JPBW Monthly Seminar: “Town Planning From The Private Sector Perspective”

An alumni of the Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Faculty of Built Environment (FAB), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Johor Bahru, Encik Abdul Razak bin Mohd Yusoff, Chief Executive of Kumpulan Prasarana Rakyat Johor (KPRJ), a State of Johore Government Link Company (GLC) delivered an elightening talk in JPBW Monthly Seminar on 3rd December 2015.

Encik Abdul Razak bin Mohd Yusoff is a graduate of Urban and Regional Planning, UTM in 1987 and has a Post Graduate degree in Land Economics from Nihon University, Tokyo, Japan.  He began his career in the late 1980’s as a Research Assistant (RA) at FAB and moved on to become a Contractor with YTL, a Turnkey Contractor with Trans Resources Corporation (TRC), a Developer with TRC Development Sdn. Bhd., a Township Developer with Island and Peninsular (I&P) Group Sdn. Bhd. He is then appointed as the Chief Executive of KPRJ in Mei 2015.

During the talk he shared his pains and gains in his carreer path starting from the era of economic recession in 1980s; and the knowledge of urban and regional planning that were utilized throughout his carreer in the construction and property development. He also spoke at length about his experience as a property developer and the many hardships that a developer went through in the long process of developing a property. The talk was held at the Convention Hall, FAB from 11.00 am till 1.00 pm.

jpbw-seminar-dec

UTM Shares Knowledge with Thai Authorities on Housing Development in Iskandar Malaysia

UTM Johor Bahru – Twenty two (22)  officials from the National Housing Authority (NHA) and Nakon Rachasima Office, Thailand, led by two senior academics from the Mahasarakham University (MSU), visited the Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Faculty of Built Environment (FAB), UTM Johor Bahru and Iskandar Malaysia on 24 November 2015.

The visit was part of MSU’s joint research with the two Thai authorities in search of international best practice models for housing development. UTM and Iskandar Malaysia were chosen as two of the several international reference points.

On hand to receive the Thai delegates at the Faculty were Assoc. Prof. Datin Dr. Norsiah Abdul Aziz, Head of Department (Urban and Regional Planning) and Mr. Chau Loon Wai, Lecturer from Urban and Regional Planning  Department and Core Researcher of the UTM-Low Carbon Asia Research Centre based in the Faculty.

Mr. Chau briefed the Thai delegates on Iskandar Malaysia’s development and the current state and issues of housing development in the rapidly growing economic corridor.  The delegates were then led on a technical visit to key development projects in Johor Bahru and Nusajaya.

The activity is a recognition of the quality of teaching and research in UTM’s Department of Urban and Regional Planning and bears testimony to the department’s continuous efforts in internationalising and contributing to the regional and international communities.

MSU has an active MoU with UTM since January 2011, to which the Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Faculty of Built Environment has been most actively contributing with annual joint workshops and occasional technical visits.

Study Visit to Batam, Indonesia by Third Year SBEP Students

study-visit-batam

Twenty two students from the 3rd Year, Bachelor of Urban and Regional Planning Programme,  Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Faculty of Built Environment, UTM visited Batam on 3rd. November 2015 as part of the academic activities for the course SBEP3243 Planning Practice. The objective of the visit was to expose students to the planning practice in neighbouring countries. The visit was led by Dr. Gobi Krishna s/o Sinniah, a senior lecturer who is teaching the course.

During the visit, the students were briefed on the development and planning system in Batam by Mr. Aidil Sahalo, from Badan Perencanaan Daerah Kota Batam.  The students had the opportunity to visit a new township and housing development known as Orchard Park.  The brief on the development of the project was delivered by the main contractor of Agung Podomoro Land, the developer of the project.  Other places visited included the Batamindo Industrial Area, the oldest industrial area in Batam known for its manufacturing and shipping industries, Batam Centre and Barelang Bridge that connects seven (7) islands in the Batam region.

UTM Open Day