KPKT's Panel of Experts – who are they?

• Besides an additional three members, this new POE comprises some from the previous administration and some new faces – all from diverse backgrounds in fields such as housing, finance, economics, civil service and construction.

KUALA LUMPUR (March 27): Last week, the Local Government Development Ministry (KPKT) revealed its appointment of 28 individuals in a Panel of Experts (POE) to advise on programmes and policies under the purview of the ministry such as housing, local government, urban sustainability, and solid waste management.

This is the second POE team under KPKT, where the first POE of 25 members was initiated last year by the previous KPKT minister Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican. 

Besides an additional three members, this new POE comprises some from the previous administration and some new faces – all from diverse backgrounds in fields such as housing, finance, economics, civil service and construction. It also involves the participation of professionals from institutions such as the Khazanah Research Institute, House Buyers Association (HBA), Real Estate & Housing Developers' Association (Rehda) Malaysia, Bar Council, Malaysian Institute of Architects, Bursa Malaysia Bhd, Association of Banks Malaysia, and university professors, among others.

The POE is chaired by Minister Nga Kor Ming while the alternate chairman is Tan Sri Mohd Khairul Adib Abd Rahman, former Chief Secretary of Public Service (KPPA) and Chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM).

Below is the list of the members and their backgrounds.

1 Tan Sri Mohd Khairul Adib Abd Rahman – Chairman, MMAG Holdings Bhd

Retired from public service in January 2022, his last position was the Chief Secretary of Public Service (KPPA). Throughout his 34-year career in the public service, he has served in various ministries and overseas, including as Secretary General of the Ministry of Transport. He has extensive experience in overseeing transportation infrastructure, trade issues and mobility. He has also served with the Ministry of Education, focusing on international cooperation, including with UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) and ISESCO (Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization). Throughout his career, he has received many awards and medals, including from the Emperor of Japan.

2 Tan Sri Abdul Wahid Omar – Chairman, Bursa Malaysia

He served as Chairman of Permodalan Nasional Bhd (PNB) from 2016 to 2018 and held the position of Senator and Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Economic Planning Unit) for three years starting in June 2013.

3 Tan Sri Ahmad Zaki Ansore Mohd Yusof – Independent and non-executive director, Datasonic Group Bhd

He previously served as director-general at the Implementation Coordination Unit (ICU) of the Prime Minister's Department until the end of 2018 and has held several key positions in the public service throughout his career. He is also a former member of the Board of Directors of the Institute of Strategic and International Studies.

4 Datuk Chang Kim Loong – Honorary secretary-general, National House Buyers Association

He actively provides views and advice on issues related to housing legislation and collaborates with policy makers (government) especially in the aspect of homeownership. He previously served with the Selangor State Government under the Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ) as a Town Councillor for the professional/NGO quota for eight terms. He is also a columnist for several newspapers and online portals. He now has a YouTube channel under HBA and has produced episodes related to strata, community life, and housing laws.

5 Dr Suraya Ismail – Director of research, Khazanah Research Institute (KRI)

She has conducted various public policy research studies on housing, urbanisation, cost of living, and regional development. Among others, she was the principal investigator for the National Housing Policy (DRN 2.0) study and is an advisory board member of the Saw Swee Hock Southeast Asia Centre at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), UK. She is also a member of various national councils, including the National Cost of Living Action Council and the National Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) Digital Economy Council.

6 Kalpana Sambasivamurthy – Executive director, Association of Banks in Malaysia (ABM)

She is a trained lawyer who has served in the legal practice for a decade before moving to the corporate arena 13 years ago. She has extensive experience in negotiation, particularly in complex mergers and acquisitions transactions, debt and equity capital market transactions, banking matters, and providing legal advice for corporate sector transactions.

