motivated, committed, independent and with the right attitude for the following vacancies.

Site Supervisor

We are a Building Company based in Petaling Jaya specializing in Bungalow Houses are expanding and looking for qualified candidates for the following vacancy:-

Site Supervisor

Based: Malaysia(Selangor)

Job Description

• Diploma/Cert, in Building/Arch/Civil Engineering
• Min. 3 yrs working experience in construction works
• Able to read architectural and structural drawings
• Experience in working on bungalow houses is an advantage

Interested candidates please email your detailed resume 

to:hr@m-arc.com.myor fax to 03-78053413

M-arc Builder Sdn Bhd

Build underpass or flyover, developer urged

Pusat Bandar Puchong residents want the developer of Setia Walk to build a flyover or underpass for traffic going into the new development instead of interfering with the existing traffic system.

They gathered yesterday to voice their displeasure over the proposed traffic flow, which they felt would worsen the daily congestion at the junction of Persiaran Wawasan and Damansara-Puchong Highway (LDP).

Setia Walk, which is located at this junction, is an integrated residential and commercial development comprising retail blocks, offices, an entertainment complex, service and residential apartments.

The residents had identified seven problematic points in the proposal and feared that accidents would happen with the criss-crossing traffic. Motorists turning left from Persiaran Wawasan into LDP would meet traffic heading into Setia Walk.

Vehicles from LDP into Persiaran Wawasan would meet those making a U-turn on Persiaran Wawasan to get into the commercial area in Jalan Bandar 1 and 2.

Action committee chairman Yong Siew Yung said the residents wanted an independent traffic consultant to look into the feasibility of the proposal and carry out a traffic impact assessment.

“We were told that the developer’s traffic study was done a couple of years ago at 10am and not during the peak hours.

“There will be 4,000 parking bays in Setia Walk. Imagine half of the car volume getting into the development and creating a congestion,” she said.

Shan Kok Shin, a member in the committee, said the residents’ concerns were not adequately addressed. He urged the developer, SP Setia, to stop the contruction work at the junction until all issues were resolved.

Civil/Mechanical Engineers wanted in Qatar

Civil/Mechanical Engineers wanted in Qatar

Minimum a recognize degree in Civil/Mechanical Engineering.

Minimum 10 years experience in wastewater or sewage treatment plant/Works is a must

Project Management Experience in Sewage Treatment Works Construction and/or Sewer Networks Construction OR Operations & Maintenance Experience of  Sewage Treatment Works and/or Sewers Networks

Interview will be conducted in Kuala Lumpur.

Application for Malaysian only.

Interested please sent your CV to arwinder66@yahoo.com

Civil Engineers wanted in Qatar

Minimum a recognize degree in Civil Engineering.

Minimum 10 years experience in wastewater or sewage treatment plant/Works is a must

Construction site experience and Maintenance

Interview will be conducted in Kuala Lumpur.

Application for Malaysian only.

Interested please sent your CV to arwinder66@yahoo.com

Wangz wonderland

Singapore’s changing urban face over the past 30 years has been remarkable. Admittedly, the cutting-edge skyscrapers are an integral part of the island’s architectural landscape. But what makes Singapore exceptionally well in urban planning is the creative reutilisation of the existing buildings.

Wangz Hotel is a case in point. Located in Tiong Bahru, the hotel occupies a 20-year-old cylindrical building that was originally designed as both a commercial and residential property.

“When we bought this building in 2007, the first two floors were occupied by shops, while the upper floors housed residential units,” says owner Wang Chang Yuin, better known as Yuin.

Together with his sibling, Yuin ventured into hospitality business in 1996. Their first foray into the industry was Wangz Business Centre, a serviced office suite facility located at the penthouse of Suntec Tower One, Singapore.

However, unlike this serviced office suite, Wangz Hotel is a much bigger investment. According to Yuin, the renovation of Wangz Hotel cost approximately RM17mil (S$8mil).

