As controversy rages over the suggestion for developers to lend money to prospective buyers who have difficulties getting financing to purchase properties, one question remains unasked: Will lower property prices help resolve the buyers’ financing problem?

Mah Sing Group Bhd is our top pick for the property sector that we believe is heading towards a positive inflection. We view the company as a high risk/reward Malaysia property pure play supported by a positive economic value added (EVA), low net gearing and decent yields driven by a clear sales strategy (central focus, easy entry). The stock’s current price-earnings ratio (PER) of 10 times 2017CL (32% discount to peers) further underpins our upgrade to “buy” (from underperform). Our target price is RM1.90 (was RM1.46).

The group announced overnight a rationalisation exercise which will see its construction business (held through 75%-owned MITC Engineering Sdn Bhd) injected into 51.2%-owned listed subsidiary, ML Global Bhd. The consideration sum of RM225 million will be settled via the issuance of 200.8 million ML Global shares and 135 million irredeemable convertible preference shares, both at 67 sen each.

The building that houses Universiti Malaya’s new Malaya Graduate School of Business is the product of a successful collaboration between local architecture firm Akitek Reka­bina Sdn Bhd and Rome-based BiCuadro Architects.

With the promise of delivering Malaysia’s most coveted address, Sime Darby Property’s ALYA Kuala Lumpur development is poised to set a new benchmark for luxury living.

Sauntering across his office to retrieve his blazer, Datuk Hajeedar Abdul Majid points to photographs of his grandchildren displayed atop a long cabinet and chuckles fondly.

As property developers are given the option to take on the role of moneylenders to homebuyers who cannot obtain bank loans, it remains to be seen whether they will jump on the bandwagon en masse. According to market observers, the established players with deep pockets are likely to explore this option to boost their sales compared with their smaller, highly geared counterparts.

IT is a quarter past one in the afternoon at Pertubuhan Akitek Malaysia (PAM) Centre at Jalan Tangsi when Datuk Tan Pei Ing walks in. “I have not had my lunch yet,” she says, and seems relaxed despite having several more engagements lined up during the day.

This latest move is seen as a positive step in its efforts to eradicate stores, which are loss-making and a drag to earnings.

This is LBS’ second major land acquisition for 2016 following the acquisition of 638-acre bumiputra reserved land in Dengkil in August.