FEATURED PROPERTY SHOWCASE | The Hap Seng Chronicle
Indah Regency, Bandar Sri Indah, Tawau
THE BIRTH OF A VISION
Palm Heights, Lahad Datu
Astana Heights, Sandakan
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Like many of the Chinese migrants who
sailed the South China Sea in search of a
better life, the late Tan Sri Lau Gek Poh
arrived in what was then known as British
North Borneo in 1936. He was just 19
years old, a small town boy from Swatow,
Guangzhou, out to seek his fortunes in
a new land. His first foray into business
began with the opening of a sundry
shop called Hap Seng in Tawau. Later he
ventured into the lucrative timber industry
before diversifying into various other
business interests.
The origins of Hap Seng Properties
began in the suburbs of Tawau where
land was plenty but housing scarce.
It was the birth of a vision that would
eventually place Hap Seng Properties
amongst the contemporary giants of
property developers in the country. Its
rise from a trusted household name
in Sabah to spreading its wings to
Peninsular Malaysia has been an epic
venture that has carved a lasting legacy
for generations of house owners and
businesses throughout Malaysia.
THE EARLY YEARS
The company held firmly on the belief
that the people who work together,
stays together. The guiding principle on
working hard as a team to achieve success
was already well established within the
company and efforts were made to ensure
that the needs of its employees were well
taken care of.
The first property developed by Hap Seng
Properties was Taman Gek Poh in Tawau in
the 1970s as residence for the company’s
management staff. It was also the first
gated and guarded landed residential
project in Sabah. The beginnings of Hap
Seng Properties’ venture into affordable
housing also took root in Tawau where
Taman Air Panas was later developed
to provide inexpensive housing for the
company’s general staff.
The quality and affordability of these
housing projects had set a precedent
among the residents of Tawau and Taman
Ria at Jalan Utara became the first project
by Hap Seng Properties to be put up for
sale to the public.
Corporate social responsibility had
integrat ed itself into the company’s
business philosophy and its focus on
providing affordable housing would build a
legacy of trust and reliability amongst the
people who need it most.
As the population of Tawau began to grow,
do did Hap Seng Properties’ determination
to convert the town’s suburban areas
with the necessary conveniences for
communities to thrive and prosper.
Numerous housing projects were built with
Bandar Sri Indah township launched in
2004 being its largest and most ambitious
to date.
Hap Seng Properties had begun to make
strides in developing housing projects that
appeal to the masses not only in Tawau but
also other towns in Sabah.
Kingfisher Sulaman in Kota Kinabalu,
Astana Heights in Sandakan and Sri
Perdana in Lahad Datu constructed in the
late 1990s and early 2000s underscore
the diversity of Hap Seng Properties in its
planning for well-structured, organized and
progressive areas for living and working
in Sabah. Being sensitive to the needs of
the people and having the foresight to
differentiate itself from other developers
in meeting these needs have become the
trademark of Hap Seng Properties which
held it in good stead as it began its foray
into different property markets.
Bandar Seri Perdana, Lahad Datu
Ria Heights, Tawau
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