Under the architectural direction of CPG Consultants, what was once a retro building with mosaic tiles façade is now a modern architectural masterpiece. The property is literally a gleaming sculpture, with perforated aluminum cladding and asymmetrically placed glass windows.

Despite the futuristic architectural approach, Wangz Hotel exudes a rather warm atmosphere - all thanks to the interior setting that sees a harmonious blend of designer furniture, earthy colour scheme and clever lighting arrangement.

StarProperty.my caught up with the affable hotelier recently.

Aluminum mask
As with many capital cities in this region, there have been a lot of world-class boutique hotels built in Singapore over the past few years. But Yuin, speaking from experience, will tell you that running a boutique hotel isn’t an easy job.

In Southeast Asia, particularly, the winning formula of a successful boutique hotel is injecting a dash of sophistication into an eclectic colonial building. But Wangz Hotel took the game up a notch by offering an impenitently modern design.

“Surrounded by many heritage blocks in Tiong Bahru, we knew from the beginning that we have to make this building look modern – inside and outside – to standout,” says Yuin.

The warm interior (left) softens Wangz Hotel's cold facade (right)

This was his brief to CPG Consultants and Avalon Design Pte Ltd, which tackled the architecture and interior design works for Wangz Hotel respectively.

With that in mind, the design team resurrected the façade, made a scissor staircase and reconsidered the use of space. But they soon found out that there’s MRT track beneath the neighbourhood, which means the renovation process “must not put more structural loading to the existing building, as to avoid any obstructions to the MRT system”.

But Yuin is quick to add that such obstacle didn’t compromise his design goal. In fact, it made him and his design team more creative.

“CPG Consultants torn down the mosaic tile façade to make way for perforated aluminum, which gives the building a modern look and is much lighter than other materials in terms of weight. On a practical level, this aluminum clad also protects the dwellers from the glaring sunlight,” Yuin explains.

To further boost the modern aesthetic, strips of glass windows were deliberately added to the façade. According to Yuin, not only do the glass windows emphasise the desired modern aesthetic, they also help bring in natural light into the building.

This façade alone cost RM2.4mil (S$1mil). But Yuin says that it was a worthwhile investment, as the statement-making façade accurately sets the identity of the hotel.

Urban oasis
Occupying a modern structure that is surrounded by a garden, Wangz Hotel prides itself as an “urban oasis” – and rightfully so. Wangz Hotel’s garden, designed as a circular patch that follows the contour of the building, is lush and beautiful. It is uncommon, one might say, that a hotelier sacrificed 5ft of land for a garden.

“I could have expanded the lobby with this piece of land, but I believe that a garden gives more value to the property and the community in both aesthetic and environmental sense,” he says.

The idea of having a garden got a nod from his design team. In fact, the garden has inspired the design team so much that the overall interior concept was based on the colours, mood and texture found there.

“Despite the cold façade of this property, we weren’t afraid to play with colourful furniture and finishing, for the garden has given us an excuse to be more earthy and warm. And I personally believe that such welcoming interior is good for the business.

“I didn’t want Wangz Hotel to have a stark interior setting. I wanted it to be disarming, without losing the sophisticated edge of the hotel. I believe this design approach to be effective in softening the property’s seemingly cold façade,” he reasons.

Panton Chair in different colours and MOOI's Pig Table in the lobby

Take a good look at the lobby and you will know what he means. The lobby, with rows of Panton chairs (in red, black and white) is every inch warm, inviting yet sophisticated. Contemporary numbers such as MOOI's Pig Table, Saporiti Italia's Flashmob Bench, and Arne Jacobsen's Swan Chairs add quirky characteristics to the interior. 

Adding to this vibrant interior is a private collection of original artworks worth approximately RM970,000 (S$400,000). Staying true to its “urban oasis” concept, the artworks have been specifically commissioned to reflect floral and bird-inspired themes.

The same interior concept is also present in the rooms. Due to the circular shape of the building, each room required a bespoke layout planning.