7 Chen Yin Heng – Chief executive officer (CEO), Prokhas Sdn Bhd

He has more than 30 years of experience in credit and recovery. He also holds positions as principal officer of DanaInfra Nasional Bhd, Syarikat Jaminan Pembiayaan Perniagaan Bhd, and Syarikat Jaminan Kredit Perumahan Bhd, as well as director of Pengurusan Danaharta Nasional Bhd and Lembaga Pembiayaan Perumahan Sektor Awam (LPPSA).

8 Prof Sr Ts Dr Abdul Hadi Nawawi – Faculty of Architecture, Planning and Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM)

He is an expert in the field of corporate real estate, modelling techniques in valuation, land economics, corporate property valuation, development management, and modelling in the real estate industry. He is also a professional member of the Royal Institution of Surveyors Malaysia, the Malaysian Board of Technologists, and the Asia Pacific Real Estate Association.

9 Sufian Abdullah – CEO, UEM Sunrise Bhd

He has 20 years of experience in property development and the real estate industry, and has led innovation in several organisations. He has experience in architecture and urban design. He was the CEO at KWEST Sdn Bhd (KWEST), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Retirement Fund (Incorporated) (KWAP) established as KWAP's main investment platform for property projects. He held positions at Sime Darby Property Bhd as vice president, Product Development & Land Planning from 2013 to 2014, head of innovation from 2008 to 2013, and head of business development from 2003 to 2007.

10 Hamdan Abdul Majeed – CEO, Think City

As a regional urban planning consultant, Think City provides policy thinking, management, and implementation of sustainable urban design solutions that support urban planning and development changes. His work has been recognised when George Town, Penang was listed among the top 10 places to visit in the world. He is actively involved in policy and urban planning in Malaysia, including the Penang 2030 initiative. He is a former investment director at Khazanah where he headed the Northern Regional Office in Malaysia.

11 Datuk NK Tong – President, Rehda Malaysia

He is the co-founder and CEO of Bukit Kiara Properties (BKP), a property developer that has been specialising in innovative lifestyle properties in KL since 2000. He is also active in organisational governance roles, including serving as director at the International Young Presidents' Organization (YPO) from 2013 to 2016. In 2018, he was appointed as director on the Board of Standard Chartered Bank Malaysia Bhd and Chairman of the Risk Committee. He is also a member of the board of directors of the Construction Industry Development Board and actively provides feedback to the federal and state governments on the construction industry.

12 Assoc Prof (Ind) Ar Sarly Adre Sarkum – Helms Seni Bina Sarly Adre Sarkum Sdn Bhd

He is described as a highly motivated and knowledgeable leader in the field of development and construction processes. He has extensive experience in commercial and residential development, covering a diverse range of building typologies such as marinas, prisons, airports, institutional buildings, and space centres. He has also led the office of BDA Architects Sdn Bhd with clients including corporate entities and institutions such as Petronas, UDA Holdings, Malaysian Resources Corporation Bhd (MRCB) and PKNS (State Development Corporation of Selangor).

13 Ratna Sha’erah Kamaludin – CEO, Association of Islamic Banking and Financial Institutions Malaysia (AIBIM)

She plays a critical role in AIBIM's strategic planning and communication, as well as the management of the association's operations. Together with the AIBIM team, she has led and aligned AIBIM with the mandate and strategic direction of the Islamic finance industry landscape. With over 20 years of experience in business process re-engineering, risk management and banking channels and operations, she now sits on the Board for the Financial Services Ombudsman (OFS) and has served with various banking and asset management companies since 1996, including Mayban Finance Bhd, Danaharta National Bhd, CIMB Investment Bank Bhd, and Bank Islam Malaysia Bhd.

14 Datuk Ir. Fong Tian Yong – member, Specialist Practice Committee and Permanent Investigating Committee, Board of Engineers Malaysia (BEM)

He served as an executive engineer in the Public Works Department and various ministries for 19 years. He also served in the Ministry of Local Government and Housing for 17 years as deputy director-general of the Local Government Department and was involved in the formulation of development control policies.

