A cautionary property tale of joint tenancy, abuse and escaping to a safe haven.
By Khalil Adis​

It is hard to believe a family member that I initially grew up with can turn out to be so abusive.

My parents had divorced and as a result, we were living with our guardians.

My mom and I lived with an uncle while the other family member, was sent to live with another uncle, owing to her very difficult behaviour.

We then got a flat together in Taman Jurong where I was living my mom and this other family member when I was around 18-years-old. 

I remember thinking - “Finally! We have a place to call our own.”

However, little did I know this family member would turn out to become a monster.

The first instance of abuse occurred when I was kicked out of home at 21-years-old.

I recall having my bag thrown out of the house and living temporarily at the police station where I was posted at for my national service.

Back then, I did not know any property laws and did not know any better.​

I then rented a place for a while near to Admiralty MRT station.

To pay for my rent, I would give tuition.

The subsequent abuse happened in 2014 when the family member came back with her family after having lived overseas.

My mom and I were on the constant receiving end of abuse, bullying and threats to kick us out of our family home.

Mind you, I was paying for the mortgage and taking care of my mom.​

Things got so bad that my mom and I had to lodge a police report and sought help from my MP Tharman Shanmugaratnam.

Thankfully, I now have my own home and a safe place for my mom and I away from the abuser.

I subsequently dedicated Property Buying for Gen Y to my MP.

Complications of joint tenancy

The Ministry of Social and Family Development defines violence as physical injury, direct or indirect threats, sexual assault, emotional and psychological torment, damage to property, social isolation or any behaviour which causes a person to live in fear.

My mom and I have experienced some of those forms of abuse described.

While it is hard to believe that your own flesh and blood can turn their back against you, family violence is very real.

In closing, it is my hope by sharing this cautionary tale that others in a similar situation will be spared the agony of what my mom and I have had to endure.

If you have a family member who is abusive or know a family who is being abused, do not hesitate to call the authorities. You can find out more at Break The Silence.

By Khalil Adis

Ask any young Malaysians and chances are many are still unsure if they can buy their first home. 

Their lack of knowledge, financial literacy, inability to get a loan and the lack of supply of such homes across Malaysia are further exacerbating the Malaysian housing issue.

From Johor to Kuala Lumpur, there is currently a demand-supply mismatch whereby most new launches in the market are priced above RM500,000.

This is far beyond what the average Malaysian can afford.

According to the first quarter of 2018 data from the National Property and Information Centre (NAPIC), Selangor has the highest number of existing stock of residential units followed by Johor and Kuala Lumpur at 1,516,960, 795,363 and 471,475 units respectively.

With Budget 2019 to be announced in November, perhaps the Malaysian government can take a cue from Singapore how the city-state is able to house 80 per cent of its population.

Step 1: Have a single affordable housing agency

In Singapore, there is only one government agency called the Housing & Development Board (HDB) which is tasked to provide affordable housing for every Singaporean.

In comparison, in Malaysia, there are so many affordable housing programmes being rolled out by the state and federal governments such as Rumah Milik Mampu, Rumah Selangorku, PR1MA, My First Home, Program Perumaha Rakyat and the list goes on.

This confuses the public.

The government should consolidate the affordable housing segment under one single government agency much like the HDB model.

Recently, Zuraida Kamaruddin, the Minister of Housing and Local Government, was in Singapore to study the HDB model.

By having it under one government agency umbrella, this will enable the federal government to better gauge demand from the public.

This leads to the next point.

Step 2: Build demand-driven homes

​In Singapore, the HDB builds homes that are demand-driven called the Built-to-Order (BT0) scheme.

The public is then invited to apply for the various homes that are on offer in different parts of Singapore.

By doing so, this enables the HDB to gauge demand from the public and allocate homes using a balloting system.

The balloting system will then inform applicants of the status of their application.

If Malaysia were to follow such a system, this will help to solve the current demand-supply mismatch in the market and build homes according to demand.

Step 3: Introduce grants and subsidies

In Singapore, a first-time applicant can enjoy a housing grant called the Additional CPF Housing Grant (AHG) and Special CPF Housing Grant (SHG) of up to S$40,000 depending on one's household income.

To qualify for the AHG, applicants must apply for a 2-room flat or larger with an income ceiling of S$5,000 per month,

Applicants must also be employed at the time of application and be at least in employment for the past one year during the housing application.

On top of that applicants must not be an owner of any other properties in Singapore or overseas.

Applicants can also qualify for additional grants under the SHG here or if they live close to their parents.

By introducing such grants, it lowers the entry price to buy a home.

Likewise, if similar grants are introduced in Malaysia, it will mean more Malaysians can afford to buy their first home.

You can read more about the scheme here:

Think about it.

Step 4: Introduce housing loans direct from the housing ministry

In Singapore, most Singaporeans will opt to get a loan directly from the HDB which gives a concessionary interest rate at 2.6 per cent. 

This means, regardless of the economy, the interest rate will remain the same unlike taking a bank loan.

In addition, the HDB is more compassionate if say, one is unable to service their loans.