“We fully embrace the shape of the building. The unusual shape (of the building) has allowed us to be innovative and creative. Where layout is concerned, we broke spatial boundaries with floor-to-ceiling windows, diverse wall textures, colour blocking, artwork displays and ambient light,” Yuin explains.

When asked what has been the most difficult challenge running a boutique hotel thus far, Yuin comments, “Looking back, the design and building phase was the easy part. What I, as a hotelier, must be prepared for is to be hands-on in the operations and be ready for lots of hard work.”

Yuin advises those who are considering renovating their house or commercial properties to find the right design team and contractor. A golden advice indeed.

Three biggest errors people make when investing in properties

“You cannot make money buying properties in Malaysia!” exclaimed a relatively disgruntled investor from Singapore. It was a statement made when we made a visit to our neighboring country. We were in Singapore in collaboration with Malaysian Property Incorporated (MPI) to promote real estate investment in Malaysia.

We ended up having a meal with the gentleman and listening to his experience of investing in properties in Malaysia. To my surprise, he was an extremely well informed person with amicable knowledge of investments and had invested in other countries as well. However, his ventures have had somewhat mixed results. Some turned out mediocre results, some incurred losses and some were profitable ventures. He concluded saying: “Nothing beats investing in your own country”.

His story is not uncommon. I have had similar encounters with many foreign investors - both in Malaysia and abroad. After some research, I realised there were some fundamental errors that most investors made when they ventured into unknown territories or countries. I would like to share three of the most common errors made by foreign (and even some local) investors.

1st common error: To FLIP or to KEEP?
The first common mistake most investors committed is to invest without figuring out who their target market is.

First things first. Are you investing to FLIP or to KEEP? What’s flipping or keeping? Well, flipping is buying with the intention to sell with profit. Keeping is buying with the intention of profiting from renting the property out.

Properties for flipping are usually the ones with has the highest capital appreciation in the shortest amount of time. These are usually the landed properties.

Here’s a simple formula to calculate capital returns:

The returns will be the total returns you would get. Assuming you achieved 30% returns in 3 years, the next thing you need to do is to divide that to determine your simple returns per year (as compared to compounded returns)

Properties for keeping are the ones that fetch rental returns higher than 6%. These are usually high-rise in nature.

Here’s the formula for rental returns:

It is key that you decide what strategy to adopt before deciding what type of property to invest into. Also, it’s crucial to estimate the returns of investment you desire and the timeline of which to exit. Having exit strategies prior to starting is critical to your success.

Knowing your strategy before investing is crucial. Assuming you are planning to flip, next question is, who is your target market?

2nd common error: Not getting to know the area well.
“I bought into an apartment in the city center (worth RM1.8mil) three years back and I couldn’t sell it out till today!” claimed the Singaporean investor. “Who were you planning to sell it to?” I asked then. “Anyone la!” he replied.

If you go around with a strategy like that, you might end up including the super natural market as well! Look, if you don’t know who you are going to sell or rent your properties out to, why buy it in the first place?

You should know your target market very well before even investing into real estate in the area. Understand what the market needs, and what it is lack of.

What I see most investors do is to trust the developer or the agents to do the research for them. Why would you trust someone else with hundreds of thousands of ringgit (if not millions) of your own money?! Even if they were right, you still need to verify it. Remember, regardless of whether the developer or agent is right or wrong, they make their money when they sell their properties to you, and their liability stops there!

My advice for both locals and foreigners investing in Malaysia is to make the effort to visit the places of interest for you over and over again. Study the market and get to know the locals before you finally make the decision to invest.

3rd common error: Not understanding the locals
How many of you would invest into a RM14.5mil condominium near the city center with the intention to rent? How many of you would invest RM10.5mil for 1,250 sq ft of retail space in a new retail mall in Dengkil? While there may be some sane reasons to do so, majority would agree that you wouldn’t do either one of the deals. Although the examples are extreme, the common errors people do in investment are obvious here.