15 Oliver Wee Hiang Chyn – President, Master Builders Association Malaysia (MBAM) and Director of Business Development, at Tim Sekata Sdn Bhd

He is also a member of the Board of Construction Labor Exchange Centre Bhd (CLAB). He currently holds the position of vice chairman of the International Federation of Asian & Western Pacific Contractors Association (IFAWPCA), a committee member of IFAWPCA Contract Terms, and is an IFAWPCA Ambassador to the International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC). He is also the chairman of the ASEAN Constructors Federation (ACF). He served as chairman of the Contract and Practice Committee of MBAM from 2012 to June 2022.

16 Ir. Chen Thiam Leong – consulting engineer

He has over 40 years of experience in the building services industry (both local and overseas) and has received awards for introducing innovative new design concepts. He is also an expert in Energy Efficiency, Sustainability, HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning), Fire Safety, and Life Safety, with extensive experience in the Asia Pacific region. He is frequently invited to give presentations at global events and was awarded the first ASHRAE Distinguished Lecturer from Malaysia from 2004-2020.

17 Datuk Roger Tan Kor Mee – Managing partner, Roger Tan & Partners

Tan was elected to serve on the Malaysian Bar Council from 2004 to 2009 and from 2018 to 2023. He also served as a member of the Advocates and Solicitors Disciplinary Board for two terms. In the 2000s, he provided pro bono assistance to the Ministry of Housing and Local Government in overhauling housing development laws as well as laws related to solid waste management and public cleaning. He currently serves as a member of the Malaysian Aviation Commission. He also previously held positions as a member of the National Water Services Commission from June 2009 to May 2017 and a board member of the Solid Waste Management and Public Cleansing Corporation. From July 2015 to June 2022, Tan also served as the president of the Strata Management Tribunal.

18 Ir. Sundraraj A Krishnasamy – Director, Zaidun Leeng Sdn Bhd

He is the President of the Association of Consulting Engineers Malaysia (ACEM), a member of the board of directors of the Board of Engineers Malaysia, and a member of the IEM Council. With over 30 years of experience in design, construction, and project management in civil engineering, he has been involved in the design and construction of bridges and viaducts since 1989 and has been responsible for the design of bridge and civil structures. His contributions include overseeing the construction of various types of main bridges for SPRINT, buildings, piling, and retaining walls. He has experience as an independent checking engineer for major bridge and civil structure design projects such as the Guthrie Corridor Expressway and KL International Viaduct, Spurline Guide Way, Airports, and Tropicana City composite steel bridge.

19 Datuk Seri Wong Chun Wai – Adjunct professor, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia

Wong is an award-winning journalist with over 35 years of experience in the field. He is currently an advisor at The Star Media Group and was previously the group CEO/director and group editor-in-chief. He was also the first Malaysian elected to the World Editors Forum based in Paris and the chairman of the Asian News Network based in Bangkok. He continues to write extensively and appears on various social media platforms and international conferences. He also holds director positions in various companies and think tanks.

20 Ar. Dr Tan Loke Mun – Chairman, DrTanLM Architect and director, ArchiCentre Sdn Bhd

He was once President of the Malaysian Institute of Architects (PAM) from 2005 to 2007, Chairman of LAM-PAM Green Building, a member of the Malaysian Board of Architects and the Board of Engineers Malaysia. With a career spanning over 30 years, his works have been widely published and have received numerous awards in the region. He is a recipient of the Kington Loo Gold Medal. He has worked in Australia, Uruguay, and Argentina. He has also successfully interpreted and translated regional tropical metaphors into architecture and master planning. One of his greatest ideological achievements is the S11 House, Malaysia’s first GBI Platinum (CVA)-rated house, which has won multiple awards. 

