Mah Sing lands M Sentral deal

Mah Sing has been given the first contract for the RM9 billion privatised urban regeneration project in Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur: Asie Sdn Bhd has dished out the first contract for the RM9 billion privatised urban regeneration project in Kuala Lumpur to Mah Sing Group Bhd, Malaysia's fifth largest property developer by revenue.

The contract given to Mah Sing entails it to undertake a niche development on 1.6ha.

Called M Sentral, it will feature serviced residences and retail lots worth a combined RM900 million.

The urban regeneration project, dubbed Tamansari Riverside Garden City and mooted more than 10 years ago, is one of key developments under the Entry Point Projects.

Asie, a private concessionaire, has full rights and approvals to build residential and commercial properties, leisure, recreation and infrastructure facilities on 15 parcels of development land with five air rights in Precinct 2-Pekeliling of the River Corridor Development under the Blue Corridor policy of Kuala Lumpur City Plan 2020.

Located on 23ha along Jalan Tun Razak-Jalan Pahang, the former site of the Tunku Abdul Rahman flats or Pekeliling flats, the 15-year project is envisaged to be bigger than Mid Valley City.

Yesterday, Mah Sing's wholly-owned unit, Grand Pavilion Development Sdn Bhd, signed a joint venture agreement (JVA) with Asie and its subsidiary Usaha Nusantara Sdn Bhd to develop M Sentral.

Under the JVA deal, Usaha Nusantara will grant Grand Pavillion the sole and absolute rights to develop the 1.6ha land for an entitlement of RM106.60 million. This will be settled via 60 per cent in cash (RM63.96 million) and 40 per cent stake in Grand Pavillion.

Mah Sing will continue to have 60 per cent shareholding in Grand Pavillion, it said in a statement issued yesterday.

Mah Sing group managing director and group chief executive officer Tan Sri Leong Hoy Kum said work on M Sentral will commence by the first half of next year, pending authorities' approval and fulfillment of conditions. It will take five years to develop.

Leong said there is a provision for a sky bridge's connection to the remaining 58 acres, in line with the understanding that Mah Sing may be the potential joint venture partner for other parcels within the land, subject to terms and conditions to be mutually agreed upon.

By Business Times