October 22, 2013
The signing ceremony which was held recently at Hotel Perdana Kota Bahru.
Property developer Ken Holdings Bhd is well known for its sustainable homes. Its green developments to date include Ken Bangsar in Bukit Bandaraya, Bangsar and the Ken Rimba township in Shah Alam.
Now, Ken Holdings is poised to venture into Kelantan. The company recently signed with Perbadanan Kemajuan Iktisad Negeri Kelantan (PKINK) to collaborate on building Kelantan’s first green development in Section 16 of the state’s capital city, Kota Baru. The project is due to be strategically located right next to Kota Bahru Mall on Jalan Hamzah.
“Our vision is to deliver sustainable quality developments in every state in Malaysia – we have made our mark in Johor Baru, Penang, Pahang, Malacca and Perak. Therefore, Kelantan is where we want to plant our next green flag,” said Ken Holdings Berhad group managing director Sam Tan at the signing ceremony.
He added, “If you look at the skyline of Kota Baru, there are very limited high-rise projects. The Kelantan government are now looking into building more apartments and condominiums to offer its people.”
“We see this as a very good opportunity. With its strategic location, great accessibility and the support of the State government as well as the locals, we believe that we will be able to bring in a whole new lifestyle for the Kelantanese,” said Tan.
The new project, which will most probably be a mixed development – comprising condominiums and hotel suites will come with green features such as rainwater harvesting, the usage of low-volatile organic compounds (VOCs) materials, lush landscaping and adjustable glass louvred windows.
Tan also pointed out that the plot of land is North-South oriented which is perfect to promote and maximise the use of natural lighting.
According to Kelantan chief minister Datuk Haji Ahmad bin Yakob, the 0.94 acre land which belongs to PKINK is currently being used as as parking lot.
He said, “We wanted to build 17 units of shop lots but after much consideration, we thought that it’s not a viable option as there a row of four-storey shop lots nearby and business is not very good for the shop owners.”
He added that the reason they chose Ken Holdings to develop the land was because they have experience in building high-rise developments and the fact that they are well-known and reputable for their green-concept projects.
Kelantan chief minister Datuk Haji Ahmad bin Yakob (eighth from left) and Sam Tan (fifth from right) believes that this green project will kick start a new lifestyle for the locals in Kelantan.
Ahmad hopes that with this development, it will uplift the state economy, and that surrounding properties or businesses will benefit from it.
Tan said that the project will commence by early 2014 and is targeted to complete within six years.