TSR Capital in land swap with govt

KUALA LUMPUR: Property developer and builder TSR Capital Bhd, together with Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera (LTAT) and bumiputera-owned Pembinaan Bukit Timah Sdn Bhd (PBT), will redevelop the existing 1,007-acre (407.52ha) air force base in Butterworth, Penang into an integrated mixed-use project with a potential gross development value (GDV) of more than RM10 billion.

TSR said in its announcement to Bursa Malaysia yesterday that it had received the government’s approval in principle to set up a joint-venture (JV) company to enter into negotiations with the latter to redevelop the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) base as part of a proposed land-swap deal with the federal government.

The three companies will also develop a new RM3 billion air force base for the RMAF near mainland Penang. Under the partnership, TSR Capital will have a 51% stake in the JV, while LTAT and PBT will hold the remaining 30% and 19% respectively.

“The government will be able to participate in the redevelopment of the government land through LTAT’s equity interest in the JV company,” said TSR Capital in the filing.

Under the deal, the JV will undertake to relocate the existing air force base and reconstruct it on land to be identified. “The JV company will [also] design, build and finance the development and construction of the new air force base. The government will pay the JV company for the new air force base through a land swap at current market value of government land.

“The government land includes, but is not limited to, a tract measuring 1,007 acres where the existing RMAF Butterworth is situated,” it added.

According to TSR Capital group accountant Ng Kim Keong, the location of the new air force base will be “not far from mainland Penang” and the JV company will serve as the master developer of the redevelopment of the government land.

Ng told The Edge Financial Daily yesterday that negotiations on the deal are expected to be finalised in a year. “All this is subject to approval by all parties. We need to get approvals on the cost, design and so on before we can start construction,” he said, adding that construction of the new air force base will take about four years.

On the land where the existing air force base is located, Ng said the proposed mixed-use development is estimated to have a GDV of more than RM10 billion, and that project will only start after the new air force base has been completed and the existing RMAF Butterworth base, which remains operational for now, is relocated.

On the reasons for the relocation, Ng said the existing air force base is near residential areas and the RMAF equipment as well as buildings are not up to date and need fixing.

The company added that it will provide further details after definitive and conclusive terms have been agreed upon and a formal agreement has been entered into by the parties.

TSR Capital’s share price had moved up 10 sen, or 7.62%, to RM1.43 at the close of trading yesterday.

This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on February 06, 2014.

Consortium Zenith gets nine acres in STP1

KUALA LUMPUR: Consortium Zenith BUCG Sdn Bhd has been granted some nine acres of land (3.64ha) on Seri Tanjung Pinang 1 (STP1), worth RM305 million, by the Penang government to finance the cost of the initial feasibility studies and detailed design (FSDD) works in the RM6.3 billion Penang undersea tunnel project.

Originally, the company was to get 110 acres for Seri Tanjung Pinang 2 (STP2) from the state government, plus a toll concession on the undersea tunnel, to fund the entire project. However, there has been a delay in the progress of STP2, which is to be reclaimed by developer Eastern & Oriental Bhd (E&O).

“We have spoken to E&O and they believe that the STP2 land will only be available two years from now. Thus, the state government is giving us nine acres on STP1 first,” said Consortium Zenith’s chairman Datuk Zarul Ahmad Zulkifli in a recent interview with The Edge Financial Daily.

He added that this is only a minor tweak to the original funding structure, as the company will still get about 100 acres for STP2, after the nine acres on STP1 were deducted from the amount.

According to Zarul, the nine acres on STP1 are worth about RM305 million, sufficient to finance the cost of the initial FSDD works for the mega-infrastructure project. The remaining RM6 billion is the estimated cost of construction, to build new roads and tunnels on Penang island, as well as the 6.5km undersea tunnel linking George Town and Butterworth which is the main component.

The RM305 million FSDD stage has been broken down into four phases. At each phase the consortium will inject 10% from its own money to fund the costs.

The first tranche of the FSDD will cost RM79 million, meaning Consortium Zenith will have to inject RM7.9 million from its own money. The capital injection was finalised last week, while the second tranche will be due in July and will require another round of capital injection of RM9.4 million (see chart for full timeline).

“For now we have no debts,” Zarul said when asked how Consortium Zenith will finance the capital injection. “We will only start borrowing during the construction stage.”

The bulk of the RM305 million will be spent on the detailed design (DD) portion of the work — which is about 60% or RM180 million. Some 30%, or RM91.5 million, will go toward the feasibility studies (FS) while the remaining 10%, or RM30.5 million, will be used for the detailed environmental impact assessment (DEIA).

The FS is currently underway and Consortium Zenith expects to complete it in April. This is two months ahead of the expected completion in June.