The HDB will still require you to pay your monthly mortgage but will work out a plan that will ensure you will still have a roof over your head.

However, banks are less forgiving when you take a bank loan and will not hesitate to repossess your flat if you do not pay your mortgages on time.

In Malaysia, applicants must apply for a bank loan.

However, due to non-payment of PTPTN as well as bad credit, some applicants find their loans being rejected.

Perhaps, a way to get around it is to have a housing loan disbursed by the housing ministry with its own set of rules similar to the HDB. 

Step 5: Introduce a rent-to-own scheme (for those who can't afford downpayment)

While there is no rent-to-own scheme in Singapore, this mode of housing ownership is getting popular in Malaysia.

For example, Ayer Holding introduced a ‘Stay & Own' scheme for their Epic Residence and Foreston projects whereby part of the rent will be converted to the downpayment.

This not only provides a temporary solution for those who urgently need a home but also a form of security 

You can read more about the scheme here: 

As humans and technology evolve, so has the workplace. Expect more intuitive technology being employed in the near future.

By Khalil Adis

Mention GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and the first thing that comes to mind is innovation. In fact, the word innovation is synonymous with this pharmaceutical giant which is renowned for consumer products such as Sensodyne and Aquafresh toothpaste.

“At GSK, we often ask ourselves, “do we have the right properties?” In Asia, it is all about growth. Asia is a huge piece of our future,” said Simon French, GSK’s Workplace and Design Director, Worldwide Real Estate and Facilities, United Kingdom.

French was speaking at the CoreNet Global Summit 2018 held in Singapore in March.

Titled Beyond the Horizon – The 2030 Workplace, GSK’s Asia headquarter office at Singapore’s research & development hub at one-north features intuitive workspaces that promote human interaction and collaboration while being culturally sensitive.

For example, its food offerrings at the premises are halal, keeping in mind the city-state’s multi-racial and multi-religious society. “Bacon & eggs won’t work in Singapore,” quips French.
​
The design process behind its GSK Asia House at Rochester Park in one-north involves looking at commercial drivers, behaviours & culture and design thinking

What results is an open office space spanning four floors of 14,330 sq m with plenty of natural light and ventilation.

In addition, it also has four layers of invisible security barriers before you get to see the actual work space.

Indeed, the ground floor is open to the public while the entire building is designed to bring in natural light.

“In Singapore, outdoor areas are under- utilised. We, therefore, have used the outdoor space in the western part of the building as
it affects employees’ behaviour - happy staff equals a more engaged people,” says French.

Commerce and value creators 

While open design appears to be the order of the day, the design process is very much rooted in commerce.

GSK estimates that the Asia Pacific region will become its largest regional market by 2020. As such, greater emphasis has been placed on those who bring value or are generating revenue.

“We call this smart working where no leaders and directors have an office. It is about transparency, being able to see leaders and seeing them working. Constant sharing of ideas is relevant to the scientific industry,” explains French.

To make the workspace conducive to allowing open communication, seeing different perspectives and the exchanging of ideas, GSK Asia has created ‘neighbourhoods’ where there are no specific desks for anyone.

“There are no specific desks for anyone with fluid sitting areas and workspaces. This means you can work anywhere while promoting the exchange of ideas,” notes French.

Even the ground floor, which is not considered GSK’s working space, has created revenue.

“By having a concierge, we realised ownership of open space increases quickly. As such, Google is using the space and leasing from us,” reveals French.

​Moving forward, French expects the future workplace to look at intuitive technology.
​
“We are in the process of developing this whereby your laptop is recognised, and your presentation will automatically come out. In short, the building knows who you are,” he declares.

A record 740 corporate real estate professionals attended the CoreNet Global Summit 2018 which features more than 40 thought leaders shedding light on the critical relationship between an organisation’s productivity, bottom line, and effective CRE management.

The two-day summit revolved around nascent and current developments such as geopolitical shifts and technological disruption, which have complicated decision-making in many organisations across the Asia Pacific.

This story was first published by Asian Property Review in its July-August 2018 issue

The Batu Pahat HSR station is located within the state of Johor at Pura Kencana, Seri Gading. Batu Pahat is a hub for garment and textile factories. Major townships in the vicinity include include Rengit, Yong Peng and Semerah.  The main economic drivers here are those in the the furniture manufacturing, food processing and agrotourism. However, isnce 20011, there has been a notable growth in small and medium industries such as textiles, garments and electronics. 

​#6: Impact

Also known as MRT Line 3, this is the final line that will comprise of a “wheel and spoke” system to connect to MRT Line 1 and SSP. Line 3 is expected to be completed in 2025. Collectively, all three lines will be integrated with the current trains systems forming the Klang Valley Integrated Train System. However, this project has been postponed by the new federal government when it took power in May 2018 owing to budget cuts.

#9: Impact
The impact for this postponement will be marginal as this MRT Line will still need to be constructed to connect the SBK Line and SSP Line. 

We will most likely see speculators staying away from the market.

This presents good opportunity for genuine homebuyers to start looking in and around the station.

Homes in the secondary market will be the most ideal as they are priced cheaper than new launches.