Group photo of all the winners together with (front centre, left to right) Yeow, Noor Azman and Firdaus. — IZZRAFIQ ALIAS/The Star

The old, the new and the unlisted celebrate at MDA’s inaugural event

IN collaboration with FIABCI-Malaysia, the International Real Estate Federation’s Malaysian chapter, Star Media Group introduced the inaugural Malaysia Developer Awards (MDA) 2022, which celebrates the most acclaimed and prominent property stakeholders.

StarProperty hosted the prestigious ceremony at Sunway Resort Hotel where 28 trophies in five categories were presented as Special Awards and Top-of-the-Chart Awards. Housing and Local Government Ministry secretary-general Datuk M Noor Azman Taib was the guest of honour.

The Special Awards comprised the Rising Star Award, Transformation Award and International Award, with each category having its own eligibility and qualifications. The Top-of-the-Chart Awards were divided into the Top 10 for market capitalisation of RM1bil and above, and Top 10 for market capitalisation below RM1bil.

The separation of the Top-of-the-Chart categories drew from the MDA’s holistic, methodical design, which facilitated an even playing field for developers of different sizes and allowed smaller outfits to shine on their own merit.

This innovative approach guided the MDA process throughout its development, application and judging sessions. With a comprehensive panel of judges with multiple disciplines in the property industry, developers were guaranteed a fair and thorough evaluation. Respected names include Bursa Malaysia Bhd chairman Tan Sri Abdul Wahid Omar, MBSB Bank Bhd chairman Tan Sri Azlan Mohd Zainol, Klang Municipal Council president Noraini Roslan, and Institution of Engineers Malaysia past president Emeritus Prof Tan Sri Chuan Hean Teik, who served as chief judges.

“This ensures all projects are assessed impartially, bringing about trustworthy judgments to the industry and the public,” said FIABCI-Malaysia president Datuk Firdaus Musa.

“The MDA incorporates global standards of development excellence to elevate the local industry to the next level. This is done through championing quality without compromise and upholding strong values that focus on social and environmental issues,” he added.

The initial goal of launching the MDA was to create first-rate, holistic and inclusive accolades, and its introduction to the scene could not have come at a more apt time, said Star Media Group chief executive officer Alex Yeow.

Amid Malaysia’s shifting landscape, prompting urgent changes to the real estate industry and other sectors of the economy, the MDA establishes itself as a guiding light for the future of property development while celebrating its foundation of tenacity and dedication.

“Property players have raised their game to tackle new challenges, as evident by the rise of sustainable infrastructure and property. But more still needs to be done,” said Yeow.

“Real estate professionals have to go beyond merely riding on emerging trends and technologies. They must become trendsetters.

“Through MDA’s recognition, we aim to embolden developers to re-imagine the industry’s future which will ultimately showcase how Malaysian players are able to push the boundaries of what it means to be world class,” he said.

With the continuous growth and refinement of procedure, strategy and technique, the future of the MDA will be inspired by an evolving property industry and vice versa.

> To find out more about the methodology of the MDA 

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