Living in JB 3 (Johore)

[vincentck]

Thank you, bro wuqi256

I have tried to search in the forum about mover. always failed. That's why have to post it here. Thank you once again.

Maybe you didn't search properly. Anyway on the link provided by bro Wuqi, CHL Movers is listed. Give them a call.

 

[BlackCaviar]

There's some insects and bugs outside my house. Planning to get some chemical to spray. Any pesticide shops to recommend around skudai/nusa bestari. TIA

 

[Valdez]

Rowsley in two deals worth up to $581m

INVESTMENT firm Rowsley, controlled by billionaire Peter Lim, is set to transform itself into a real estate player, after announcing two deals worth up to $581 million that will see it divest its current holdings if they go through.

Rowsley entered into non-binding term sheets yesterday in a reverse takeover (RTO) deal to acquire RSP Architects Planners & Engineers for up to $223 million, as well as to purchase 9.23 hectares of land in Iskandar, Johor for $358 million from Malaysia's Vantage Bay Sdn Bhd. The RTO deal will see RSP listed on Singapore Exchange through Rowsley.

Both acquisitions will be satisfied by Rowsley issuing shares to the respective vendors at 15 cents each, and are subject to due diligence and further definitive agreements.

This is a slight premium to the last traded price of 14.1 cents. The counter was halted for trading yesterday.

Said Ho Tat Kin, Rowsley's executive chairman: "The proposed transactions, when completed, will create new value for shareholders, transforming Rowsley from an investment holding company into a major real estate player in the fast emerging Iskandar region."

Speaking at a press conference with senior executives from the parties involved, Dr Ho added that the deals will raise Rowsley's profile and generate investor interest.

Rowsley has swung between losses and gains in the previous five financial years. It reported losses in the first two quarters of the current financial year.

In 2007, the company's reverse takeover deal with a China solar company failed to materialise. It was called off after months of delays stemming from the Chinese company's inability to meet certain conditions.

TThrough the RTO deal, RSP will become the second building design and engineering firm to list on Singapore Exchange (SGX). The first was Sabana Shari'ah Compliant Industrial Real Estate Investment Trust.

Dr Ho believes the RSP deal to be mutually beneficial.

The addition of RSP will allow Rowsley to get up to speed with its development plans in Malaysia, he said. Meanwhile, RSP will enjoy a strong pipeline of design and engineering projects from Rowsley.

Albert Hong, chairman of RSP and a noted businessman, said the firm will continue to be run by its current management if the deal goes through.

"There will be little change operationally," he said.

Dr Hong owns 64.5 per cent of the architecture firm. The other shareholders are Lee Kut Cheung and Lai Huen Poh with 12.5 per cent each, as well as Liu Thai Kher and Hud Abu Bakar, who own 7.5 per cent and 3 per cent respectively.

Asked why it chose to list in this manner, Mr Lai, a managing director at RSP, said it was a "synergistic development" given that Rowsley's supply of land in Iskandar would expand its long-term earnings.

Dr Hong said discussions with Mr Lim started sometime this year. RSP and Rowsley clarified that these were at a personal level and that the boards did not know of the possibility of the deal until recently.

Referring to Mr Lim as a friend of over 20 years, Dr Hong shared that he had consulted him over RSP's failed bid to list on SGX in 1995.

For the plot of land in Iskandar, Rowsley will purchase it from Vantage Bay, a joint venture 70 per cent owned by Mr Lim. The Johor royal family owns the remaining stake.

Ho Kiam Kheong, CEO of Best Blend, the special vehicle for the venture, said the price paid works out to about RM82 ($33) per square foot per plot ratio. The land has a gross floor area of at least 10 million square feet.

It will be developed as an integrated mixed-use township comprising malls, homes and offices, and sits just a few hundred metres from the new customs building in Johor.

The land being sold is part of a bigger plot owned by Vantage Bay. The remaining area will be the site of a medical hub.

This is Mr Lim's second development in Iskandar. He is also building a motorsports hub in another part of Iskandar near the Second Link with Khazanah-backed UEM Land.

Should the deals go through, Rowsley will issue two free warrants for each share for existing shareholders, at a strike price of 18 cents. These can be exercised six months from their listing on SGX, for three years after that.

Chang See Hiang, senior partner at Chang See Hiang & Partners, the legal adviser for the deal, said Rowsley can raise over $350 million if all the warrants are exercised.

He expects up to six weeks for definitive agreements to emerge after due diligence, and up to seven months after that for the deals to be finalised due to the many conditions attached to them.

