Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow (second from right) during the closing ceremony of UDA Carnival 2024 @ Penang at Gravitas in Jalan Baru, Perai here. With him are (from left) Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development Ministry deputy secretary-general Datuk Zamri Salleh, UDA Holdings Bhd chairman Tan Sri Mohd Annuar Zaini, State trade, entrepreneurial and rural development committee chairman Rashidi Zinol and UDA Holdings Bhd president and chief executive officer Datuk Mohd Salem Kailany. – Photos by ZHAFARAN NASIB/ The Star
Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow (second from right) during the closing ceremony of UDA Carnival 2024 @ Penang at Gravitas in Jalan Baru, Perai here. With him are (from left) Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development Ministry deputy secretary-general Datuk Zamri Salleh, UDA Holdings Bhd chairman Tan Sri Mohd Annuar Zaini, State trade, entrepreneurial and rural development committee chairman Rashidi Zinol and UDA Holdings Bhd president and chief executive officer Datuk Mohd Salem Kailany. – Photos by ZHAFARAN NASIB/ The Star
BUKIT MERTAJAM: The three-day UDA Carnival 2024, organised by the UDA Holdings Bhd (UDA) at Gravitas in Jalan Baru, successfully showcased the developer’s new concepts and a variety of projects this year.
Celebrating its third year, the event attracted thousands of attendees and marked over 50 years of UDA's contributions to the community in Penang.
UDA Holdings Bhd chairman Tan Sri Mohd Annuar Zaini expressed gratitude for the ongoing support from Penang, which has allowed UDA to continue its leadership in real estate development within the state.
He highlighted UDA's long-standing history in Penang, beginning with its inaugural project in Tanjung Tokong in 1972, involving infrastructure development and the resettlement of long standing residents which aimed to enhance the socio-economic conditions of the local population.
"In the Tanjung Tokong project alone, UDA was allocated 17.8ha of land to resettle 2,136 squatter families.
"To date, 1,486 units have been completed and handed over for free to these families, with 650 more units currently under construction," Mohd Annuar shared during the carnival's closing ceremony.
He said thus far, UDA has developed 25,509 units of residential and commercial real estate in areas such as Tanjung Tokong, Taman Pauh Jaya, and Bertam, Kepala Batas in Penang.
Investing in communities
Beyond real estate development, UDA is committed to supporting the needy, having channelled close to RM40mil into community projects.
UDA, through its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme, has built a religious school at Tuan Guru Mosque, a community hall, and 56 shop units in a food court at Desiran Tanjung.
Additionally, UDA donated RM650,000 for the expansion of the Karwa Mosque, and allocated RM37mil to build other amenities such as a public market, bazaar, restaurant, high school, and district education office.
Under the UDA Cares programme, zakat donations totaling RM128,450 have been distributed to over 1,500 underprivileged students within UDA's development and business regions in the northern region, added Mohd Annuar.
He said the funds were channelled through the National Education Savings Scheme Fund (SSPN).
"Our partnership with the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) aims to encourage a culture of saving among the younger generation, while also supporting underprivileged entrepreneurs to improve their socio-economic conditions," he said.
PTPTN chief executive officer Ahmad Dasuki Abdul Majid received a mock cheque from Mohd Annuar on stage.
An additional RM30,000 in zakat donations was provided to 10 underprivileged entrepreneurs in Penang, with the funds received by Persatuan Ikhtiar Kasih adviser Ahmad Tarmizi Abdullah.
Visitors to the UDA Carnival 2024 @ Penang at Gravitas in Jalan Baru, Perai having a good time with family and friends as they take part in fun activities.
Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, who was present at the event, expressed confidence in UDA's projects to provide opportunities for more Penangites to own their homes and improve their livelihood.
He commended UDA for having provided 23,930 residential units as well as 1,579 real estate units in this state with an excellent track record of no projects abandoned.
"UDA is now rehabilitating abandoned projects such as Mengkuang Heights and Taman Orkid Indah in Seberang Perai.
"This initiative has indirectly given back hope to the original buyers of the projects to live in the homes they have dreamed of.
"My hope is that UDA will intensify the prospect of real estate development in Penang, especially in efforts to build more affordable houses for the people to own.
"The state has always strived to ensure sufficient supply of housing to the people in line with the Penang2030 Vision, which, under its A1 strategic initiative, is to address issues on housing and diversity for housing.
"The first target under this initiative is to supply as many as 220,000 housing units by 2030. "As of July 25 this year, a total of 161,466 affordable housing units – equivalent to 73.39% of the target – have been achieved, consisting of various stages of construction in the five districts throughout Penang," he said.
Visitors to the carnival listen intently to an UDA personnel about the various property projects by UDA.
The closing ceremony also featured a special appreciation segment for loyal UDA Property clients. Two grand prize winners, businessman They Wee Jin, 52, and accreditation officer Sarah Fathiyah Mubarak, 27, each won a Perodua Ativa in a lucky draw.
Wee Jin had purchased a home in Pelindung Heights (Phase 1B Package 3) in Kuantan, Pahang, while Sarah bought a home in Amaanee Residences in Penang.
This year, UDA featured its 13 products that include various real estate segments such as affordable houses, open category houses, business lots and office shop spaces such as in Kuala Terengganu Golf Resort (Phase 6 Package 1) in Kuala Terengganu, Pelindung Heights (Phase 1B Package 4) in Kuantan as well as Areca Terrace (Phase 4B) and UDA Heights (Phase 1C) in Bandar UDA Utama.
The company is planning to launch several more products this year such as Mawar @ Taman Sultan Sallehuddin in Alor Setar, Neu Pendington (Phase 1A and Phase 1B) in Kuching, Crescent Dew (Phase 1B) and Crescent Dew Commercial in Kepala Batas, Wakaf Seetee Aisah 2 (Office Store) in Seberang Jaya, Taman Sena Permai in Kangar, Sedili Residensi in Kota Tinggi, 21 BizHUB in Bandar UDA Utama and Residensi Akasia Raya in Kuala Lumpur.
The next edition of UDA Carnival will be held in Bandar Tun Hussein Onn in Cheras, Selangor from Sept 27 to 29.
