#MitsuiOutletPark: Largest Outlet Mall In Southeast Asia To Open In Sepang In May

Shopaholics and bargain hunters, lace up your walking shoes because a pandemonium is headed our way soon!

MFMA Development SDN. BHD. will open the Mitsui Outlet Park KLIA Sepang to the public with an exciting array of offerings ranging from luxury and branded products, fashion apparel and accessories, perfumes and cosmetics, chocolates and confectionery, kids wear and sportswear to household items and luggage as well as a scrumptious choice of gastronomic delights spanning over a commercial space of 24,000sqm under Phase 1 of the development.

Mitsui Outlet Park KLIA Sepang
Artist Impression of the Mitsui Outlet Park KLIA Sepang (Source: skyscrapercity)
It will be launched in Kuala Lumpur as the flagship mall of the Southeast Asia outlet market with a new brand concept which is developed and adapted to Malaysian customs based on Mitsui Fudosan’s know-how. The Mitsui Outlet Park KLIA Sepang plans to expand the facility in 2018 as well as 2021, and it will be the largest outlet mall in Southeast Asia, larger than any other of the company, including those in Japan, at approximately 250 stores and an entire floor space of about 44,000㎡.

It is part of the KLIA Aeropolis initiative spearheaded by Malaysia Airports in an effort to develop KLIA Sepang as an airport city.

The mall comes with a highly attractive concept where leading luxury brands and international brands, as well as popular Malaysian brands, Japanese brands’ off-season items, overstocked items, discontinued items, trial products, etc. are made readily available through the official route for greatly discounted outlet prices.

Mitsui Outlet Park KLIA Sepang Interior
Artist Impression of the Mitsui Outlet Park KLIA Sepang (Source: skyscrapercity)
On 30th May 2015, the Mitsui Outlet Park KLIA Sepang will be opened and gradually completed to approximately 130 stores by late of July, with a rich variety of food and beverages from around the world to meet the needs for tourists due to the location (nearby KLIA and klia2). It will offer a huge variety of more than 100 outlets of leading luxury brands such as Ermenegildo Zegna, and also promote authentic Japanese culture like Japanese traditional arts and crafts, tea, sake, and sushi through “JAPAN AVENUE” a brand new concept first of its kind in Malaysia. Locals and foreigners with a penchant for luxury brands will be spoilt for choice at the offerings made available throughout the year with attractive savings ranging from 30% to 70%.

Amongst the brands available are:

Polo Ralph Lauren Factory Outlet
Club 21 Collectibles (Paul Smith, Balenciaga, Lanvin, etc.)
BALLY
Aigner
Hugo Boss
BCBG MAXAZRIA
Karen Millen
Topshop
Topman
Miss Selfridge
Dorothy Perkins
SACOOR Outlet
BONIA
Timberland
Clarks
Samsonite
Isetan Outlet Store
ACE
asics Factory Outlet
adidas
Onitsuka Tiger
CITIZEN
And more, of course!

The Mitsui Outlet Park KLIA Sepang has aptly adopted the architectural design concept of “Paradise Village” that evokes a tropical ambiance. Natural light from the stylish skylights enriched with greenery creates a relaxing setting.

Embodying the local environment, the Mitsui Outlet Park KLIA Sepang is an enclosed 2-floor designed mall and fully equipped with air-conditioning to offer a comfortable shopping experience.

Artist Impression of the Mitsui Outlet Park KLIA Sepang (Source: skyscrapercity)
Artist Impression of the Mitsui Outlet Park KLIA Sepang (Source: skyscrapercity)
The Mitsui Outlet Park KLIA Sepang which is located very near KL International Airport is directly accessible from the highway and will offer ample parking of over 2,000 lots, banking services, facilities for the handicap, baby nursing and changing room, first aid facilities, strollers and wheelchairs for loan.

Additionally, free shuttle bus service to KLIA and klia2 as well as bus services from Kuala Lumpur and major cities such as Ipoh and Genting to further ease accessibility to the Mitsui Outlet Park KLIA Sepang will be provided.