21 Datuk Wong Seng Tong – Deputy chairman, GD Holdings Group

Over the course of 26 years, Wong has served as chief financial officer, corporate financial controller, and chief strategic & corporate planner. He is also a co-founder and managing director of The Origin Foods Group, a leading health supplement producer experienced in OEM contract manufacturing and biotechnology research and development, exporting products to 23 countries. He is a professionally qualified management accountant, a chartered accountant of the Malaysian Institute of Accountants (MIA), and a chartered global management accountant (CGMA) of the UK.

22 Datuk Dr Soh Chai Hock @ Soh Hai San – National chairman, Malaysian Fire Prevention Council

He was formerly the director general of the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department and a member of the Post Cabinet Committee for KPKT. Soh received professional training in the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Top Level Command and Control Program in the United States in the area of Crisis Management – Anti-Terrorism at the State Department's Diplomatic Security Bureau, Louisiana State University, US.

23 Datuk Yong Chai Seng – Founder, managing director, Asiabina Group of Companies

He has successfully built and delivered over 16,000 units of mixed development projects throughout Malaysia, including 4,500 units of Phase I of the PR1MA House Project and several township developments. Among his successes are the delivery and operation of three 10MW Large Scale Solar (LSS)2 and 140 MW of LSS4 projects that will be commissioned in 2023. He is also the owner of the Armenian St Heritage Hotel in Penang, SENSE Taiping Hotel, and Damai Parit Buntar Hotel. He is also a developer of durian and oil palm plantations spanning over 2,500 acres across Malaysia.

24 Datuk Andrew Chiu Wah Wai – Executive chairman, Land Pacific Development Sdn Bhd

Chiu comes from a successful entrepreneurial family. His father, Tan Sri David Chiu, and his uncle, Deacon Chiu, are chairman and founder of Far East Consortium International Ltd, a conglomerate established in 1950. The company's main activities are in property development and investment, hotel operations and management (Dorsett Hotels worldwide), car park operations, and property services. Over the past decade, he has founded and managed many companies in Malaysia and Hong Kong. Currently based in Malaysia, he focuses his career on community-based property development.

25 Datuk Joseph Lau – CEO and managing director of Perdana ParkCity Sdn Bhd

Perdana ParkCity Sdn Bhd is the original developer and owner of the master-planned community of Desa ParkCity in KL, which has won various local and international awards. Since taking the helm as CEO, he has successfully overseen the launch of over RM6 billion gross development value of projects within the ParkCity Group master-plan communities in Malaysia and Vietnam. In addition to his experience in property development, he has 25 years’ experience in consumer product, marketing and commercial centre development and retail, including as the managing director of IKEA Malaysia.

26 Datuk Seri Sundarajoo Somu – Deputy president & deputy CEO, EcoWorld Development Group Bhd

He oversees the business operations of EcoWorld in three main economic regions, namely Penang, the Klang Valley and Johor Bahru. He was the chief operating officer of S P Setia Group from 1990 to 2012. His role in EcoWorld includes advising and guiding the executive management team in implementing major plans and procedures in line with established policies.

27 Dr Mohamed Rafick Khan Abd Rahman – Chairman, VICTIMS Malaysia

A medical practitioner by training, Dr Mohamed Rafick Khan worked in the armed forces for 11 years and subsequently in the insurance and takaful industry from 1999 to 2019. VICTIMS Malaysia is an NGO responsible for addressing the issue of abandoned houses in Malaysia. He led the Buyer's Committee in the effort to complete 2,000 units of abandoned projects (strata and terrace houses in Ukay Bistari Ampang) without any additional funding from the government or buyers.

28 Datuk Ng Seing Liong – Executive director, S.L. Ng & Associates

He was president of Rehda Malaysia from 2006 to 2010. He was also deputy president of Rehda Malaysia from 2002 to 2006 and the national treasurer of Rehda Malaysia from 1998 to 2002. He was the Chairman of the Selangor branch of Rehda from 1998 to 2002, and a member of the Rehda committee and held various other positions within Rehda from 1977 to 2002.