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.

There is a big elephant in the room and it is Malaysia’s household debt — among the highest in Asia. And this could get worse if property developers start offering housing loans to homebuyers who have difficulty obtaining a mortgage from banks.

Sales may have fallen short in 1QFY17 on the lack of new launches.

Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Minister Tan Sri Noh Omar seems to have created a shock wave by announcing the idea of having property developers apply for moneylending licences so that they can lend to homebuyers who fail to get mortgages from banks.

Since its opening in September 2012, Legoland Malaysia has been drawing thousands of visitors daily. Situated in Medini Iskandar, the 76-acre development — also the country’s first international theme park — is constantly hosting events and lively activities. Its mastermind, Medini Iskandar Malaysia Sdn Bhd (MIM), plans to emulate the success of Legoland Malaysia and its other past launches — Mall of Medini and Gleneagles Medini — by introducing commercial office towers in the Medini Iskandar township.

Construction companies saw strong new infrastructure contract procurement in the first eight months of 2016.