Specifically to facilitate travelers who would like to enjoy their shopping experience within a limited amount of time before taking off, the Mitsui Outlet Park KLIA Sepang provides Flight Information Display System (FIDS) in the outlet mall for checking flight information without leaving the premises, flight SITA check-in KIOSK services and free baggage storage service to promote hands-free shopping. 

Penang LRT map route masterplan

The Penang Transport Master Plan will tackle traffic woes on the island and is expected to start in a couple of years.

It involves massive infrastructure works and a comprehensive public transport system incorporating light rail transit (LRT), trams, buses and catamarans, expanding roads and building new highways.

It also includes an ambitious undersea tunnel linking George Town and Butterworth.

Updated NEWS on Penang Integrated Transport Masterplan

April 16, 2015: The Star “First LRT project in Penang next year”

GEORGE TOWN: Penang is set to get its maiden LRT project – a 17.5km elevated stretch linking Komtar with the Penang International Airport.

With construction slated to begin next year, the RM4.5bil project is part of a package of solutions for an island that has long been choking on its traffic.

The LRT project – expected to be awarded in June – will mark the realisation of the long-awaited implementation of the RM27bil Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP), which also includes a 25km expressway linking Bayan Lepas and Tanjung Bungah.

According to reliable sources, Gamuda Bhd, IJM Corp Bhd, and a Chinese company have been shortlisted to undertake the projects, the bulk of which would be funded through land reclamation rights in the state.

The LRT and new expressway will be built using the Project Delivery Partner (PDP) concept, where the PDP will step in to resolve problems should parts of the construction fail to meet construction criteria.

In Penang’s case, should either one of the Malaysian companies get the award, it would have to partner with the Chinese company, especially in the construction of the LRT project.

It would be likewise should the Chinese company win the contract.

Six consortia, including three foreign-Malaysian partnerships as well as three Malaysian public listed companies, have put in their bids following Penang’s invitation last August to qualified companies to serve as the PDP for the PTMP.

The payoff for building the LRT project is the right to reclaim 1,618ha at either the southern part of the island, of which about 485ha will be used for the future expansion of the airport and to expand the Free Industrial Zone, or at a 607ha stretch between the Penang Bridge and the mouth of Sungai Pinang, an area popularly known as the Middle Bank.

Penang Local Government, Traffic Management and Flood Mitigation Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow had said the appointed PDP must be a reliable partner to guarantee the success of the projects.

“They will have to oversee all the projects estimated at RM27bil. The costs cover highway infrastructure (RM16bil) and public transport (RM9bil), while the institutional costs amount to RM905mil,” he said, adding that Penang alone would foot some RM10bil of the total cost.

In a subsequent interview, Chow said the LRT line – which will be supported by a revamped stage bus system and trams – would be a priority, with completion targeted for five to six years.

In return for their role in realising the state transport master plan, the Chinese company will get to reclaim about 566ha in Seberang Prai, of which 161.8ha is located near the North Butterworth Container Terminal and 404ha near Bagan.

It is learnt that it will take a year to get necessary approvals for the reclamation works,

Chow said some of the projects would fall under the jurisdiction of the Federal Government.

“The RM10bil allocation from the state does not include the RM6.3bil for the undersea tunnel and three expressway projects,” he said.

The 6.5km road tunnel is planned to run from Gurney Drive to Bagan Ajam in Butterworth. The expressways include a 4.2km bypass from Persiaran Gurney to Persiaran Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu, a 4.6km expressway and by-pass from Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway to Bandar Baru Air Itam and a four-lane 12km road linking Tanjung Bungah with Teluk Bahang

