The construction works of the first-ever aviary or a mini zoo in Penang that specialises in raising peacock is expected to be completed in December this year.

Known as Peacock Echo Park, it is located at Taman Kimsar in Prai.

Seberang Perai City Council (MBSP) councillor David Marshel said once completed, the aviary would be home to plenty of peacocks from various species.

“The RM300,000 project is a joint collaboration between Prai constituency service centre, MBSP and Mr D. Parantpaman as the owner of the peacocks.

“He will contribute some of his peacocks to be put in the aviary. He will also be responsible for managing the place and its facilities once the project is completed soon.

“We choose Mr Parantpaman to manage the place because of his vast knowledge and experience as peacock consultant.

“There will be a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signing ceremony soon to legalise the matter between the three parties.

“The construction works of the Peacock Echo Park started four months ago and as of now, the project is 50 percent complete. And since we can operate at full force now, we are confident of doing our best to ensure that the project is completed within the stipulated time.

“Hopefully, when the aviary is fully operational soon, we can transform Prai as a tourist attraction on the mainland,” Marshel told Buletin Mutiara during his visit to the place recently.

According to Parantpaman who was also present during the visit, admission would be free of charge once it is open to the public.

“We will also open a souvenir shop and a small cafe inside the aviary to cover back the expenses.

“I also want to include a pond in front of the aviary, where giant Victoria lilies will be grown.

“Hopefully, when it’s open soon, the public will know more about peacocks and appreciate it.

Parantpaman said when the construction works are completed, he would put 50 peacocks from nine species at the aviary.

“Among the species are Indian metallic greenish-blue neck peacocks, the albino version of Indian peacocks and Javanese mix peacocks from Belgium, Pied and Black Shoulder peacocks from Spain.

“And what I like about peacocks the most is they are clean and quiet birds unlike chicken. Plus, they are beautiful too,” he added.

Parantpaman added that at the moment, he has a total of 200 peacocks from nine species including a variety of hybrid peacocks that are put in the small animal farm in front of his house at Taman Kimsar.

“I started with 10 peacocks about 10 years ago and the number has multiplied since then.

“The discussion to have the first-ever Peacock Echo Park started in 2018.

“And I am glad that it has materialised now. Once the aviary is ready, it will be a perfect opportunity for me to educate and introduce these unique and beautiful bird species to everyone,” he added.

Source: Buletin Mutiara

Property prices might not necessarily be more affordable post-Covid-19 due to market changes and wage growth, the housing minister said.

Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin said the economic crisis brought on by the Covid19 pandemic saw the housing market, labour and financial sectors going through adjustments.

As a result, she said wage growth could be lower or zero during the crisis, and the unemployment rate could be higher than any other period.

She said this could lead to negative household debt-servicing capacity.

“Banks are likely to tighten their lending conditions to reduce their exposure to a higher risk of possible default from mortgage payments, making it even harder for first-time homebuyers to enter the market,” Zuraida said at the 2021 Malaysian Housing and Property Summit yesterday, virtually organised by the KSI Strategic Institute for Asia Pacific.

Despite the lower risk appetite, on a macro level, she said the current monetary policy stance is believed to be “appropriate and accommodating” to support the housing market.

Hence, she said property seekers could enjoy low interest rates, which means lower barriers to financing and owning a property.

“Lower Overnight Policy Rate will allow buyers to lock in lower interest rates favourable to current financial standings, especially those finding it difficult to fork out higher monthly loan repayments,” she added.

Zuraida said the pandemic-challenged property industry saw more innovations on digital solutions.

She said more industry players stepped up their digitalisation initiatives last year to enhance their capacity to market products and engage with buyers via online platforms.

The minister added that interaction with sales representatives to facilitate a transaction with enhanced convenience would pave the future of how developers market and sell their units.

“This is a timely evolution given that millennials, who are accustomed to e-commerce habits, are now in mid-20s to late30s and represent the largest segment of the house buying market locally.

“This trend is expected to grow in 2021 and beyond, as developers and real estate agents begin to understand and embrace the advantage of a strong digital presence as a long-term strategy,” she said.

Zuraida said the reintroduction of the Home Ownership Campaign (HOC) had been a lifeline to the property market amid a challenging market induced by the pandemic.

She said the HOC campaign has boosted the country’s property market in 2019 and has been widely seen as an important lifebuoy for the industry throughout 2020.

Otherwise, she said the property market would have declined significantly without the property buying initiative.

She noted that the campaign would continue to drive property purchases amid a low-interest-rate environment on the back of the pandemic.

“Without the HOC campaign, market watchers agree that our property market situation might have been far worse than the comparatively flat performance witnessed thus far.

