SP Setia wants half of group revenue to come from overseas projects

KUALA LUMPUR: SP Setia Bhd is aiming for half of its revenue to come from overseas projects in five years.

“We want to be an international property player, not just a regional property player,” president and chief executive officer Tan Sri Liew Kee Sin said on the sidelines of Invest Malaysia 2012 conference.

Liew said property developments in Melbourne, Australia, and Singapore were expected to contribute RM700mil to the group's target of RM4bil in new property sales for its financial year ending Oct 31 (FY12).

SP Setia's Malaysian projects are expected to contribute about RM3bil to the FY12 sales target while its projects in Vietnam EcoLakes and EcoXuan are also expected to do well.

Liew told StarBiz that the group's Fulton Lane apartment development in Melbourne had achieved RM400mil sales since its launch last November, while its maiden project in Singapore, 18 Woodsville, had a 90% take-up rate since its launch in late April.

“About 75% of our sales in Melbourne are to Malaysians. More than half of the RM250mil sales in Singapore are to Malaysians. This is part of our two-pronged strategy, where we tap on the Malaysian demand for property in mature overseas markets,” he said.

Liew said that for the next two years, the bulk of SP Setia's overseas sales would come from Melbourne and Singapore. “Hopefully we can also launch Chestnut Avenue, our other project in Singapore, in three to six months time.”

He said the group's strategy also consist of capitalising on its township development expertise in countries with sizeable populations such as Vietnam, China and “hopefully, Indonesia in the future.”

“When we go overseas, we become a much better developer. I am thankful. We learn so many things ... design concepts, practises and new ideas,” he said.

He said the group's remaining land bank of 4,319 acres (of which 88% is in Malaysia) should last for 10 to 15 years.

SP Setia Bhd and Rimbunan Hijau Group are also in a joint venture with Qinzhou Jingu Investment Co Ltd to develop the Qinzhou Industrial Park (QIP), starting with the RM2.6bil start-up district of QIP.

SP Setia will have an effective stake of 22.05% in the China joint-venture company to be formed.

“For the QIP, we are in the midst of doing an audit (of land and infrastructure costs). We expect to finish this in the next three months. There will be revenue contribution from QIP in perhaps two years.”

Liew also confirmed that SP Setia was one of the three bidders on an informal shortlist for the Battersea Power Station site in London.

“We will give our traditional best shot. Hopefully, in the next two or three weeks, we will know the results. But even if we lose, we will continue to invest in the United Kingdom.”

On the group's flagship Bandar Setia Alam in Shah Alam, Liew said about half of the 4,000-acre township remained to be developed.

“We will launch apartments in Bandar Setia Alam soon. Our convention hall in Setia City Mall will be ready at the end of this year.”

Liew said Setia City Mall, which was recently opened, had been a successful venture with about 50,000 visitors a day.

“We do have plans for other malls in the future, subject to location,” he said.

By The Star