Malaysia Book of Records Award Recognition for ETFE Roof Canopy and Water Jet
Speech by YAB Tuan Chow Kon Yeow, Chief Minister of Penang
Malaysia Book of Records Award Recognition for ETFE Roof Canopy
and Water Jet in Aspen Vision City, Batu Kawan
24th March 2019
Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen,
As always, it is a pleasure to be present at any event involving Aspen Group and to witness its continuous achievements that are transforming Batu Kawan which was once considered a hinterland into a bustling metropolis. Property developers are more than just building homes or constructing buildings and today Aspen Group is the best example of how such a difference can be made. This Group is exemplary with its willingness to go the extra mile to have developments with a vision that stands out from others while creating a sustainable environment.
Aspen Group has made strenuous efforts to achieve something out of the norm while launching their ambitious new developments. They began a new adventure and introduced the Aspen Vision City by investing in a 245-acre of land in this township with the aim of creating an intelligent and integrated city. Then came along their joint-venture partnership with IKEA Southeast Asia when we witnessed the opening of the first and only IKEA outlet in the Northern Region ten days ago. Its success can be seen with the overwhelming response it has been receiving since March 14.
Subsequently, through an agreement between Aspen Vision City Sdn Bhd and Marriott International, Inc, Aloft Hotel will begin operations here in Batu Kawan by the first quarter of 2023, its very first international business class hotel. Besides that, the first phase of Aspen Vision City – Vervea, which was recently completed, is the largest commercial precinct in the Northern Region and is slated to become its new commercial hub.
Not focusing solely on buildings, Aspen Group had also displayed their vision of sustainability with their 25-acre Central Island Park, adhering to the concept of eco city which the state government has given emphasis for the development of Batu Kawan. The green lung of this city drew throngs of visitors to the park and instantly became famous in social networks.
The state government compliments Aspen Group for having such a vision and strongly encourages all developers to think out of the box and devise even more ambitious and peculiar ideas which could further contribute towards Penang as a green and smart state.
Distinguished guests,
Driven by its role to spearhead the socioeconomic growth of Penang, PDC as a state government agency which is now predominantly focused on the mainland, has laid a platform in Batu Kawan and provide assistance to involve the participation from some of the leading property developers such as Eco World, Paramount, PE Land and of course Aspen Group, all of which PDC considers as ‘Partners in Progress’. The state government hopes that developers will fully utilize the ‘package’ provided by PDC to “kill two birds with one stone” by prospering Batu Kawan and establishing yourselves as leading developers at the same time.
Numerous projects and programmes have been strategically premeditated by PDC to prosper the third satellite city after Bayan Lepas and Seberang Jaya, in our mastermind plan of maintaining a balanced development between the island and mainland.
The current progress of Batu Kawan Industrial Park, measuring 1,500 acres of prime industrial development land which was set up and the launching of Suria, one of the five phases of Hijau E-Komuniti, an affordable housing scheme which is expected to provide homes to 59,000 residents, are merely small glimpses of success out of the overall scheme of things awaiting Batu Kawan.
With PDC being the master planner for the Bandar Cassia development alongside the continuous support and creative effort of the developers such as Aspen Group, the state government is positive that by 2030, Batu Kawan will be prosperous with a booming economy and will certainly be a bustling metropolis attracting even more investors and industry players, paving its way to be the ‘The Silicon Valley of the East’.
Having said that, I would like to redirect the spotlight to Aspen Group as they have always been in the forefront of remarkable developments and now have succeeded in getting into the Malaysia Book of Records for Three Awards. It’s truly remarkable to see how far this Group is growing and the huge differences it is making.
I’m honoured to witness Aspen Group receiving this notable recognition. I wish you best of luck and may you continue with your creativity to introduce many more new and innovative things for the betterment of the state and our people.
Thank you.