Some investors lose money because of this error - not understanding the lifestyle of the locals. You should always study the lifestyle of the locals.

Allow me to give a couple of examples:

I once met an investor who focused only into FLIPPING properties. I asked him how he’s able to consistently make returns of 50% to 70% in the market, regardless of whether it was an up market or a down market.

He shared with me that he only invests in properties of RM500k to RM700k. He focuses on the trends of the people buying in the area. In other words, he focuses on the lifestyle of homeowners and what they were seeking. He further shared: “I usually ask my working colleagues, around the age group of 30 to 40, where they would buy to stay. I take note of the areas and the type of properties they would buy, should they be able to afford properties within my investment range.”

“I also keep track on the latest types of properties the developers are rolling out into the market. They usually have done their research before investing millions into marketing and developing such properties. Then I look into the areas and types and buy the best deal.”

“I never guess. I always make sure that whatever I invest into, I am 99% sure that its going to give me at least 30% returns or more, before I even bother to go it. It’s all in the research and it’s all in the network. If you want to make money, must consistently be in the market la. There’s no such thing as a good time, only a good buy!” he added with a smile.

So, if you want to make money investing to FLIP or to KEEP, does he’s advice make good investment sense? Again, most of us fail to do any sort of research prior to investing into the properties. The key to successful investment is to gather enough good information from the marketplace and make the money in the difference.

In many of my talks that I give these days, I mention to people that while it can be a good time to make money in the market, invest wisely. Keep yourself grounded and stick to the fundamentals. The best way of losing money is when you start speculating in the market.

Last advise, always remember to focus on the bottom line. Define your entry and exit points, keep to your strategies and always focus on making money.

Happy investing!

Sealing To Moving Concrete Cracks

I. TYPE OF DEFECTS
Type of defects: Non-structural and movable cracks.

II. SURFACE PREPARATION

• The cracks and adjacent substrate must be clean, sound and free of contaminated material. Remove dust, laitance, grease, curing compounds and other bond inhibiting materials from surface by mechanical means.

• “V” notch the surface of crack with mechanical router or hand chipping to maximum width of 8 mm and to minimum depth of 8 mm.

III. SEALING

• Material: Sikaflex Construction (J)

• To ensure the cleanliness of the substrate, use high pressure air compressor to clean the substrate from any dust and loose particle.

• In case there is possibility of the sealant adheres to the bottom of the joints then a backer rod with diameter min. 20 % bigger than the width of joint shall be applied.

• The application of Sika Primer 3 is recommended

• Gun Sikaflex Construction (J) into prepared crack to a minimum depth of 8 mm.

• Allow sealant to cure for at least 24 hours before the application of elastic water dispersed paint.

Extraordinary Animal Shaped Buildings

There are many attractive buildings that are shaped like animals such as chicken, elephants, sheep, sharks, fish and many more. StarProperty.my takes a quick tour to bring you some of these uniquely shaped buildings.

Dog and Sheep Buildings in Tirau, New Zealand
The Sheep Wool Gallery is a sheep skin rug and novelty shop which offers woolen goods and gifts while the Dog Building is an Information Centre cum public restroom. The buildings were built in 1994 and are along the main road in Tirau.

The idea to build an information centre in the shape of a dog initially came from John Drake, the owner of the land, and this led to the large corrugated iron building known as the "Sheep".

When the South Waikato District Council was looking for a site to build new public toilets, the land beside the Sheep belonging to John and Nancy Drake seemed to be ideal. Work on the Dog Building started in January 1998 and it was officially opened in September 1998. The shape of the Dog’s head was constructed by local craftsman Steven Clothier.

The common material used to build structures such as barns and storage sheds is corrugated iron. This material has been used to build extraordinary looking animal-shaped buildings in Tirau, Waikato.
(Image by Ellergy Blogspot)

Lucy the Elephant, Margate City, New Jersey
This is a six-story elephant-shaped structure weighing 90 tonnes. Lucy was constructed in 1882 by James V. Lafferty in Margate City, New Jersey in an effort to sell real estate and attract tourism. Lucy had served as a restaurant, business office, cottage, and tavern over the years.