Both deals will require approval from shareholders and SGX.

Mr Lim is expected to remain the biggest shareholder in Rowsley with around 40 per cent of the stake following the completion of the deals.

 

[wuqi256]

There were so many folks releasing fireworks tonight, as if in celebration of the survival of humanity.
Was tempted to participate but my old neighbour is going on an early trip tomorrow so have refrained
from doing so. Rushed back today as an appointment was cancelled and he wanted me to talk to his
son but heavy downpour, so in the end they went back earlier than expected.

Then about 9pm, fireworks started with the last ones ending about half an hour ago.

Fixed my glasses, did 2 pairs of glasses with transitions, Hoya coating, etc. One pair with high astig, etc
for total of 1100 MYR. Pretty happy with them.

 

[wuqi256]

Rowsley in two deals worth up to $581m

INVESTMENT firm Rowsley, controlled by billionaire Peter Lim, is set to transform itself into a real estate player, after announcing two deals worth up to $581 million that will see it divest its current holdings if they go through.

Rowsley entered into non-binding term sheets yesterday in a reverse takeover (RTO) deal to acquire RSP Architects Planners & Engineers for up to $223 million, as well as to purchase 9.23 hectares of land in Iskandar, Johor for $358 million from Malaysia's Vantage Bay Sdn Bhd. The RTO deal will see RSP listed on Singapore Exchange through Rowsley.

Both acquisitions will be satisfied by Rowsley issuing shares to the respective vendors at 15 cents each, and are subject to due diligence and further definitive agreements.

This is a slight premium to the last traded price of 14.1 cents. The counter was halted for trading yesterday.

Said Ho Tat Kin, Rowsley's executive chairman: "The proposed transactions, when completed, will create new value for shareholders, transforming Rowsley from an investment holding company into a major real estate player in the fast emerging Iskandar region."

Speaking at a press conference with senior executives from the parties involved, Dr Ho added that the deals will raise Rowsley's profile and generate investor interest.

Rowsley has swung between losses and gains in the previous five financial years. It reported losses in the first two quarters of the current financial year.

In 2007, the company's reverse takeover deal with a China solar company failed to materialise. It was called off after months of delays stemming from the Chinese company's inability to meet certain conditions.

TThrough the RTO deal, RSP will become the second building design and engineering firm to list on Singapore Exchange (SGX). The first was Sabana Shari'ah Compliant Industrial Real Estate Investment Trust.

Dr Ho believes the RSP deal to be mutually beneficial.

The addition of RSP will allow Rowsley to get up to speed with its development plans in Malaysia, he said. Meanwhile, RSP will enjoy a strong pipeline of design and engineering projects from Rowsley.

Albert Hong, chairman of RSP and a noted businessman, said the firm will continue to be run by its current management if the deal goes through.

"There will be little change operationally," he said.

Dr Hong owns 64.5 per cent of the architecture firm. The other shareholders are Lee Kut Cheung and Lai Huen Poh with 12.5 per cent each, as well as Liu Thai Kher and Hud Abu Bakar, who own 7.5 per cent and 3 per cent respectively.

Asked why it chose to list in this manner, Mr Lai, a managing director at RSP, said it was a "synergistic development" given that Rowsley's supply of land in Iskandar would expand its long-term earnings.

Dr Hong said discussions with Mr Lim started sometime this year. RSP and Rowsley clarified that these were at a personal level and that the boards did not know of the possibility of the deal until recently.

Referring to Mr Lim as a friend of over 20 years, Dr Hong shared that he had consulted him over RSP's failed bid to list on SGX in 1995.

For the plot of land in Iskandar, Rowsley will purchase it from Vantage Bay, a joint venture 70 per cent owned by Mr Lim. The Johor royal family owns the remaining stake.

Ho Kiam Kheong, CEO of Best Blend, the special vehicle for the venture, said the price paid works out to about RM82 ($33) per square foot per plot ratio. The land has a gross floor area of at least 10 million square feet.

It will be developed as an integrated mixed-use township comprising malls, homes and offices, and sits just a few hundred metres from the new customs building in Johor.

The land being sold is part of a bigger plot owned by Vantage Bay. The remaining area will be the site of a medical hub.

This is Mr Lim's second development in Iskandar. He is also building a motorsports hub in another part of Iskandar near the Second Link with Khazanah-backed UEM Land.

Should the deals go through, Rowsley will issue two free warrants for each share for existing shareholders, at a strike price of 18 cents. These can be exercised six months from their listing on SGX, for three years after that.

