18 Aug 2008, The Edge Daily
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Wide landscaped roads peppered with greenery, waterways, a thriving commercial centre and a golf course - these are some of the attractions of Kota Kemuning, 15km from Subang Jaya, Selangor. On a good day, it takes about 10 minutes to get to Kota Kemuning from Subang Jaya. The ride, however, is not always smooth, especially during peak hours as this toll-free exit is popular with many heading for Subang, Bandar Sunway and other parts of Petaling Jaya.
For those who do not mind paying tolls, there are various other exits to choose from to get to and from Kota Kemuning. The township, after all, is directly accessible via the Kota Kemuning Interchange on the Shah Alam Expressway and is linked to Lebuhraya Damansara-Puchong, North Klang Valley Expressway, North South Central Link and the Federal Highway.
For those who remember, the 1,820-acre Kota Kemuning township was unveiled more than a decade ago by Hicom-Gamuda, a DRB-Hicom and Gamuda Land joint venture. In recent times, however, the boundary of Kota Kemuning has somewhat been loosely expanded to include neighbouring Bukit Kemuning.
In the early days of development, Kota Kemuning was hardly deemed attractive due to the lack of proper infrastructure, but the developer rose up to the challenge by building a RM90 million dedicated interchange for the township. The improved infrastructure and accessibility soon drew other players to the area. The list includes Paramount Corp Bhd's Kemuning Utama and Mah Sing Bhd's Kemuning Residence. At the adjacent Bukit Rimau is Amverton Park, a high-end bungalow project launched by Malton Bhd and A&M Realty Bhd (see box story).
Kota Kemuning has its charm. Residents Sanjay Kumaran and Stephen Ho have made the place their home for five and eight years respectively and have no complaints. "It is a well-planned township with many nice lakes and greenery. Another plus point is the golf club. Till today, the entire township has been well maintained," says Sanjay.
Ho bought his house in 2000. "I was already a member of the Kota Permai Golf and Country Club so the choice was obvious," he adds. Leon Woo of Aglow Plus real estate agency points to the green surroundings as one of the township's attractions. Woo stays in Kemuning Utama, a 525-acre gated and guarded development, just off the interchange of Kota Kemuning. According to him, he has lived in many other parts of Selangor but Kota Kemuning was his best choice.
Pollution and traffic woes
What about the "bad air" that affects Kota Kemuning at times due to its proximity to an industrial area? Woo says this does not happen often and that the affected areas are usually those located in the interior. Ho puts the blame on illegal land clearing elsewhere, and not the industrial area, for the pollution. "Often, the burning happens at night and the winds carry the smoke to Kota Kemuning. This is a well-publicised issue but the problem still persists because the authorities are not consistent in enforcing the law," he says.
What about the traffic jams? Woo insists it is not so bad in the mornings, while Wong says the congestion only happens between 7.30pm and 8.30pm along the Kesas Highway. Sanjay finds the traffic manageable as he only takes about 25 minutes to get to his office at Technology Park Malaysia in Bukit Jalil. "I think some of my friends who live in Subang take even longer to get to another part of Subang!" Ho feels that the lack of a proper traffic dispersal system at the Proton exit (Kesas-Persiaran Kuala Selangor interchange) is the main cause of the jam, which needs to be addressed. "Although work is underway to widen the highway at the stretch leading to the exit, it may only help slightly. The source of the problem lies in the poor traffic management along Persiaran Kuala Selangor," he says.
Well-planned township
Real estate agents find that Kota Kemuning appeals to those residents in Subang Jaya and Petaling Jaya who want to upgrade their homes. Paramount Corp's sales and marketing manager Chan Jy Mei says one of the reasons for the migration could be the lack of new freehold housing developments, with affordable prices. "Kota Kemuning is carefully planned, offering a conducive living environment," she adds.
When Paramount Corp launched Kemuning Utama in 2004, eager buyers queued at its sales office for five days. Chan feels that purchasers today are a more discerning lot. "They are no longer looking for just a house but other things as well, including perimeter fencing, private parks and a certain lifestyle." The same story was repeated at Kemuning Residences, which drew many residents from Subang Jaya, Shah Alam, Klang and Petaling Jaya, seeking a better lifestyle. According to the developer Mah Sing, some came from Kuala Lumpur and outside the Klang Valley.
Value appreciation trend
Metro Homes principal See Kok Loong recalls that when Kota Kemuning was launched sometime in 1998, the value of the houses rose some 30% after they were completed and handed over two years later. He says subsequently, growth had been marginal because the prices were tagged higher. Besides, more houses were available on the secondary market.
Resident Ho says the value of his 22ft by 75ft corner unit has grown some 31% from RM350,000 (developer's price) to RM460,000. Sanjay notes that those who bought early are seeing capital appreciation of around 30%, but those who bought on the secondary market, like him, are not seeing much growth. "I probably can sell my house at a slightly higher price than what I paid for five years ago. At present, people who are buying in Kota Kemuning are those who want to stay and not invest," he adds.
Metro Homes' See notes that current launches in Kota Kemuning, like the Canal Garden terraced houses, are pegged at between RM360,000 and RM380,000, hill bungalows at RM1.3 million to RM1.5 million, and semi-detached homes are going for RM900,000 to RM1.1 million. A bungalow at Anggerik Eria, also in Kota Kemuning, is tagged at RM1.9 million. A&M Realty's Amverton Park bungalows start from RM1.5 million. In comparison, a bungalow in SS19, Subang Jaya, costs RM2.25 million. Hence, the draw of Kota Kemuning for young families.
While Kota Kemuning does not boast a mall, Ho says residents can always shop at the nearby Sunway Pyramid, Subang Parade and AEON Bukit Tinggi.
The building of another highway, Kemuning-Shah Alam Expressway, augurs well for Kota Kemuning. The highway will not only reduce the daily congestion on the Federal Highway and Kesas Highway, but it will also act as a link between the two. Thus, it is expected to boost the value of properties located along it. The 14.7km highway is being built by Island & Peninsular Bhd, with a dedicated interchange to its Alam Impian township. It will pass through Kota Kemuning and Bukit Rimau. It is expected to be ready by end-2009 at a cost of some RM700 million.
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