In the 1960s, Lucy was in bad condition and was scheduled for destruction. It has been moved and refurbished as a result of a "Save Lucy" campaign in 1970 and was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1976. Josephine Harron is one of the founders for the Save Lucy Committee.

Several elephant-shaped buildings have since been constructed after Lucy. The second was The Elephant Colossus at Coney Island amusement park which was a twelve story structure but was destroyed by a fire in 1896. In 1884, ‘Light of Asia, or ‘Old Dumbo’ was built at Cape May but it was torn down. Only Lucy was lucky enough to survive until today.
(Image by Ellergy Blogspot)

Elephant Tower in Bangkok
Located in the Chatuchak district, it has three towers and forms the shape of Thailand’s national animal – the elephant. The Elephant Tower is only 10km away from central Bangkok and is one of most famous landmarks in Thailand. It’s made up of seven parts which consists of condominiums, office space, shopping plaza, bank, post office, a language school and a garden.

This tower is one of the futuristic buildings of the 21st century. It can be accessed by many roads, expressway and the upcoming mass transit transportation including the first and second stage expressway - Don Muang Tollway, Hopewell Mass Transit and Expressway, BTS Elevated Train as well as MRTA Subway.
(Image by BEEN SEEN)

Giant Muskie, Hayward, Wisconsin
A museum and also an angler’s shrine shaped in a leaping musky, this unique building is one and a half city blocks long and four and one and a half storeys tall. It is made of concrete, steel and fiberglass. It’s gaping jaw which serves as an observation platform is able to accommodate about 20 persons or more. The landmark is surrounded by a quarter acre of natural pond.

The museum houses fishing artefacts; an inventory of over 5,000 dated lures, hundreds of antique rods, reels and angling accessories, and more than 400 mounts of almost 200 different species of fish. The building idea was brought to live in 1960 by Bob Kutz.
(Image by Ellergy Blogspot)

Frank Gehry’s Fish, above the Vila Olimpica in Barcelona
Built in 1992 for the Olympic Games, located above Vila Olimpica in Barcelona, the monumental Fish sculpture consists of a retail complex designed by Gehry Partners within a larger hotel development by Skidmore, Owing & Merill.

The sculpture was modeled entirely in 3D and delivered directly to the fabricators as a 3D model. There have been many other fish buildings that followed thereafter.
(Image by BEEN SEEN)

Dog Bark Park Inn, Cottonwood, Idaho, USA
Dennis and Frances are the owners of this gigantic beagle in Idaho. Dennis’ background in the construction and building design industry prior to becoming an artist gave him the necessary expertise to build the dog building himself.

The head of the Dog is a loft room with additional sleeping space plus a cozy alcove in the muzzle. The building at 30 feet tall, 34 feet long and 14 feet wide was completed in 2003. Some of the Dog’s decorative furnishings are carvings by Dennis & Frances. Visitors may walk the grounds; browse the gift shop, or even share dog’s travel and life stories at the dog park.
(Image by Ellergy Blogspot)

Gagudju Crocodile Holiday Inn, Jabiru, Kakadu National Park, Australia
Gagudju Crocodile Holiday Inn, Jabiru offers an international standard four-star service to their visitors. This unique hotel is shaped like a crocodile and is located in the centre of the world heritage listed Kakadu National Park. It is a popular base for exploring the rugged beauty of the vast National Park.