Chang See Hiang, senior partner at Chang See Hiang & Partners, the legal adviser for the deal, said Rowsley can raise over $350 million if all the warrants are exercised.

He expects up to six weeks for definitive agreements to emerge after due diligence, and up to seven months after that for the deals to be finalised due to the many conditions attached to them.

Both deals will require approval from shareholders and SGX.

Mr Lim is expected to remain the biggest shareholder in Rowsley with around 40 per cent of the stake following the completion of the deals.

Thanks for sharing all these. Its finally Iskandars time. I am really glad to see people making good on their promises. Hope they can keep up their good work and the large group of foreign investors must have spurred the big fishes to come in as well.

 

[moochi]

Merry Xmas Everybody!! Blessed holidays Seasons greetings

 

[snowbird]

Fixed my glasses, did 2 pairs of glasses with transitions, Hoya coating, etc. One pair with high astig, etc
for total of 1100 MYR. Pretty happy with them.

All for RM1100, you shd be!
Can share with us your optician?
Thanks

 

[jade apple]

There were so many folks releasing fireworks tonight, as if in celebration of the survival of humanity.
Was tempted to participate but my old neighbour is going on an early trip tomorrow so have refrained
from doing so. Rushed back today as an appointment was cancelled and he wanted me to talk to his
son but heavy downpour, so in the end they went back earlier than expected.

Then about 9pm, fireworks started with the last ones ending about half an hour ago.

Fixed my glasses, did 2 pairs of glasses with transitions, Hoya coating, etc. One pair with high astig, etc
for total of 1100 MYR. Pretty happy with them.

Hi bro Wuqi,
Thanks for your lobang . Yesterday , we went to change our car tyre at the Michelin shop in Bukit Indah, the one you recommended . they charged rm240 ( s$97), is cheaper than a shop in Singapore which charge s$121 . We saved s$ 24 per tyre . Changed 2 tyres and saved s$48 . Is really great saving . We treated ourselves to a nice movie that only cost rm 38 for 2 adults and 2 children for citi credit card holder in Aeon Bukit Indah , TGV cinema. The cinema is much spacious than Singapore one . Nice . We will go for movie more often as this is a way to get my son to go Malaysia .

 

[contra]

Everyone works hard for better quality of life, but there are things like 'luxury of space' which even many multi-millionaires in Sg can't afford to enjoy due to space constrain and sky-high prices in Sg. Personally, I'm glad that our neighbour Malaysia is creating a Iskandar Metropolis right beside Singapore. Iskandar offers everyone from Singapore, whether citizen or PR, a much higher standard of living while allowing us to continue making our bread and butter in Sg due to its close proximity(a hinterland for us).

Presently, S$3 million(RM7.5 million) can get you a newly completed terrace in AMK Ave 5(opposite an industrial estate where SeaGate is located). Yup, not a very good location and moreover, the environment right outside your own gate is far from nice. Even getting back home, or leaving home, is a problem when there is only one small lane left for cars going in both directions. And be prepared to fight for parking space with your neighbors everyday if you have 2 or 3 cars. See first 2 pics below(newly completed terraces at Seletar Green Walk).

...Luckily for most of us in Singapore, below is the kind of living quality and space which many of us can get in Iskandar, for just S$400k(RM1 million) or less presently.

hi bro investor, Thanks for the pics of contrast. Amazing......... what also adds to the feeling of space that can't be seen here are the high ceilings .... it was strange to bathe in a bathroom with high ceilings ... somehow felt extra refreshing .... nice

 

[contra]

Pekan Nanas has some choice land still available for sale. (mainly subsale though)
Nearer, there is a plot for industrial development along the Pasir Gudang Highway.
Unifi is now more widely available, even folks in some parts of Tebrau already has it.
Keck Seng (electrical store) is having some in store promotions.
Went to Hing Fuat and as usual got fobbed off. Service seems to have gone down. :(
Went to another favourite furniture shop located at the Skudai Giant (Izola) and mdm ong gave me
steep discount, a Malay gentleman who followed us into the shop to buy furniture was
amazed at the prices.

KSL holds regular car auction of recovered or accident claim cars at the open lot opposite
this Giant. Facing the main road, one of the furniture shops there have nice Bali style furniture
and pretty nice looking as well. In that same row but a separate furniture shop, they sell
foldable chairs that can be folded almost horizontally (good for old folks) are selling at a good price.

i-Save located at Giant Bukit Indah has some discounts on Asus laptops and pc.
Good adventure/hiking/kayaking/canoeing shop opened few months ago besides the China specialty shop,
they carry quite a good mix of equipment. Folks keen on equipping themself my find a lot of surpring
finds in the shop.
Pariss hotel recently cleaned up their area a bit and has put in a side road so that it is more accessible to the public
and patrons can park more easily.

