Consultant: Don’t turn Forest City into a white elephant

JOHOR BARU: The multibillion-ringgit Forest City project in Gelang Patah can be turned into an iconic development project in the region, says a leading property consultant firm in the southern region.

KGV International Property Consultants (M) Sdn Bhd director Samuel Tan Wee Cheng hopes that the project will be completed as planned.

“Do not turn the project into a white elephant as it is not good for Iskandar Malaysia and the country,” he said.

Tan said looking at the scale of the project, which is located just across Singapore, the authorities could take the initiative to promote it as Johor’s new tourist attraction.

“Forest City entails the reclamation and development of a large area in the Straits of Johor and the creation of four man-made islands with a gross development value of RM600bil over 30 years.

“Johor’s economic prospects, especially tourism and services sectors, will benefit directly and indirectly from the project in terms of tourist dollars,” he said.

Tan said at the same time, the state government should be more careful when approving development projects by foreign developers, including incentives given to them which local developers did not enjoy.

Johor Consumers Movement Association chairman Md Salleh Sadijo said the government made the right move by banning foreigners from purchasing residential properties there.

“They will come and stay only for a few months and their units will be left unoccupied for the rest of the year,” said Salleh.

Checks at the project site showed that construction works were still being carried out.

Lorries were still moving within the construction site, in addition to many busy workers there.