Sime Darby Property group managing director Datuk Seri Azmir Merican
PETALING JAYA: Real estate players believe that the property market, especially the residential sub-sector, is expected to demonstrate continued resilience, buoyed by steady demand and positive sentiment.
Sime Darby Property Bhd
group managing director and chief executive officer Datuk Seri Azmir Merican said the group is well-positioned to sustain the company’s momentum and launch pipeline for both residential landed and high-rise projects.
“Our strategically located townships, designed around urban biodiversity and sustainable living, continue to cater to evolving consumer preferences for connectivity and vibrant, lifestyle-driven communities.
“Commercial demand is also expanding as our townships mature, with consumers increasingly seeking a diverse range of offerings that prioritise convenience, lifestyle integration and modern amenities,” he said in the company’s annual report.
Azmir added that the industrial segment is anticipated to experience sustained demand.
This is particularly for data centres as well as industrial and logistic hubs, driven by the ongoing shift towards cloud computing, artificial intelligence, increasing industrialisation and changes in supply chain and trade flows.
“We will continue to safeguard our margins by staying agile, maintaining a diversified product mix, and enhancing placemaking assets to strengthen our market positioning.”
Meanwhile, UEM Sunrise Bhd officer in charge and chief financial officer Hafizuddin Sulaiman said its priorities for the year will be to strengthen its financial position, unlock landbank value and deliver targeted launches in the central and southern regions, where the company sees sustained growth potential.
“For the southern region, where we hold over 4,700 acres of landbank, land monetisation will be a key lever.
“As the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) gains traction, we are well-placed to activate high-impact developments and forge catalytic partnerships that will create long-term value.”
Hafizuddin said the company’s industrial play strategy is accelerating in tandem with rising demand for logistics hubs, industrial facilities and technology-enabled solutions.
“This presents an opportunity for UEM Sunrise to not only serve the market, but to help shape its future.”
Separately, Hafizuddin said emerging trade tensions and reciprocal tariffs across major economies, particularly between the West and South-East Asia, present both risks and opportunities.
“While prolonged disputes could dampen global trade and investor sentiment, Malaysia stands to gain from supply chain diversification and trade redirection.”
For the property sector, he said rising impact costs could pressure development margins, but also drive demand for logistics and industrial real estate.
“UEM Sunrise is actively assessing these impacts, refining our procurement strategies and positioning our southern land-bank to support industrial relocation, in line with the momentum of the JS-SEZ and Malaysia’s strategic manufacturing agenda.”
Looking ahead, Hafizuddin said the company aims to broaden its geographical footprint.
“While Malaysia remains our core, international expansion, especially in Australia, will be a growing focus, building on our strengthened reputation in key gateway cities.”
Meanwhile, Lagenda Properties Bhd chairman Tan Sri Ahmad Kamarulzaman Ahmad Badaruddin said the group remains confident of its growth prospects.
“We are well-positioned to leverage key government initiatives, particularly the RM10bil housing loan allocation for first-time homebuyers, which will help drive homeownership accessibility.”
Additionally, he said Lagenda’s strategic expansion across multiple states, coupled with active land banking efforts, strengthens the group’s ability to meet the growing demand for affordable housing, while ensuring a robust pipeline of future developments.
“We are especially excited about broadening our footprint into new regions, with particular focus on Sabah and Sarawak – especially Sarawak – as part of our long-term growth strategy.
“At the same time, with a strong pipeline of upcoming launches, including our highly anticipated Kulai township, we remain committed to growing our sales, reinforcing our financial stability and ensuring long-term sustainability.”
Meanwhile, Tambun Indah Land Bhd chairman Lai Fook Hoy expects ongoing challenges in the property market, particularly due to the complex global economic outlook and anticipated rise in construction costs.
“However, we remain cautiously optimistic about achieving a positive performance.”
Lai added that the group continues to adopt a careful approach in its launches, focusing on the affordable and mid-range segments to meet local demand.
“To remain competitive, we will keep monitoring the market dynamics, understanding home buyers’ needs and refining our strategies to suit evolving market conditions.”
