This article first appeared in City & Country, The Edge Malaysia Weekly on November 24, 2025 - November 30, 2025

The Edge Malaysia editor emeritus

Every developer aspires to be recognised as best in class, and with good reason. The title carries weight, inspiring buyer confidence and signifying excellence.

The Edge Malaysia Top Property Developers Award (TPDA) was introduced in 2003 — more than two decades ago — to separate the men from the boys and help consumers make better informed investment decisions.

From the outset, our intent was clear: Malaysia’s top property developers must be both financially strong and exceptional in delivery. Thus, TPDA’s unique ranking system evaluates developers through an in-depth review of their quantitative and qualitative attributes.

Financial health remains non-negotiable; a top developer must be resilient, not at risk of collapse. For the judging process, we accept only audited numbers from official sources. All companies listed under the property sector on Bursa Malaysia are automatically ranked. Others — privately owned companies and property arms of listed companies — will need to submit their audited accounts for the judges’ consideration.

A top developer must boast hallmarks of excellence such as: product quality, timely completion, innovation, creativity, image, credibility and management expertise. This qualitative evaluation rests in the hands of acknowledged industry veterans — respected voices with an acute sense of market pulse. The Edge also sits on the panel of judges.

TPDA plays a significant role in raising the benchmark of the industry. It is heartening to see how far Malaysian developers have come, transforming challenges into catalysts for growth. Even amid rising costs, changing buyer expectations, and unimaginable trials such as the Covid-19 pandemic, Malaysia’s top developers have continued to innovate, adapt and raise the bar for excellence. The industry today stands taller because of their resilience and vision.

This year’s search for Malaysia’s best has been as challenging as ever, with the gap between the Top 10 developers narrowing — a healthy sign for the industry and consumers alike.

Congratulations to Sime Darby Property Bhd.

First clinching the top spot in 2009 and reclaiming it last year, Sime Darby Property has proven its merit by staying at the top again this year. Kudos to the other developers that have fiercely competed for a place at the main table, and a special shout-out to the privately owned companies that voluntarily submitted themselves for scrutiny — your efforts speak volumes about the desire to push excellence to new heights.

Datuk N K Tong is immediate past president of Rehda Malaysia; group managing director of Bukit Kiara Properties Sdn Bhd; and an independent non-executive director (INED) of Standard Chartered Bank Malaysia Bhd and chairs its Board Risk Committee. His other governance roles include being on the Panel of Experts of the Ministry of Housing and Local Government and as an INED of both CIDB IBS  Sdn Bhd and JA Russell & Co. He is also involved in public advocacy for Malaysia’s adoption of nuclear energy.

These top developers do great work in the important nation-building role of providing housing for our rakyat, and for many of them, their impact extends to other countries around the world. They can stand tall as some of the best developers in the world and do Malaysia proud as global leaders in this dynamic industry.

Tan Sri Teo Chiang Kok is a patron and past president of Rehda Malaysia, trustee of Rehda Institute and past president of FIABCI Malaysia, Malaysia Shopping Malls Association and Building Management Association of Malaysia.

He is executive chairman of the 1 Utama City Group and has been involved in the property development industry for more than 50 years.

The Top 10 list remains largely intact, with one new entrant causing a single drop-out. There are quite significant shifts in rankings, which is unsurprising, given that year-to-year performance can vary based on project completion and delivery, which can affect annual financials. Last year was particularly challenging for the property development industry, with significant hikes in input and operating costs, making the continued strong performance of the Top 10 developers all the more commendable.

Note: Teo abstained from judging Paramount Corp Bhd

Datuk Seri Michael Yam is a past president and patron of Rehda Malaysia and, until recently, global president of the Chartered Institute of Building. He is incumbent chairman of the Construction and Built Environment Productivity Nexus, with the mandate from the government to transform the industry to embrace modern methods of construction to enhance efficiency and greater environmental, social and governance (ESG) alignment.

He is chairman of several private niche development companies and manages his own boutique corporate and development advisory consultancy. He is chairman of Triterra Sdn Bhd, Mercure KL Glenmarie Hotel, THY Urban Sdn Bhd and Global Data Infrastructure Sdn Bhd.

He is chancellor of the University of Wollongong Malaysia, an adjunct professor of Universiti Teknologi MARA and Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology as well as a guest lecturer at Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman for the Master in Real Estate Development programme.

This year’s TPDA is not dissimilar to the recent past competitions — an extraordinary showcase of resilience, innovation and ingenuity by the top developers despite market challenges. While most of the smaller and mid-size companies are apathetic towards this competition, many larger enterprises have exhibited remarkable commitment to excellence in design, masterplanning, inclusivity and greater alignment with the ESG agenda.

The top developers have definitely incorporated features that have a positive impact on the community. Some have progressively redefined modern living standards, balancing creativity with functionality that fulfils the desires of end-users. These are the unique selling points that differentiate the top developers from the average. The good news is that more and more developers are adopting these USPs and committed to doing better. The Edge’s TPDA has indeed provided the platform for developers to compete with and learn from one another and sets the pace as the gold benchmark for developers to gauge their performance against their peers and improve themselves.

Note: Yam abstained from judging Paramount Corp Bhd, Malaysian Resources Corp Bhd  and Triterra Metropolis Sdn Bhd

Datuk Seri F D Iskandar, group managing director and CEO of Glomac Bhd and patron of Rehda Malaysia, has three decades’ experience in the property development industry. He sits on the board of several private limited companies, including Axis REIT Managers Bhd, and is immediate past chairman of the Construction Research Institute of Malaysia.

