Subang Jaya

Overview

Subang Jaya, or Subang is a suburban city within Klang Valley in the state of Selangor. Packed with amenities, the mature neighbourhood is about 20 kilometres west from Kuala Lumpur city centre.

Subang Jaya is the fifth most populous city in Malaysia and consists of various sections and districts such as SS12 to SS19, Sunway, UEP Subang Jaya (USJ), Putra Heights and Batu Tiga. Other mature areas such as Petaling Jaya, Shah Alam and Puchong serve as neighbours. It is governed by the Subang Jaya Municipality Council (MPSJ).

The area was formerly a rubber plantation called Seafield Estate and was developed by Sime UEP Properties (now known as Sime Darby Property Bhd) in the 1970s. Subsequently, Sime UEP proceeded to develop USJ, Putra Heights and the surrounding areas.

It is easily accessible via several major highways such as the Federal Highway, Lebuhraya Damansara-Puchong, New Pantai Expressway (NPE) and Lebuhraya Shah Alam.

 

Self-sustaining township

Subang Jaya always appears on the radar of those looking for a home or a property to invest in, primarily due to its self-sustaining components, which are constantly refreshed with new elements such as new purpose-built offices, hipster hangouts and shopping malls that regularly have something new for visitors.

Existing condominiums in Subang Jaya are fairly recent developments, with many built in the 2000s. Homebuyers in Subang Jaya are mostly owner-occupiers. There are more landed homes in Subang Jaya, the buyers are mostly those with families. For high-rises in the areas of SS14, SS15, SS16, SS17, USJ 1, The 19 USJ City Mall and Main Place at USJ 21, the owners are mainly investors and the residents are mostly working adults, students, young entrepreneurs and bachelors. The tenancy rate in these said areas is significantly higher than in other parts of Subang Jaya.

Developed in the late-1980s as an extension of the Subang Jaya township, UEP Subang Jaya, better known as USJ, is today an affluent neighbourhood comprising USJ 1 to USJ 27, USJ 3A to 3D, Subang Heights and USJ Heights.

Like earlier developments in Subang Jaya, USJ offers a wide range of amenities. The main commercial hubs in USJ are Taipan at USJ 10 and Subang Business Centre. For shopping and leisure, USJ has shopping malls such as Summit Shopping Centre, The 19 USJ City Mall and Main Place at USJ 21.

Additionally, the Kelana Jaya LRT line extension in 2016 with several stations located within Subang Jaya has led to a rise in property values in the surrounding areas.

 

Amenities and Facilities

In 2016, 12 stations were added to the Kelana Jaya LRT Line ending at Putra Heights, which is an integrated station with the extended Ampang Line. Of these stations, seven of them are within Subang Jaya including SS15, SS18, USJ7 and more. These stations eventually terminate at Putra Heights which is an interchange station to Ampang and Sri Petaling LRT lines. Meanwhile, the Subang Jaya LRT station also serves as an interchage station to the Subang Jaya KTM Komuter station along the Tanjung Malim-Pelabuhan Klang line.

The introduction of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Sunway Line that connects Sunway and Subang, provides alternative transportation options especially those staying in the Bandar Sunway area. Passengers can interchange to rail transit at Sunway-Setia Jaya and USJ 7 terminals along this line. The former terminus is direct interchage to the KTM Komuter - Setia Jaya station along the Tanjung Malim-Pelabuhan Klang line.

One of the more notable landmarks in Subang Jaya is the iconic Subang Parade, the first shopping mall constructed in area (opened in 1988). Located just across is Empire Shopping Gallery, where patrons from as far as Bangsar and Ampang often stop by for a quick cup of coffee or shopping. The neighbourhood also offers a wide selection of hypermarkets and dining amenities. In neighbouring Bandar Sunway lies a major shopping destination: Sunway Pyramid.

Medical facilities include Subang Jaya Medical Centre (SJMC) at SS12, Sunway Medical Centre and numerous clinics around the neighbourhood. Located near SJMC at SS12 is the green lung, Subang Ria Recreational Park - a popular jogging park equipped with lakes.

The main commercial district in SS15 serves the area well and is a popular spot with boutiques, trendy cafes, contemporary restaurants, and hawker stalls. The popular ‘bubble tea street’ or Jalan SS 15/4 lies in the heart of the commercial district.

