The slowdown in the world economy took its toll on property activity and transactions in Malaysia this year, with major deals few and far between. Transactions of large property assets paled in comparison to those in 2015, which is described as the most vibrant year in the history of the local property sector.

Kimlun Corp Bhd’s nine-month financial period ended Sept 30, 2016 (9MFY2016) net profit of RM57.7 million broadly came in within our expectations, accounting for approximately 74% of our earnings estimate.                

In many ways, the rural settlement of Yin Ma Chaung in the Magway Region of Myanmar is beautiful and untouched. The village is surrounded by scenic grassland and mountains, and farmers can be seen harvesting rice and selling fresh produce while little children play by the roadside.

Starting up your own business seems to be the trend these days, especially among those aged 40 and below. People are doing this for many reasons including flexibility, security and ambition. At a fengshui seminar earlier this year the one question that kept popping up during the Q&A session was “Is it a good year to start a business?”

Cahya Mata Sarawak Bhd (CMS) is an excellent proxy for the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy development corridor. Aside from the Pan Borneo Highway that is expected to gain steam moving into 2017, its 50%-owned Sacofa Sdn Bhd may continue to churn decent returns and its 25%-owned OM Materials (Sarawak) Sdn Bhd (OMS) is on the right track to turn around.

To take the path less trodden is no easy feat. But with new beginnings come opportunities for progress and advancement, especially when we speak of the real estate landscape. In this issue, we look at several existing developments around the Klang Valley — with the exception of Resorts World Genting — that are, if not the first of their kind, considered some of the earliest typologies by our industry experts.

Meeting Dutch designer extraordinaire Piet Boon can be intimidating since he literally stands head and shoulders above many. But his warm smile and affable personality immediately put me at ease as I sit down with him after the October launch of Aira Residence, a luxury high-rise development by Selangor Properties Bhd in Damansara Heights, Kuala Lumpur. He is in charge of the interior design of the units in the low-density project.

Though the market offers numerous quick fixes for every problem, from indigestion to removing rust, at a certain price of course, most remedies can be found at a mere fraction of the cost of the commercial ones.

Standing prominently at the junction of Jalan P. Ramlee and Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur is the iconic Petronas Twin Tower 1 and 2, the crown jewel of Malaysia.

This year in property — 10 most talked about topics in 2016.