Refinance

Surprise in Malaysia’s Budget: Revenue Growth Beats Spending

Zeti Akhtar Aziz, governor of the Bank Negara Malaysia, said last week the fiscal position is improving and the ringgit is undervalued even as growth prospects weaken, in a rebuttal to Fitch Ratings and investors who have soured on the country. Photographer: Dario Pignatelli/Bloomberg
There are several reasons Malaysia’s ringgit was the worst performing currency in Asia last quarter -- plunging oil prices that hurt the budget, loan repayment delays at state investment company 1Malaysia Development Bhd. Here’s one measure that shows it may not be all that bad.
A Bloomberg Intelligence analysis of Asian fiscal data shows that Malaysia’s government revenue growth, while hurt by lower crude prices, is still outpacing the increase in state spending after adjusting for inflation.
“It looks like they tightened spending in anticipation of the hit to revenues from the oil and gas sector -- perhaps even by a tad more than they needed to,” said Tamara Henderson, an economist with Bloomberg Intelligence who analyzes the data in the Asia Fiscal Monitor.

Malaysian central bank Governor Zeti Akhtar Aziz said last week the fiscal position is improving and the ringgit is undervalued even as growth prospects weaken, in a rebuttal to Fitch Ratings and investors who have soured on the country. The ringgit climbed 1.2 percent in Kuala Lumpur Friday, the biggest gainer among 11 Asian currencies tracked by Bloomberg.
Annualized government revenue growth after adjustment for inflation in the 12 months to February exceeds expenditure expansion by almost 4 percentage points in Malaysia, the Bloomberg calculations show. That’s a smaller margin than Hong Kong’s about 12 points, yet better than South Korea’s shortfall of 2.7 points.
Whether that’s good enough for investors remains to be seen. As the U.S. prepares to raise interest rates, HSBC Holdings Plc economist Frederic Neumann says Malaysia stands out as a market that looks more vulnerable, with the country’s local financial risks and short-term external debt as a share of reserves climbing since 2013.

First LRT project in Penang next year

  GEORGE TOWN: Penang is set to get its maiden LRT project – a 17.5km elevated stretch linking Komtar with the Penang International Airport.

With construction slated to begin next year, the RM4.5bil project is part of a package of solutions for an island that has long been choking on its traffic.

The LRT project – expected to be awarded in June – will mark the realisation of the long-awaited implementation of the RM27bil Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP), which also includes a 25km expressway linking Bayan Lepas and Tanjung Bungah.

According to reliable sources, Gamuda Bhd, IJM Corp Bhd, and a Chinese company have been shortlisted to undertake the projects, the bulk of which would be funded through land reclamation rights in the state.

The LRT and new expressway will be built using the Project Delivery Partner (PDP) concept, where the PDP will step in to resolve problems should parts of the construction fail to meet construction criteria.

In Penang’s case, should either one of the Malaysian companies get the award, it would have to partner with the Chinese company, especially in the construction of the LRT project.

It would be likewise should the Chinese company win the contract.

Six consortia, including three foreign-Malaysian partnerships as well as three Malaysian public listed companies, have put in their bids following Penang’s invitation last August to qualified companies to serve as the PDP for the PTMP.

The payoff for building the LRT project is the right to reclaim 1,618ha at either the southern part of the island, of which about 485ha will be used for the future expansion of the airport and to expand the Free Industrial Zone, or at a 607ha stretch between the Penang Bridge and the mouth of Sungai Pinang, an area popularly known as the Middle Bank.

Penang Local Government, Traffic Management and Flood Mitigation Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow had said the appointed PDP must be a reliable partner to guarantee the success of the projects.

Satellite view of Proposed Cable Car
“They will have to oversee all the projects estimated at RM27bil. The costs cover highway infrastructure (RM16bil) and public transport (RM9bil), while the institutional costs amount to RM905mil,” he said, adding that Penang alone would foot some RM10bil of the total cost.

In a subsequent interview, Chow said the LRT line – which will be supported by a revamped stage bus system and trams – would be a priority, with completion targeted for five to six years.

In return for their role in realising the state transport master plan, the Chinese company will get to reclaim about 566ha in Seberang Prai, of which 161.8ha is located near the North Butterworth Container Terminal and 404ha near Bagan.

It is learnt that it will take a year to get necessary approvals for the reclamation works,

Chow said some of the projects would fall under the jurisdiction of the Federal Government.

