Shining Bright at Seri Alam, The City of Knowledge

Seri Alam thrives as an education and lifestyle city.

Text : Emilio Vergara

To live is to learn and to learn is to live. Combine the significance of both and you will end up with a winning formula. This is where Seri Alam seems to be heading towards.

Strategically located within the Eastern Gate Development, among the most matured localities of Iskandar Malaysia, the fully integrated township provides residents with a comfortable, healthy and convenient lifestyle on top of being home to four universities, earning it the City of Knowledge tag.

At present, Seri Alam, among Johor’s largest integrated townships and UM Land’s flagship development in the state has raked in a total of RM1 billion in investments. While it seems like a good idea to invest, most buyers actually choose to call this endearing place home. As it stands, 70,000 people reside here now and it is expected to double to more than 160,000 upon full completion.

Meticulously planned and groomed to be Asia’s Education Destination of Choice, Seri Alam as the knowledge hub provides education of all levels from kindergarten to university. Residents will not even have to travel far to seek higher or even professional qualifications. 

Thus far, Seri Alam has welcomed four universities, a college, an art school and an international school.  There are Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL), Universiti Technology Mara (UiTM), Masterskill University College of Health Sciences (MUCH), HELP University College (operational, 2013), Mara Junior Science College (MRSM), Malaysia Art School (operational, 2013) and Singapore based Excelsior International School (operational, 2013). A Japanese school, 6 other primary and secondary, and religious schools are also within the knowledge mix.

In a move to introduce Singapore’s education to the community in Malaysia, Excelsior International School’s curricula will be infused with the Republic’s curriculum.  In addition, Excelsior’s curricula include the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program as well as the American High School Diploma and the Cambridge University’s International General Certificate of Education Advanced Level. Secondary school students can opt for the International General Certificate in Secondary Education while children in primary school are offered the Cambridge International Primary Program.

On specific trainings, Masterskill for instance focuses on healthcare courses while the Malaysia Art School, only the second in the country, is dedicated to invoke your creative passion.

Having come a long way since 1992, Seri Alam Properties Sdn Bhd, a fully owned subsidiary of UM Land Bhd, did not begin with just schools in mind. The Lakeside Residency and Garden Residency are examples of double-story linked homes built within the prime precinct offering homeowners generous built-ups of 2,206 sq ft onwards.

Scaling up, the latest collection here is the high-end Sapphire 8 series, set to launch at the end of 2011. It offers 24 units of limited edition semi-detached houses, 19 three-story and 78 two-story link houses all within a gated and guarded perimeter fencing. Surrounded by delicately landscaped and a serene living environment yet infused with modern connectivity, Sapphire 8 is digitally wired with high speed broadband to meet the demands of today’s netizens. The developer is even footing the bills for the first two years.

Those preferring to unwind outdoors within the confines of their own home, they might find the Country Residency an apt choice. Earmarked for bungalows, it fronts the calm lake and will be secured with comprehensive security solutions including the adjacent presence of the police force to ensure your evening get-togethers are not intruded.
 
The developer has also taken the initiative to invite the Eastern Police District Headquarters to set up base here. Police Stations and Community Police Posts are strategically placed across the township and they are complemented with round-the-clock presence of guards.

Good and Complete Mix

Staying true to Seri Alam’s ‘free and easy’ environment, the township has also gone vertical with Country Towers, Grand Vista and Grand Executive, condo-apartments which encourage community interaction through resort-like facilities of swimming pool and a barbecue area.

As a township is never complete with commercial conveniences, Seri Alam addresses this with Tesco hypermarket, Today’s Market,  F&B outlets serving Japanese to fast food, five banking halls and Regency Specialist Hospital, a 218-bed private medical care facility.

Further to commensurate with its growth, the developer’s latest effort is to bestow upon industrious businesses the Fortuna Hub, a three-story shop office development at an upcoming business park, strategically positioned at the center of everything. The sizable 5,040 sq ft from RM766,800 each should pose no hesitation to potential owners as Seri Alam already provides a mature and growing catchment, and soon to be blessed by better connectivity.