The Crocodile’s mouth is the entrance of the hotel which leads to an expansive marble foyer designed to represent a cool, green billabong. Its body section houses guest rooms overlooking a central patio with a recreation of a natural billabong and a shaded swimming pool, designed to signify the crocodile’s heart. There are also tennis courts and a golf court situated within a short distance from the hotel.
(Image by Ellergy Blogspot)

Other interseting articles:

• Five modern architectures of the world
• Celebrating women’s curve with Femke Ligthart
• Modern look for old bungalow
• Disneyland Castles
• World’s Tallest Building

Attraction of average-size residential, shopping projects

The built environment in the Klang Valley, Penang and other parts of the country is poised for major changes going by the ambitious infrastructure and development projects that have been planned to boost the liveability and growth potential of our major cities.
Projects such as the mass rapid transit in the Klang Valley and the light rail transit and monorail projects in Penang will certainly herald many new changes in the property landscape.
These infrastructure projects will undoubtedly spawn opportunities for other types of development such as housing, office buildings, shopping malls, industrial parks and public facilities.
With all the big plans under way, there may be a tendency to pay too much attention on building mega buildings and structures, and neglect the basic, simple needs and necessities of the common folks.
Many Klang Valley folks consider it unnecessary to spend too much resources on gigantic structures and projects just to add to the city’s skyline.
In fact, the debate on whether there is a need to build the 100-storey Warisan Merdeka tower in the vicinity of Dataran Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur, is still on.
Personally, I believe there are many worthwhile projects that can be pursued, such as cultural and art centres that should be planned based on traditional architecture and using local and indigenous designs and materials. They present opportunities to liven up our cities with more holistic activities and showcase the rich local culture and heritage to visitors.
So it makes sense to incorporate Malaysia’s multi-culture and multi-ethnic heritage into the new commercial projects in our major cities.
We must remember that foreign visitors and tourists to the country are here to savour and experience the living heritage of the people in our cities, towns and villages, instead of gazing at the skyscrapers and concrete jungle which they can find in their own countries. In many ways, what they hope to experience is the simple, yet rich and original way of life of the local people.
Likewise, new residential projects should also look into the basic needs of potential buyers and should be functional instead of over-emphasising the aesthetics. There is a growing number of people who want to live in the city centre but find the prices of the property way beyond their reach.
There should be more effort to build smaller “starter” units in the urban conurbations in order to attract and retain young talent and workforce in cities, particularly Kuala Lumpur.

A review of planning laws and incentives should be considered to encourage developers to build more such entry-level properties for first-time homeowners.
These developments can be integrated with some nice lifestyle food and beverage outlets and retail centres.
Since a number of condominium projects have yet to be fully sold or occupied, perhaps the developers can look at redesigning the layout plans and turn some of the overly spacious units to smaller homes.
Developers of such starter homes have reported brisk sales and there is still a long waiting list for these smaller residences.
In fact, there is also tremendous opportunity to further liven up the Klang Valley’s retail landscape with more average size lifestyle outlets and centres.
The plan to link major retail destinations in Kuala Lumpur’s main shopping hub will help promote the city as a favourite shopping destination.
Walking around shopping malls that are well spaced out, safe and not overcrowded has proven to be therapeutic and relaxing.
It is not only the fairer gender who are taking to shopping as a favourite past-time but their male counterparts have also caught up with this habit. Whether it is to look for something to buy or just taking a stroll, shopping complexes have become favourite haunts for many Klang Valley folks.
The scorching sun has made walking a chore these days and setting up shaded pedestrian walkways in major shopping streets will do well to promote the city’s shopping potential.

