16 April, 2026 PETALING JAYA (April 16): ECM Libra Group Bhd has completed the disposal of Tune Hotel George Town Penang to Wealthpro Holdings Sdn Bhd for a total cash consideration of RM51,888,000. The group confirmed completion via a Bursa Malaysia announcement yesterday (April 15), with the transaction executed through its wholly-owned subsidiary ECML Hotels Sdn Bhd. The disposal...
2026
Techie’s island: An artist’s impression of Penang’s Silicon Island. 09 Apr 2026 GEORGE TOWN: Nearly half of the upcoming Silicon Island will be reserved for industry and infrastructure use, while slightly less than a third will be used for housing as well as commercial and mixed-use developments. Industrial use will take up 224.1ha, or nearly quarter of the reclaimed island measuring...
Transport minister Loke Siew Fook and chief minister Chow Kon Yeow (left) at the MRT Corp office at the Pesta Pulau Pinang site today. (Bernama pic) 10 April 2026GEORGE TOWN: MRT Corp has officially taken over the site of the iconic Pesta Pulau Pinang to construct a depot and train station for the Mutiara Line LRT project. Chief minister Chow Kon Yeow said at least half of the 8.13ha site would be...
The installation of The Obscura canopy bridge at Batu Ferringhi. — Picture by Opalyn Mok GEORGE TOWN, April 8 — Langur Project Penang (LPP) today installed the third canopy bridge to enable safe crossing for wildlife in Batu Ferringhi while at the same time, spotlighting the hidden primates in the area. The new bridge, named The Obscura, was a name given by Perhilitan Pulau Pinang based on the...
(From left) Penang tourism exco Wong Hon Wai, The Habitat Group managing director Danny Chua, chief minister Chow Kon Yeow and former chief minister Lim Guan Eng at the 10th anniversary celebration of The Habitat, a rainforest park on Penang Hill. 5 April 2026GEORGE TOWN: The RM367.2 million Penang Hill cable car project is now 28% complete, chief minister Chow Kon Yeow said today. He said some key...
Monday, 06 Apr 2026 GEORGE TOWN: The newly formed Penang International Financial Centre (PIFC) Task Force Special Committee has been established to explore the setting up of the centre in the state. Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the committee would play a key role in charting the direction of the proposed financial hub, including preparing a white paper and a strategic action plan to secure...
An artist’s impression of Penang Silicon Island. Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the site allocated for the administrative centre is limited to about 2.8 hectares (seven acres) and will be subject to strict development controls GEORGE TOWN, April 7 — The Penang government is planning the construction of a new state administrative centre including a new state legislative assembly on Silicon...
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 26 — Malaysia’s property transactions hit a new high in 2025, surpassing RM240 billion for the first time in a decade. The milestone was revealed in the Property Market Report 2025, released today by the Valuation and Property Services Department (JPPH). According to the report, the total transaction value increased by 4.1 per cent year-on-year, reaching RM241.87 billion,...
KUALA LUMPUR: Eastern & Oriental Bhd (E&O) is stepping up its project pipeline, driven by new waterfront developments in Penang and continued township expansion at Andaman Island, as it advances the long-term master plan for the reclaimed island. Managing director Kok Tuck Cheong said the group's next launch will focus on a low-density commercial waterfront project within a 30-hectare belt...
HB Perspective...
CONVENTION tourism sector in Penang has recorded strong growth in recent years, with the industry generating an estimated economic impact exceeding RM1bil last year. Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the sector has become a vital lifeline for local industries, bolstering transportation, retail, hospitality and supply chains. He added that with the upcoming Penang Waterfront Convention Centre...
PETALING JAYA: Construction behemoth Sunway Bhd has proposed to acquire rival IJM Corp Bhd in a mega cash-and-shares deal worth in excess of RM11 billion. In its exchange filing today, Sunway said it had served notice of its conditional voluntary takeover offer on the IJM board to acquire all of the 3.5 billion IJM shares at RM3.15 a share. It said the offer price will be satisfied via cash totalling...
GEORGE TOWN, Jan 12 — Penang’s historic waterfront from Swettenham Pier Cruise Terminal (SPCT) to Tanjung City Marina (TCM) will be redeveloped into a commercial promenade under a long-term plan to revitalise the island’s seafront, Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook said today. He said TCM, the old godowns along the stretch and Church Street Pier are currently run-down but will be...
SEVERAL long-planned transport and infrastructure projects in Penang will move into the construction and delivery phase this year. State infrastructure, transport and digital committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari said the Penang Light Rail Transit (LRT) Mutiara Line, being built under the Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP), would be advancing following completion of preparatory works. Another major...
The Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) scheme, which generated nearly RM900 million (S$284.2 million) in the year to June 2025, is increasingly being used as a visa for globally mobile families chasing international school access and a second base – not just retirees looking to settle. Behind the headline inflows, demand is increasingly concentrated. Chinese nationals make up about 53 per cent of main...
January 10, 2026 BATU KAWAN: Penang's tourism sector is projected to maintain strong growth this year, with over eight million tourists expected to arrive via Penang International Airport. State Tourism and Creative Economy Committee chairman Wong Hon Wai attributed the growth to several new international flight routes, particularly direct services from Asian and Southeast Asian countries. "Last...
January 6, 2026 PETALING JAYA: Malaysia's residential property prices are expected to increase only modestly this year, by around one to two per cent, according to Real Estate and Housing Developers' Association (Rehda) president Datuk Ho Hon Sang. Speaking at the CEO Series 2026 pre-launch press conference today, Ho said that while construction costs are rising due to operational and logistics...
KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 5): Sunway Bhd (KL:SUNWAY) has acquired three land parcels in Selangor and Penang for RM179.8 million, in a move to strengthen its presence in key urban growth corridors. Spanning nearly nine acres, the acquisitions involve parcels in Puchong and USJ 1, Selangor, as well as George Town, Penang. They are earmarked for mixed-use developments with a combined estimated gross...
January 5, 2026 GEORGE TOWN: The new shopping centre at Penang Waterfront Convention Centre (PWCC) will complement the area's mixed-use development, supporting business and tourism without creating a retail glut. IJM Perennial Development director Datuk Tony Ling Thou Lung said the retail component is part of an integrated project including a convention centre, offices and hotels, and is not intended...