It is an unprecedented time as the nation grapples with the Covid-19 pandemic. Plans are being redrawn and new measures are being imposed by the government, affecting all sectors, including property development.

The Movement Control Order (MCO), which has now has been extended to April 14, has resulted in a nationwide shutdown of all non-essential business premises, including property sales galleries. For developers, project launches are being deferred while sales have suffered.

City & Country contacted top 10 developers in The Edge Malaysia Property Excellence Awards (TEPEA) 2019 that are looking at innovative ways to stay in touch with homebuyers and investors in the short run. The Edge Malaysia Top Property Developers’ Awards, which anchors TEPEA, ranks the best property developers in the country based on both qualitative and quantitative attributes. With the exception of Sunway Property (the property arm of Sunway Bhd), IOI Properties Group Bhd and UOA Development Bhd, which declined to participate, the top developers talk about how they have resorted to digital platforms and mobile apps, with some opting to sell their products online. Below are their takes on and short-term plans for the MCO.

S P Setia Bhd 

President and CEO Datuk C J Khor

“ We are leveraging our digital communication platforms to keep in touch with our buyers. These platforms include telephony, SMS, emails, websites, mobile apps, social media and social chat. When the MCO was announced, we immediately informed all our buyers that S P Setia has activated the work-from-home arrangement and provided them with the key contacts to call [should they require assistance].

We have also ensured that all of our product information is made available on our digital channels. Customers can view the product details and reach out to our personnel through the various digital channels available.

We have also introduced the Setia Community mobile app where buyers at our key townships can interact with us. We are continuously improving our services and adopting new communication channels to engage with our buyers.