“With the completion of the Eastern Dispersal Link, one can travel from Johor Bahru city center to Seri Alam within a mere 18 minutes,” explains Frankie Tan, General Manager of Seri Alam Properties.

Connectivity will continue to be Seri Alam’s trump card as it is only twenty minutes from the North-South Expressway and is served by one of the city’s main arteries, the Pasir Gudang Highway. Soon and to be complemented by the newer expressways, journey to landmark destinations like the CIQ (Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Complex), Senai International Airport and Pasir Gudang Port is anywhere between 10 to 30 minutes only.

Seri Alam’s appeal as a mature township is also ahead of many others with its leisure hotspots. At the 385-acre beautifully landscaped communal park featuring a lake that is complemented by cobbled pathways, families can bring their kids to runabout in the evenings; the same is also a jogging track to frequent runners. Entertainment is no less fun at the Old West-themed Big Valley Ranch while golf enthusiasts are free to sample the 18-hole golf course at Christine Resort.

“Such lifestyle amenities complete with lakes and gardens offer residents a welcome change of environment from the concrete jungle of city living,” says Frankie.

Visitors to Seri Alam can also extend their stay at the 4-star Amansari Residence Resort. The hotel is complete with international class restaurants, an indoor pool, a sauna, a fitness center and every room is furnished with a private balcony overlooking the township’s picturesque lush landscape.

“With careful planning and development, Seri Alam is certainly in good position to leverage on the Iskandar’s masterplan. The positive evolution of the City of Knowledge is also in line with the government’s efforts under the Economic Transformation Program (ETP) to rebrand Iskandar Malaysia into a major education centre of choice,” affirms Frankie.

When these knowledgeable plans crystallize into reality, and it shouldn’t take long, it wouldn’t spring any surprise when it attracts an exciting influx of investments to enliven this already bright township.

Bandar Seri Alam

• 3,762 acres, Freehold
• Current population, 70,000

Location

• Along the Pasir Gudang Highway
• 18 mins to JB City/CIQ
• 10 Mins to Pasir Gudang
• 15 Mins to North-South Expressway
• 30 Mins to Senai Airport
• 25 Mins to Desaru

Current Developments

• Sapphire 8 (To be launched end of 2011)
• Double-story terrace, 78 units, built-up 1,897sf onwards
• Three-story terrace, 19 units, built-up 2,657sf onwards
• Double-story semi detached, 24 units, built-up 2,659sf onwards
• Fortuna Hub
• 47 units of three-story shop offices
• Built-up 5,040sf onwards
• Price –  RM766,800
• Grand Executive
• Three-story walk-up apartments
• 168 units
• Built-up 912sf
• Price – RM141,800

Past Developments

• Garden Residency, double-story link homes
• Lakeside Residency, double-story super-link homes
• Country Residency, bungalows
• Country Towers, condominiums
• Grand Vista, apartments

Educational Institutions

• University Kuala Lumpur, 60 acres, operational since early 2011
• University Technology Mara, 200 acres, operational by 2013
• Masterskill University College of Health Sciences, 12 acres, operational since early 2011
• HELP University College, 5 acres, operational by 2013
• Mara Junior Science College, 50 acres, operational since 2011
• Malaysia Art School, 52 acres, operational by 2013
• Raffles International School, 19 acres, operational by 2013

Public Amenities

• District Police Headquarters
• Christine Resort and Golf
• Amansari Residence Resort
• Regency Specialist Hospital
• McDonald’s Drive Thru
• Tesco Hypermarket
• Banking halls, F&B outlets and various commercial offerings

To witness UM Land’s flagship township in Johor, call or visit Galleria Seri Alam at 8, Jalan Suria, Bandar Seri Alam, 81750 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia.