Taman Sri Rampai, Setapak Insights

Taman Sri Rampai, also known as Rampai Town Centre, is a mature neighbourhood in Setapak adjoining Wangsa Maju and comprises a mix of residential and commercial developments. Neighbouring areas include Jalan Air Panas, Taman Melawati, Taman Melati, Taman P Ramlee, Setapak Jaya and Setiawangsa.

The area is about a 15-minute drive to downtown Kuala Lumpur and is easily accessible via Jalan Genting Kelang, Jalan Setiawangsa, Middle Ring Road 2 and Duta-Ulu Kelang Expressway. It will also be linked to the upcoming Setiawangsa-Pantai Expressway (DUKE3).
Transport hubs within a 2km radius include the Sri Rampai and Wangsa Maju LRT stations, which are part of the Kelana Jaya line. Nearby amenities include Wisma Rampai, AEON BiG, AEON Alpha Angle, Wangsa Walk Mall, Setapak Central Mall, Sri Utama International School, Columbia Asia Hospital and Royal Selangor Visitor Centre.

One of the main streets in Taman Sri Rampai is Jalan 45/26, which is lined mainly by three-storey shopoffices. Businesses on the ground and second floors include motor repair, hardware, electrical appliances, number forecast dealers, beauty salons, laundry shops, motor workshops and coffeeshops.

According to Henry Butcher (M) Sdn Bhd chief operating officer Tang Chee Meng, leasehold shopoffices in the area, with a built-up of 4,028 sq ft, were sold at RM1.3 million, or RM323 psf in the latest transactions. Meanwhile, the freehold shopoffices, with built-ups of 3,556 to 3,573 sq ft, were sold at RM1.4 million to RM1.5 million, or RM392 to RM421 psf. "Owing to the lack of rental data, it is hard to work out the yields for these shopoffices," he says.

Residential properties in Taman Sri Rampai, with built-ups of 604 to 2,101 sq ft, were transacted at RM188,000 to RM880,000, or RM259 to RM488 psf, in 2019. "Nearby residential properties such as Desiran Bayu, Rampai Court, Dahlia Apartment, Jasmin Apartment and Residensi Rampai have built-ups of 592 to 3,329 sq ft and were transacted at RM270,000 to RM1.61 million in the same period. Rental rates range from RM1 to RM2 psf per month, translating to yields of 3.6% to 5% a year," Tang adds.

Although parking in Jalan 45/26 is limited during peak hours, it remains an attractive place for locals, with popular eateries that offer reasonably priced food. These include Restoran Ooi Soon, which has a wide variety of food stalls serving curry mee, fish noodle soup, and prawn mee as well as economy rice, commonly known as chap fan, where customers can choose from a wide variety of dishes to go with white rice.

Restoran Ayam Bing, one shop away from Restoran Ooi Soon, is my favourite lunch spot. The restaurant is known for its char siew and siew yoke (barbecued pork and roast pork belly), and roasted and steamed chicken rice. I usually opt for the roasted chicken rice - the tender and juicy chicken goes well with the fragrant rice, complemented by garlic, chilli and ginger dipping sauce.

Other notable businesses along the road include Restoran Thiam Hua, Restoran Titi Yong Tow Foo, Restoran WDC Mixed Rice, Guardian, Health Lane Family Pharmacy, Soon Hing Workshop, Foto Yohan and a Magnum outlet. Tang observes that Taman Sri Rampai is a mature area serving the immediate neighbourhoods and shopoffices there continue to be in demand. However, rents were slightly affected when Rampai Business Park was completed. "In the case of Wisma Rampai, demand is not expected to improve until it is redeveloped and repositioned to attract tenants or buyers. The impediment is that it was sold on a strata-titled basis," he says.

This article, by Chung Ying Yi, first appeared in City and Country, The Edge Malaysia Weekly, on July 13-19, 2020.