“The HOC is projected to play a more impactful role in resuscitating buyers’ interest. The good news is that the incentives will remain in play for the rest of 2021,” Zuraida said.

Besides that, she said the continued implementation of several mega infrastructure projects such as the Mass Rapid Transit Line 3 and the Pan Borneo Highway would boost the property industry.

She said these mega projects would indirectly complement upcoming residential and commercial developments within the vicinity and spur further development of rural areas, resulting in a huge economic lift.

She said they also give substantial multiplier effects on the property market, with positive price movement in established locations within the proximity.

“The creation of fresh property opportunities will open up new investment hotspots and provide socio-economic growth for the future,” she said.

Source: The Malaysian Reserve

Housing developers will be allowed to operate under Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the national recovery plan effective immediately.

In a statement today, the housing and local government ministry said this is applicable to housing developers which have valid housing development licences and advertisement and sales permits (APDL) under Act 118.

The ministry said housing developers’ management offices and handing over vacant possession notices and house keys will now be allowed during Phase 1.

Also on the list of allowed activities in Phase 1 are critical damage repair work during the defect liability period and construction works for Rumah Mesra Rakyat (RMR) under Syarikat Perumahan Negara Berhad (SPNB) for G1 to G4 contractors.

Under Phase 2, marketing and sales activities at developers’ offices, sales agents, sales galleries, show units and subsale property units are now allowed.

Permission to operate is subject to compliance with the latest SOPs set out by the housing and local government, works, and health ministries, the National Security Council and the Construction Industry Development Board.

Eight states are in Phase 2 of the national recovery plan after meeting certain thresholds, with residents enjoying fewer restrictions.

The states are Penang, Perak, Pahang, Perlis, Kelantan, Terengganu, Sabah and Sarawak.

Source: FreeMalaysiaToday.com

By Emilia Ismail

Jalan Batu Jantan and Jalan Batu Perempuan didn’t get their names because someone ran out of ideas to name the roads in Air Itam — the names originated from a “tragic” love story! 😉

Legend has it that two rocks, one male and the other female, located just a short distance away from each other, used to get together to mate. How they moved was never explained but moved and mated they did according to the stories. There was also no account if they ever produced baby rocks.

Those living nearby knew about the happenings but their superstitions and beliefs taught them such supernatural occurrences were better left undisturbed lest they suffer the wrath of the spirits of the rocks.

When the British arrived in the late-18th century and discovered the goings-on, they built a road between the two rocks with the sole purpose of breaking the magic. The rocks have been permanently separated since then.

Another version is that British soldiers on patrol chanced upon the rocks going through their rituals. The male rock was shot and lay mortally wounded by the side of the road, unable to get back to its original resting place. The female rock was unscathed. Since then, neither the female nor male rock have been seen moving again. To add insult to injury, houses have been built around both stones, blocking their view of each other.

Whether either version really happened or not, it will never be known for sure. But what is certain is that there are indeed two rocks near Air Itam that are known to the local community as the male and female rocks. Their legend was further immortalised when two side roads were named after them. Jalan Batu Perempuan is on the right and Jalan Batu Jantan on the left of the main road leading to the town.

Fascinating!

Sources: The Borneo Post

Emilia Ismail is the co-founder of Penang Hidden Gems and is an amateur “historian” who enjoys discovering lesser-known historical information about Penang properties. (More about Penang Hidden Gems)

The e-Land system implemented through a public-private partnership (PPP) arrangement will be expanded to other states after it was proven successful in increasing the quality and efficiency of land administration in Kuala Lumpur.

Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin (pic) said the system would be expanded to the Federal Territories of Putrajaya and Labuan, as well as Selangor, Terengganu, Pahang, Johor, Kedah, Perlis and Kelantan as it is expected to be fully developed and adopted by 2024 at the latest.

“I was made to understand that the e-Land System concession agreement for the Land and Mines Office of Putrajaya and Labuan will be inked today,” he said when opening the National Land’s Day 2021 celebration theme “Facing Post-Covid-19 Challenges in Land Administration” held virtually on Tuesday (July 27).

Muhyiddin who also launched the expansion of the PPP e-Land System in conjunction with the celebration said since the modernisation initiative in land administration service was implemented in the early 1980s, it has always been fine-tuned and modernised in line with technology development and that the federal government had in 2014 agreed to implement the e-Land System through PPP arrangement.

The e-Land System is an initiative that involves a collaboration between the federal government, state governments and private companies, aimed at standardising land administration in the states based on applicable legislation, reducing bureaucracy and increasing transparency and integrity in land administration.

Source: Bernama