Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming (back row, centre), Star Media Group (SMG) group chief executive officer Chan Seng Fatt (back row, six from left) and SMG chief business officer Lydia Wang (back row, seventh from right) posing with the All-Stars award winners at the 9th StarProperty Real Estate Developer Awards 2024 gala dinner at One World Hotel in Petaling Jaya on May 15, 2024. — GLENN GUAN/The Star

A humble start to one of the nation’s prized awards

It all began with a simple idea aimed at elevating the real estate industry. Starting modestly in 2016 with a few categories and two ranking-based awards, the StarProperty Real Estate Developer Awards have blossomed into a highly respected event, tripling the number of categories and attracting entries from all over the country.

The awards began in 2016 with just 10 categories and two ranking-based awards, limited to entries from within the peninsula. However, in the ninth edition celebrated yesterday, 104 winners across 41 categories were recognized for their outstanding achievements in real estate.

Headlining the event was the All-Stars Award, which acknowledged the top-performing developers of 2023. This award featured two sub-categories: the Top 10 listed companies and the Top Five non-listed companies.

Winners of the All-Stars Award for listed companies included: 

• IJM Corporation Bhd (IJM Land Bhd)

• Mah Sing Group Bhd / Matrix Concepts Holdings Bhd

• OSK Holdings Bhd (OSK Property) 

• Paramount Corporation Bhd (Paramount Property) / Skyworld Development Bhd

• Chin Hin Group Property Bhd

The Top 5 non-listed company winners were:

• Sri Pengkalan Binaan Sdn Bhd

The awards were presented by Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming. Two new categories were also introduced: the Sustainability Vanguard Award for Best ESG-Conscious Development and the StarProperty Readers’ Choice for Newsmaker of the Year.

The inaugural winners of the Sustainability Vanguard Award were UDA Holdings Bhd for Pertama Complex and UMW Development Sdn Bhd for UMW High Value Manufacturing Park. The Newsmaker of the Year Award saw Mah Sing Group Bhd, Perbadanan Kemajuan Negeri Selangor, and Sime Darby Property Bhd declared the first winners, each achieving ‘Excellence’ rankings.

The gala dinner at One World Hotel, Petaling Jaya, was a full house, with guests mingling and celebrating. Other notable winners included Sunway Property, Tropicana Corporation Bhd and several other industry leaders.

Star Media Group (SMG) Group CEO Chan Seng Fatt noted that the past decade has seen rapid changes in the real estate and property development industries, with advancements in building concepts, green buildings, sustainability and technology.

The dynamism of this sector is reflected in updated policies, rules, and regulations to meet current market needs,he said at the event. He added that the expanded award categories now provide developers with the opportunity to broaden their horizons beyond the Klang Valley.

“We are all aware of the cyclical nature of the property industry and its impact on the economy. The resurgence of the residential property market has instilled confidence among developers. This, in turn, may prompt them to initiate new project planning and launching to suit the current market conditions and demands, at the same time contributing meaningfully to our economy and country building.

“The landscape of this industry has been fast changing. For today’s housing developments, you will notice that property development has now become more than just building homes. It has evolved into not just complementing lifestyles, but instead creating homes that are accessible, affordable and comfortable to owners from all walks of life,” Chan said

Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming praised SMG for organising another prestigious edition of the awards. “The award has become an important badge of recognition for the property industry, signifying commitment to quality and high standards,” he said. He commended the property industry for its resilience and contribution to the national economy, highlighting its role in fulfilling Malaysians’ desire for home ownership.

Nga expressed his ministry’s willingness to consider constructive feedback from stakeholders to ensure the industry grows healthily and balanced.

Also in attendance were SMG managing editor Brian Martin and chief business officer Lydia Wang. The judging panel comprised credible and impartial judges from various disciplines in the Malaysian real estate industry, ensuring comprehensive and fair evaluations.

StarProperty Awards was organised by StarProperty Sdn Bhd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of SMG. The official beverage partners were Heineken Malaysia Bhd and Edelweiss, with Kohler Malaysia providing substantial hospitality-related sponsorship. For more information, visit awards.starproperty.my.