“Once we have completed the FS we will present it to the state government that will have to endorse it. Only then do we call in the design team. The DD takes a long time and could easily take a year,” said Zarul.

Consortium Zenith will then submit the DEIA which could take nine months to a year for approval.

At best, the consortium hopes to be able to begin construction on the major roads on the Penang Island at end-2015 or early-2016, said Zarul.

The first to be constructed will be a 12km dual carriageway from Tanjong Bungah to Teluk Bahang, followed by a 5km road and tunnel from Lebuhraya Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu to Ayer Itam, then a 4.2km road and tunnel from Lebuhraya Tun Dr. Lim Chong Eu to Persiaran Gurney Highway. The final phase will be the 7.2km George Town-Butterworth link of which 6.5km will be the undersea tunnel.

“For the RM305 million FSDD works, the state government has identified two parcels of land in STP1 for us,” Zarul said.

“We are getting developers to come in and forward purchase [the STP1 land for us]. So what we are effectively doing is getting the developers to fund us (in the FSDD phase),” he added.

On Dec 24, Consortium Zenith entered into a joint venture (JV) agreement with Ewein Bhd’s wholly-owned unit Ewein Land Sdn Bhd to develop the first 3.73-acre parcel of land on STP1.

“It is a 60:40 JV, so we will have to come out with 40% of the cash. For the first parcel, that is RM53.2 million on our part,” said Zarul. This is based on the estimated value of the land at RM133 million.

The JV has proposed to undertake a mixed development on the seafront lot in Tanjong Tokong. The development will include high-end residential products, according to Zarul.

“The gross development value will range between RM700 million to RM1 billion for the 3.73-acre plot of land,” Zarul said. 

“We are providing a lot of comforts — dedicated lifts, accidents and emergency facilities, sky bar and limousine service among other things. We want to give five-star hotel service to the residents. In fact we are talking to a hotel operator to manage the project for us later on.”

Consortium Zenith has yet to select a developer for the second 5.7 acre parcel on STP1, although it has already received proposals from a few developers.

The construction of the major roads and tunnels on Penang island, and part of the undersea tunnel is to be funded by the 100-odd acres Consortium Zenith is to receive on STP2. The undersea tunnel is also expected to be majority finance by the issuance of bonds backed by future toll revenue.

“We have already arranged to set up a Penang Real Estate Fund. This will be the anchor in which we have a host of local and international developers who will contribute funds for the development of the 100 acres,” said Zarul.

According to him, instead of awarding smaller parcels to individual developers, the participating developers will collectively oversee its development.

“The fund will be managed by a local bank, which will disburse the money according to schedule,” said Zarul. Consortium Zenith plans to launch the fund at the end of the year.

This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on February 07, 2014.

Ideal Property Group to launch two projects by mid-2014

PENANG: Penang-based Ideal Property Group plans to launch two developments by mid-2014. The first is Solaria, a mixed-use project in the group’s RM1.2 billion One Residence development in Bayan Lepas and the second is the RM475 million Imperial Residences in Sungai Ara.

One Residence sits on 100 freehold acres (40.5ha) and began construction in 2009. Solaria will be its latest launch. Previously launched were Sathu Terrace and Dua Villas, both residential projects.

The group said One Residence will be the first “green community” incorporating both the slow city life and the Lifestyle of Health and Sustainability (Lohas) concept.

The second project to be launched will be Imperial Residences, which is within the group’s residential project called Imperial Park.

“At the moment, the Imperial Park project is the first of its kind, introducing a resort and theme park-style condominium,” said the group.

In the pipeline is a luxury condominium with a sea-themed concept, with which the company plans to transform the current landscape of Queensbay coastal area.

“The Queensbay coastal area development is still in the planning stage so the launching period has yet to be confirmed,” the group told The Edge Financial Daily.

Ooi: The Imperial Park project is the first of its kind, introducing a resort and theme park-style condominium.

The group recently acquired major stakes in United Bintang Bhd, through which it plans to diversify the core business of import and export of used and reconditioned heavy equipment and machinery used in property development.

“Ideal Property Group foresees benefits and will offer high quality, premium projects to its customers through United Bintang Bhd,” said the group.

“This initiative will not only help consolidate and strengthen the group’s current finances under the management of Datuk Alex Ooi, but also enhances considerably healthy growth in the next few years, turning Ideal Property Group into one of the top property developers in Penang.”

Apart from developing residential projects, the group plans to venture into the hotel and tourism industry in the near future, with the construction of new tourist attractions in Penang.

“This move is not only to support the economic development of Penang but also to contribute the group’s expertise to its homeland while uplifting the image of Penang to the world,” it said.

This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on February 07, 2014.

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