Jump in Penang property prices

The most significant feature in Penang’s property market last year was the marked increase in prices in some established housing areas on the island, with single storey and double-storey terraced houses breaching the RM580,000 and RM800,000 respectively.
Double-digit price and rental hikes were noted throughout the state in established housing areas, the Valuation and Property Services Department says in its Property Market Report 2010.
The situation in Penang is a general reflection of the mood of the overall market in the country, with Putrajaya recording a two-fold increase in the volume from 170 units in 2009 to 337 units last year. In ringgit terms, Putrajaya sales saw a three-fold increase from RM88mil to RM375mil. It should be noted that Putrajaya is beginning from a low base, being a relatively new area.
Klang Valley prices and volume of transactions were also robust last year. The only state which experienced a soft market was Labuan, while Malacca saw very marginal growth.
Going back to the situation in Penang, as with other states, the residential sub-sector dominated market activity, capturing 70.2% of the market share, followed by commercial sub-sector with a distant 11.9% share of the market. While agricultural and industrial sub-sectors enjoyed growth, it was the residential sector that saw major movements last year.
On the island, single storey terraced houses in Green Garden recorded an increase of 16.5%, ranging from RM455,000 to RM550,000. Similar houses in Jalan Van Praagh were transacted at a higher range of RM530,000 to RM580,000. Bandar Bayan Baru saw both its single and double-storey terraces charting gains of 16.1% and 20.2% to record RM275,000 to RM340,000 and RM403,500 to RM490,000 respectively.
According to the report, its proximity to Sunshine Square shopping complex, Suntech@Penang Cybercity office blocks and being adjacent to Penang International Sports Arena gave it the extra edge.


Other locations which had notable increases were in Taman Sri Nibong, Taman Sri Mewah and Taman Sunway Banyan. Houses in Taman Sunway Banyan went as high as RM750,000. Other popular areas were Island Glades and Island Park, recording sales between RM560,000 and RM800,000 for its residential units.
In Seberang Perai on the mainland, prices of landed residential units also recorded positive movements, particularly Taman Bertam Perdana (B), Bandar Putra Bertam. It should be noted that prices in Seberang Perai Utama are also gradually moving up.
While landed units recorded a general trend of double-digit growth, high rise residential units are not to be left out. Prices of upscale condominium by the beach increased by 3.6% to as high as 22.2% in Sri Pantai/Gurney Beach Resort Condominium.
In the rental market, growth was recorded in Green Garden and Taman Lip Sin, with rental rates seeing an increase of 12.5% and 11.1% respectively. In the high rise segment, rental growth also saw an uptrend. Two-bedroom flats in MaCallum Streets and three-bedroom flats in Mutiara Heights, and George Town city centre recorded 9.4% and 9.1% increases respectively. Prices of shops were stable with isolated increases noted in choice locations. Since the inscription of George Town as a World heritage Site by Unesco in 2008, the number and value of pre-war shops’ transactions have increased. Institutional buyers have been actively buying up commercial lands in George Town.
Overall, Penang enjoyed a total of 25,986 transactions worth RM9.37bil last year, an increase of 14% in volume and 43.5% in value against 2009 (22,724 transcations worth RM6.53bil). It was one of several top performing states both in terms of value and transactions. - By Thean Lee Cheng

Perimeter wall collapses after thunderstorm

Looming danger: The perimeter wall of Ken Damansara 3 collapsed and the river retaining wall has also reclined.

A perimeter wall of the Ken Damansara 3 Condominium in SS2, Petaling Jaya collapsed onto the banks of Sungai Penchala on Saturday during an evening thunderstorm, sparking fears among residents over their safety.
A swathe of soil near the collapsed wall was exposed and the river’s retaining wall could also be seen leaning forward.
After receiving complaints, Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) checked the site with its technical officers later that evening.
Councillor Tony Cheung said the matter was monitored closely by both the council’s engineering department and the state’s Drainage and Irrigation Department that was in charge of the area.
“The cause of the collapse has yet to be ascertained as we are still waiting for the report, which will be available within these two days,” he said.
Councilor K.W. Mak said there was no danger of the building or the bridge collapsing at the moment.

He said he had demanded for a full report from the relevant parties to know what was the real cause, whether it was only soil erosion or due to other reasons.
“Technically, a development should not be located so close to a river. I will request for the planning department to show me all the plans, I am not happy with what has happened,” he said.
He said the council would hold a technical meeting today to discuss repair works and work out the costs.
An officer from the condominium management, who was present at the site yesterday, declined to comment on the matter.

