Property Hunter Magazine Property Hunter Magazine Issue 50 - January 2014 | Page 14

/// East Malaysia Property News EAST MALAYSIA PROPERTY NEWS Keep track of the latest property and real estate news plus reviews in the property market in Sabah and Sarawak RM2 Billion Resort City to Boost Sarawak Tourism Speculative Buying is Down Chief Minister of Sarawak graces the project during the launch CBRE Malaysia Executive Chairman Christopher Boyd A RM2 billion premier integrated resort destination at the suburb of North Kuching is all geared to boost the tourism industry in Sarawak. truly transformational entertainment and leisure experience,” said CMS group managing director Datuk Richard Curtis during the launch. “ Dubbed Bandar Samariang Resort City (BSRC), the resort will breathe new life to the landscape of the city as it features a safari park, water theme park, resort accommodations, facilities for extreme outdoor activities, meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) facilities as well as residential and commercial development. The pedigree of Sentoria makes them the best possible owner and operator of a project on this scale. Main Market listed, they have a track record of similar successful project in Kuantan’s Bukit Gambang Resort City.” The removal of the Developer Interest Bearing Scheme (DIBS) for properties has already made a minimal impact since its implementation. feature of DIBS that allows property buyers to put down a 5% deposit while paying nothing throughout the construction period. CBRE Malaysia Executive Chairman Christopher Boyd said speculative buying appeared to have slowed down in the peninsula after banks withdrew DIBS shortly after the announcement of the 2014 National Budget. Boyd said good financing facilities are still available as the removal has yet to hit high-demand properties like residences, He added banks may also move to introduce rebates as substitutes to the DIBS to keep the country’s property market bullish. It will be jointly developed by Cahya Mata Sarawak Bhd (CMS) and Sentoria Group Bhd (Sentoria). “We welcome the project launch of a 14 www.PropertyHunter.com.my Curtis also revealed that BSRC facilities will centre on family and healthy outdoor recreational activities suitable to Kuching’s population. As a tourist attraction, BSRC will help boost tourist arrivals as well as provide more reasons for them to stay longer, he added. DIBS developers marked up prices by around 5% to cover interest they paid when properties were under construction. Speculators were attracted to the “interest free” He noted Singapore, which opted to remove DIBS in 2009, still enjoys a strong property market without stretching the finances of its buyers.