The very large (and pretty nice) seafood restaurant located at Bukit Indah has also some ballroom/seminar facilities
for those who need it.

wow bro wuqi, you are on a sudden roll of info.... can we have a Nusajaya ammenities thread and post these there for easy reference? Things are changing so fast even I feel like a newbie

feel like voting you as mayor in next GE

 

[contra]

After 2 years, I finally got to stay in my house in HH.

It was a mad dash with last minute contractors & deliveries works before the Xmas weekend. Two or three minor things left to do but I realise there is no absolute full stop point.

Just taking in the space was enjoyable. I swept the floors like they were never-ending. The high ceilings are quite an experience of space.

Ceiling fans that high feel cooler as well, as heat gets to rise properly. No need to switch on the ac, but I did anyway, for an hour just for the heck of it

In my first night here, I dreamt of wide open spaces with grass and trees in my house. one of the weirdest I have had.

I did not wake up to a Sunday of chirping birds nor foggy roads as have been reported in this forum by some..., as I slept-in till 9am. Instead I woke up to the humming sounds of construction works nearby as the Hills not fully completed yet but it does not bother me. Everyone wants to get their houses fast. No complaints though as I usually wake up at 7am in Sg...

Only a handful of neighbours for now but seeing the number of contractors working on the other houses under renovation lately, I am sure the rush is on before CNY. The completing condo will not help the situation. My rush is to enjoy Christmas here. And am so looking forward to it. Tomorrow go Jusco to buy a Christmas tree for a good session of family activity & bonding.

Thank you to everyone who have contributed in this forum. I hope to have had paid it forward and will continue to do so.

Merry Christmas!

 

[kawan2sgmy]

Hello everybody, Merry Christmas!
Making my first posting here. Discovered this forum by chance. Very grateful to all folks here who have spent so much time sharing info.
Anyway thanks a million to all who are selfless in sharing, esp wuqi256 who started this forum. Yesterday went in by 1st link, visited Austin, Molek, Senibong cove, Straits View, HH...
Can't decide to get subsale at other precints at HH or book Wetlands...any advice is welcome!

 

[Skooz]

Hi guys after reading your posts decided to take the plunge but still need your help since i want to buy a new launch still at a lost to buy where since my budget is 500 to 600 k wish somebody could highlight me since i recently went to property sales in orchard hotel theres is only 1 semi d launch in tebrau area didnt know if should take it, any more ideas would be much appreciated thanks.

 

[toyohon]

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/...nd-iskandars-education-hub-less-than-stellar/

NUSAJAYA, Dec 24 – Foreign education institutions appeared to face numerous hurdles while setting up shop in Johor’s new township here, the New York Times reported yesterday.

The institutions are part of EduCity, a 242.81-hectare education hub developed by Iskandar Investment Berhad, a company jointly owned by the government’s investment arm Khazanah Nasional Berhad, the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) and Johor-owned Kumpulan Prasarana Rakyat Johor Berhad (KPRJ).

Representatives of Newcastle University Medicine Malaysia (NUMed) and Raffles University Iskandar (RUI) cited lack of bureaucratic independence, curriculum clash, and Johor’s relative unattractiveness to Singapore as some of the problems that they face.

“The one big risk is whether you can adapt your proven model in one jurisdiction to another where there are fundamental differences,” NUMed’s provost Professor Reginald Jordan told New York Times.

Jordan highlighted that changes to entrance qualifications or fees must be approved by the Ministry of Higher Education, whereas the matters would be dealt with internally back in England.

“I find that exceptionally frustrating,” he added.

He gave the example Singapore’s short-lived University of New South Wales (UNSW) campus, which closed after only a semester in 2007, as an example of failure in adapting.

His frustration was shared by Professor Malek Pourzanjani, the president of RUI, one of the many schools in a chain run by Raffles Education, a company from across the Causeway.

According to Pourzanjani, he could not appoint staff members from affiliated schools as anything more than guest lecturers if no approval from the government was obtained.

So far, ten renowned education institutions have been approached to open their branches in EduCity, including secondary schools Marlborough College Malaysia, and Raffles American School, another of Raffles Education’s project.

Marlborough is an international boarding school owned by an elite private school with the same name in the UK, which boasts alumni such as the Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton and poet Siegfried Sassoon.