Concern over sewage pipe location

Residents of Jalan Tiong in Bandar Puchong Jaya want the developer of a new condominium near their houses to move its sewage pipe elsewhere.
Last month, the residents voiced their displeasure when they saw installation works being carried out at the slope along Jalan Tiong 2.
According to a representative from the developer’s sub-contractor, the pipe will channel waste from the condominium to the oxidation pond nearby.
The residents objected to the project because they feared the sewage pipe would overflow in future and cause them problems.
Pro-tem residents association chairman Mumfit Mohd Sahlan said a meeting was held at the Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ) headquarters with the developer and Indah Water Konsortium representatives recently.


Kinrara MCA service centre chief Dr Kow Cheong Wei said he was appalled that the residents were asked to seek professional help themselves when it should be MPSJ’s responsibility to assist ratepayers.
“The other condominiums next to this new one have their sewage pipes built under the main road (Jalan Pipit). The developer for this condominium should do the same,” he said.
When met at another event, Kinrara assemblyman Teresa Kok said National Water Services Commission (Span) had informed there was no issue with the works.
“The residents cannot cite worries as the only basis to complain. Their only concern is that the existing facility in their residential area cannot cope with the waste volume from the new development.
“The entire sewage system would be sealed,” she said.
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“We were told to engage our own lawyer and engineer to prove the sewage pipe cannot be built there. Otherwise, the project will resume on May 1.
“The condominium is located on top of the slope and we would become victims should anything happen to the sewage pipe,” he said.
He said the residents had no intention of hiring the professionals as they could not afford it.

Workability of Fresh Concrete by Slump Test

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WORKABILITY
Slump test is used to determine the workability of fresh concrete. Slump test as per IS: 1199 – 1959 is followed.The apparatus used for doing slump test are Slump cone and Tamping rod.

Procedure to determine workability of fresh concrete by slump test.

i) The internal surface of the mould is thoroughly cleaned and applied with a light coat of oil.
ii) The mould is placed on a smooth, horizontal, rigid and nonabsorbent surface.
iii) The mould is then filled in four layers with freshly mixed concrete, each approximately to one-fourth of the height of the mould.
iv) Each layer is tamped 25 times by the rounded end of the tamping rod (strokes are distributed evenly over the cross section).
v) After the top layer is rodded, the concrete is struck off the level with a trowel.
vi) The mould is removed from the concrete immediately by raising it slowly in the vertical direction.
vii) The difference in level between the height of the mould and that of the highest point of the subsided concrete is measured.
viii) This difference in height in mm is the slump of the concrete.

Reporting of Results
The slump measured should be recorded in mm of subsidence of the specimen during the test. Any slump specimen, which collapses or shears off laterally gives incorrect result and if this occurs, the test should be repeated with another sample. If, in the repeat test also, the specimen shears, the slump should be measured and the fact that the specimen sheared, should be recorded.

Typical Questions

Ques 1. What is the ideal value of slump?

Answer 1 In case of a dry sample, slump will be in the range of 25-50 mm that is 1-2 inches. But in case of a wet concrete, the slump may vary from 150-175 mm or say 6-7 inches. So the value of slump is specifically mentioned along the mix design and thus it should be checked as per your location.
Slump depends on many factors like properties of concrete ingredients – aggregates etc. Also temperature has its effect on slump value. So all these parameters should be kept in mind when deciding the ideal slump

Ques 2. How does a superplasticizer effect the slump of concrete?

Answer 2 Value of Slump can be increased by the addition of chemical admixtures like mid-range or high-range water reducing agents (super-plasticizers) without changing the water/cement ratio.

Ques 3. How much time one should take to raise the cone?

Answer 3 Once the cone is filled and topped off [ excessive concrete from top is cleared ] raise the cone within 5-10 seconds.

Ques 4. What are the dimensions of the cone used in Slump Test?

Answer 3 The dimensions are
Top Diameter – 10cm
Bottom Diameter – 20cm
Height – 30cm


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