For 23 years now, The Edge Malaysia Top Property Developers Awards has been the one list everyone waits for. It is our industry’s very own Oscars. It keeps developers on their toes, pushing them to try harder, aim higher and enjoy a bit of friendly competition along the way. And while others may try to emulate the awards, it is never quite the same, which, in its own way, is a rather nice compliment.

To all our winners, a big congratulations. You have earned your place through hard work, grit and a clear desire to keep getting better. And for everyone still chasing the next milestone, let this be a nudge that there is always room to grow and do even more.

Well done to all and here is to many more years of raising the game together.

Note: F D Iskandar abstained from judging Glomac Bhd

Datuk Ho Hon Sang is president of Rehda Malaysia for the 2024-2026 term. He previously served as deputy president (2022-2024) and was chairman of Rehda Selangor (2020-2022).

With over 40 years of experience in property development, engineering, consultancy, road privatisation and general management, Ho has held several key positions including group CEO of Mah Sing Group Bhd, CEO of Sunsuria Bhd and managing director of Sunway Bhd’s property division. He is currently an independent non-executive director of Sime Darby Property Bhd and an adviser at Equatorial Palms Sdn Bhd as well as a board member of the Construction Industry Development Board.

Ho is a national council member of the Institution of Engineers, Malaysia and a registered professional engineer with a practising certificate with the Board of Engineers Malaysia. He graduated with first class honours in civil engineering from Universiti Malaya in 1984 and completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School in 2005.

The competition this year was nothing short of fierce, with participants showcasing an impressively high calibre of work. Choosing the winners was no simple task. What this truly reflects is a property industry that continues to push forward with confidence, even as it navigates stricter compliance demands, rising costs and an ever-expanding list of requirements.

The environmental, social and governance agenda, in particular, has taken on a new level of seriousness. This year’s winners demonstrated a genuine commitment to sustainability, not just in box-ticking, but in the way they embed long-term responsibility into their designs, operations and ambitions.

Looking ahead, the bar will only rise. The years to come will be even more competitive, and only those who keep moving ahead of the curve will stand a real chance of walking away with the prize.

Note: Hon Sang abstained from judging Majestic Gen Sdn Bhd, Sime Darby Property Bhd and Sunsuria Bhd

Tan Sri Eddy Chen is group managing director of MKH Bhd and former chairman of PR1MA Corp Malaysia. A patron and past president of Rehda Malaysia, he served on its national council from 1996 to 2020. Chen was previously on the board of advisers for the Malaysia Shopping Malls Association (2018-2022), president of the Building Management Association of Malaysia (2022-2024) and chairman of the construction, property and infrastructure committee of the Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia. He is currently president of the Royal Selangor Golf Club.

First, let me once again congratulate The Edge on a sustained benchmarking of the Malaysia property sector — peer-to-peer referencing best practices in the industry. The fact that this exercise has gone on for more than two decades shows how credible this has been. A gold standard of sorts!

I felt very honoured to have been a witness and a contributor to this process. The property sector has since gone through booms, troughs and now a prolonged L-shaped cycle as we see flat growth in the housing sector.

It is my hope that the government will continue to support the housing industry via more stimulus to drive homeownership and affordability, and that some initiatives like the Urban Renewal Act will see the light of day to rejuvenate some of the run-down buildings to bring better, affordable quality houses for all, regardless of economic status. For many trapped in these debilitated houses, this is an opportunity for them to move up the value chain.

However, more needs to be done. We need to see a return of the Housing Consultative Council, which includes all stakeholders, chaired by the prime minister, with its secretariat sited in the Ministry of Housing and Local Government to drive housing with the objective of deliberating on all issues related to having and finding a solution that sustainably accommodates all concerned. A holistic approach is needed to get the industry to once again become an economic engine of growth — contributing significantly to gross domestic product and wealth, and the well-being of the rakyat.

Once again, syabas to The Edge for the successful conclusion of TPDA for 2025.

Note: Chen abstained from judging MKH Bhd

A patron and past president of Rehda Malaysia, Datuk Jeffrey Ng has 40 years’ experience in finance and corporate management in the property and hotel industries in Malaysia and Australia. He is a fellow of Chartered Accountants, Australia and New Zealand as well as a member of the Malaysian Institute of Certified Public Accountants, adviser to the Malaysian REIT Managers Association, industry adviser to the Faculty of Accountancy and Management at Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman and chairman of Rehda Institute.

Ng was a member of the Appeals Board under the Federal Territory (Planning) Act. He retired as CEO of Sunway REIT and chairman of United Overseas Bank Malaysia, and now sits as an independent non-executive director (INED) of Ayer Holdings Bhd and INED chairman of CapitaLand Malaysia Trust.

He is founder of boutique property developer Urban Hallmark Properties Sdn Bhd.

Great effort was made by the top three developers to retain their rankings. Improvements by both Matrix Concepts Holdings Bhd and OSK Holdings Bhd in their ranking are impressive.

From a marketing stance, the top developers continue to focus on the UNSDG sustainability themes but with different emphases.

For example, biodiversity, healthy lifestyle, community engagement facilities, comprehensive amenities and nature are well received by property stakeholders, including house buyers.

As a strong branding proposition, strategies in conservation and preservation of nature in property development are trending well now and for future generations.

All the top property developers know their game in generating media publicity and public relations.

They will continue to strive with excellence and innovation attributes to remain relevant to grow their share of the market.

Note: Ng abstained from judging Ayer Holdings Bhd

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