The rest are tertiary institutions, including RUI; British academies NUMed, the University of Southampton and the University of Reading; Netherlands Maritime Institute of Technology; the Management Development Institute of Singapore; the Johann Cruyff Institute for Sports Studies, a sports management school initiated by the Dutch football star; and a joint-venture between Multimedia University (MMU) and the University of Southern California.

Most of the universities however, will only have one faculty or department each: NUMed will concentrate only on medicine, Southampton on engineering, and Reading on English language courses.

Jordan explained that the unusual model allowed their programmes to bet set up at a lower cost, but as a result not every campus offer equivalent degrees and transferable credits with their parent campus.

For example, because of British and EU quotas on foreign medical students, the 250 NUMed students can not transfer between other Newcastle campuses.

Despite offering itself as a cheaper alternative in obtaining education from prestigious academies, EduCity is finding it hard to attract prospective students and staff from Singapore and even Kuala Lumpur, with most students coming from the state itself.

“There’s a negative perception to Johor, and changing perceptions takes time and hard work,” Pourzanjani said, noting that despite receiving approval to enrol overseas students, the 30 students of RUI are all Malaysians.

Jordan had also been less than positive about the delays in construction, with NUMed’s sports complex and student housing areas still not completed by November, despite a promise to the contrary.

In addition to the education institutions, EduCity will also include a student village, which will house 16,000 students, and a 12,000-seat sports complex.

Only Marlborough and NUMed have begun their operations full-time, while the rest of the institutions are expected to do so by 2017.

Malaysia has offered numerous incentives to attract foreign institutions and professionals, including a 15 per cent flat income tax rate for “knowledge workers” who matches the government’s criteria.

The institutions operating in EduCity also received preferential tax treatment from the government and possible financial assistance.

According to Iskandar Regional Development Authority, the institutions could be owned by their foreign parent schools entirely, instead of requiring a Malaysian partner if they operate elsewhere in the country.

In its editorial last week, the Straits Times said that Malaysia’s southern economic corridor project in Johor, which once had naysayers doubting its success, is proof that growth in the region can be a co-operative instead of competitive initiative.

“In a win-win fashion, political will and economic imperative have combined to start making the Iskandar Malaysia project another tangible and promising demonstration of co-operation between Singapore and Malaysia,” the widely-read paper said.

Iskandar Malaysia, which covers 2,217 square km and is thrice the size of Singapore, was launched six years ago, but got its real boost two years back following Malaysia and Singapore’s peaceful resolution over a two-decades long railway land dispute.

 

[potter]

Hi guys after reading your posts decided to take the plunge but still need your help since i want to buy a new launch still at a lost to buy where since my budget is 500 to 600 k wish somebody could highlight me since i recently went to property sales in orchard hotel theres is only 1 semi d launch in tebrau area didnt know if should take it, any more ideas would be much appreciated thanks.

better to run around jb area....so tat u can feel e ground n won't regret later.

 

[FHBH12]

Dear Wuqi - Thanks for showering us with info n care. I wish u n ur family Merry Christmas n Happy New Year. Cheers.

 

[Skooz]

Merry christmas to everybody ,how to find new Launches thanks.

 

[DWKY9]

Merry Christmas n A happy New year to you all !

Now for me still waiting for the banker to give me the result on my bank loan amount. Hope it goes well if not have to wait liao...Huat Ah!

 

[kopikong99]

Hi guys after reading your posts decided to take the plunge but still need your help since i want to buy a new launch still at a lost to buy where since my budget is 500 to 600 k wish somebody could highlight me since i recently went to property sales in orchard hotel theres is only 1 semi d launch in tebrau area didnt know if should take it, any more ideas would be much appreciated thanks.

There is zone A nearer to Woodlands and zone B nearer to Tuas.

Depending on where a person stays and works in Singapore, one usually buys a unit in the zone nearer to their home or work place.

In zone B, for your budget, you may consider nusa idaman, nusa sentral, bukit indah and setia eco garden for landed property.

For condo, you may consider those at bukit indah, or medini.

You can pm me uf you need more info on some of these places.

Btw, I am not vested in any of these places but just sharing what I knows. I hope my info is still current.

 

[IskandarRocks]

Legoland Malaysia is No 1 Google searched travel destination in Malaysia and Singapore.


http://www.nst.com.my/life-times/tech/google-malaysia-s-top-google-searches-for-2012-1.187032


http://e27.sg/2012/12/19/google-zeitgeist-reveals-singapores-most-searched-topics/