Previously, Asia Café in SS15 was an iconic food haven in Subang Jaya. The 2.05-acre food court offered over 100 food stalls and was a favourite haunt for students, young working adults and foodies in general before it ceased operations at end-2017 to give way to the Grand Subang Jaya development by Mediaraya Sdn Bhd, the landowner and boutique developer.

The site will be redeveloped as a small office/home office (SoHo) project which caters to young working adults and students. It will offer 483 SoHos, with a standard built-up area of 563 sq ft housed in two 21- and 14-storey towers, and 770 parking bays.

Earning the nickname ‘University Town’, there are numerous schools in Subang Jaya such as SMK Subang Utama, SK Subang Jaya, SJKC Lick Hung and international schools which include Sri Kuala Lumpur and Fairview International School. There are also many colleges and private universities such as Inti International University & College Subang, The One Academy, Segi College, Taylor’s University, Sunway University and Monash University Malaysia.

Additionally, there are plenty of high-rise office buildings and serviced apartments in the area too. There are also several high end hotels (Grand Dorsett, Holiday Villa) and budget hotels to cater to the travelling business community as the Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport (the hub for Firefly, Berjaya Air and Malindo) is 10 minutes away.

Another attraction is the Subang Ria Park, which is located at the entrance to Subang and along the Federal Highway, a mature public recreational park. It has a jogging track, a pond for recreational fishing, restaurant and paintball park (TT Sports Park).

The once derelict Kompleks Kemudahan Kemasyarakatan MPSJ (3K Complex) has been taken back by the MPSJ for management and was reopened on March 2016. Now upgraded with more facilities such as swimming pool, gymnasium, squash, sepak takraw and badminton courts and a multi-purpose hall.

There are also places of worship in Subang, such as Masjid Darul Ehsan, Church of St Thomas Moore, Sri Varatharajah Perumal Temple, Kingdom Life Church, Church of Jesus Christ Latter-day Saints and Subang Jaya Buddhist Association Centre.

Renewed interest in Subang Jaya's Jalan SS18/1B (The Edge, 16 May 2022)

On a bright Sunday afternoon, a small crowd is queuing outside some of the newer establishments at the commercial lots in Jalan SS18/1B Subang Jaya. The once-quiet, old area has been rejunevated with trendy tenants. 

The newer additions include Australian inspired The Foxhole Bakery Cafe, which is decked out in blue wooden trimmings and metal decor and offers an extensive brunch menu. A few doors away, health-conscious patrons are seen visiting La Juiceria Superfoods while others are seen taking pictures and enjoying the wide selection of ice-cream at trendy artisanal gelato place Piccoli Lotti. 

Commenting on the resurgence of the area, LaurelCap Sdn Bhd director Stanley Toh says: "The row of 2-storey shoplots fronting the New Pantai Expressway (NPE) has seen a fair share of transformation in terms of tenants. 

"For many years, it was a mixture of businesses ranging from laundry services to a car mechanic shop. Lately, however, the trend has been moving towards restaurants devoted to healthy eating, cafes and a couple of Chinese restaurants."

Other notable tenants there include Chinese restaurants Restoran Xfrens, Restoran Kar Hiong, Restoran Bintang Kemuning (Subang Jaya), curated thrift clothing shop OXGO Store and veterinarian Rain Animal Care.  

In terms of recent transactions, prices in Jalan SS18/1B area appear bullish. "The prices of the shoplots have risen over the years. The latest transaction was at 29 Jalan SS18/1B, which measures some 1,430 sq ft in land area. It was sold for RM2.23 million on March 9, 2016. Prior to that, 11 Jalan SS18/1B was transacted at RM1.8 Million on Aug 28, 2014. That's a jump of almost 20% in two years," says Toh. 

In 2011, 15 Jalan SS18/1B, which has a land area of 1,429.5 sq ft, was transacted at RM1.8 million. Comparing the latest transactions with older ones, the prices of the units are clearly trending upwards. 

According to Toh, the current average rental psf and yields for commercial units in the neighbourhood are steady. "The ground floor is RM3.80 psf to RM4.20 psf per month; and the first floor is RM1.80 psf to RM2.20 psf per month." 

Meanwhile, the current average price for the commercial units there is RM900 psf to RM920 psf, says Toh. 

Despite the recent spike in activity, the area is not without its challenges. "Parking can be difficult there and the visibility of shops is hampered by the NPE flyover," says Toh. 

He is optimistic about the outlook for Jalan SS18/1B. "The future appears bright there, judging by the transaction prices over the years, coupled with the fact that there is limited number of shops and the row of shops is practically fully tenanted. The value will continue to rise."