“The RM10bil allocation from the state does not include the RM6.3bil for the undersea tunnel and three expressway projects,” he said.

The 6.5km road tunnel is planned to run from Gurney Drive to Bagan Ajam in Butterworth. The expressways include a 4.2km bypass from Persiaran Gurney to Persiaran Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu, a 4.6km expressway and by-pass from Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway to Bandar Baru Air Itam and a four-lane 12km road linking Tanjung Bungah with Teluk Bahang.

Expatistan, cost of living comparisons

Cost of living in Johor Bahru (Malaysia) is 63% cheaper than in Singapore (Singapore)
WARNING!  This comparison is based on only a few data points. At this point it is only a guess. It is based on 13,423 prices entered by 1,829 different people.

RM38.4b High Speed Rail Project Approved

Lawmakers last Friday approved the RM38.4 billion high speed rail (HSR) project which will connect Malaysia and Singapore and drive growth in the Iskandar Malaysia economic corridor.

The government now has the mandate and funding needed to set up MyHSR Corp Sdn Bhd, the company that will undertake the construction of the system. As an initial investment, Ministry of Finance Inc will invest in 10 million shares of MyHSR Corp for RM1 per share.

Construction is expected to begin in 2016, with services operational by 2020. As development of the Iskandar Malaysia economic corridor enters its next stage, the case for the proposed HSR has never been stronger.

At the recent launch of the second phase of the RM42 billion gross development value Gerbang Nusajaya, touted as the gateway township to the region due to its proximity to Singapore, its developers and the regional authority made presentations on the HSR and underscored how it would drive occupation and development in the region.

“The HSR will have a significant impact on population growth in Iskandar,” says DTZ Malaysia consultancy and research head Brian Koh. Within Gerbang Nusajaya itself, Koh predicts a 44% increase in the township’s population if the HSR is completed.

“The key success factor for Iskandar is connectivity. The HSR must happen to ensure Iskandar continues to grow, not just from an economic perspective, but also from the stakeholder’s perspective,” said Datuk Ismail Ibrahim, CEO of the Iskandar Regional Development Authority.

He said the HSR would be complemented with an efficient bus rapid transit (BRT) system, which he said would be faster to implement and make more fiscal sense in the region.

“But by 2025, if we reached a certain critical point (in demand), we might want to upgrade the BRT to MRT (mass rapid transit,” he said.

A property analyst told The Malaysian Reserve the HSR could entice younger workers to stay in Iskandar and travel home to other states or Singapore during the holidays or weekends.

“The HSR would fit in with the government’s plans to increase the population of Johor, which is the key factor in driving up the state’s economy,” she says.

“It could be said the success of Iskandar does hinge on the rail project.” The proposed project will feature trains that travel at speeds of up to 250 km/h and will transport passengers from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore in just 90 minutes, with stops in Putrajaya, Negri Sembilan, Malacca and Johor.

Said to be South-East Asia’s most ambitious infrastructure project, the HSR is expected to unlock the full potential of Iskandar, which is expected to see full completion in 2025. Last month, Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told Malaysia’s Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhiyuddin Yassin that Japanese rail firms were very interested in getting involved in the project.

Japan’s famed Shinkansen network features train speeds of up to 320km/h, transporting more than five billion passengers throughout its operational service, and Muhiyuddin has reportedly expressed the government’s interest in using Japanese technology for the project.

BRT

Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)

1. A 34km Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) route has been planned between Pasar Seni, Kuala Lumpur, and Klang.
2. The dedicated bus lane would pass the Federal Highway and is estimated to cost RM1bil.
3. There would be 25 stops on the route that will pass through the jurisdictions of Kuala Lumpur City Hall, Petaling Jaya City Council, Shah Alam City Council, Subang Jaya Municipal Council and Klang Municipal Council.
4. The project would benefit some 1.5mil people living along the route and offer more public transport options for Klang Valley residents.
5. “This route has a high travel demand and we want to ease congestion on the Federal Highway.