"Apart from cars, property development became our next game. – Dato Tan"

The trio of PH Leong, Kenneth Teh, and Dato Tan Su Cheng, is on a roll in Genting Highlands, creating superbly designed condominiums for discerning Malaysians.

Over breakfast in early 2018, PH Leong, Kenneth Teh, and Dato Tan Su Cheng were mulling over the idea of developing a one-of-a-kind condominium in Genting Highlands. The idea was taken further to develop a design concept.

Thorough studies on various aspects such as environmental impact and potential returns for investors were important elements to consider. When all made sense, they zeroed in on a strategic piece of land in the Midhill section of Genting Highlands. The rest, as we say, is history. Geo Antharas was birthed.

Geo Antharas will stand out as the only condominium in Malaysia with a section geared for Supercar owners. A total of 10 floors, specially reserved.

"Being car enthusiasts ourselves, we understand the togetherness and lifestyle that we humbly share. To emphasize this further, the tower will be themed with nodes of racing elements throughout, from the private lounge up to the parking lots, where the cars will be featured," says Dato Tan.

Commenting on the new development, Dato Tan explains that developing a condominium in Genting is a dream come true for all three of them.

"We just love the crisp, cool weather and the pleasure of driving our cars up the hill. We have always had the vision that one day, maybe in 5-10 years, when remote working becomes the norm, people will be able to move up here, to stay and work.

It will be the best place to work in Malaysia due to the cooler climate. We feel it allows the option for companies to relocate from high-cost city centers to Genting Midhills, Dato Tan elaborates."

Dato Tan, the Managing Partner of an award-winning interior design firm, PDI Design & Associates, predicts that at the rate development is going on in Midhills, there will be a major facelift in Genting in the next 10 years, giving rise to a city, potentially called Midhills City.

"There are currently 5-6 condominium developments on-going now and more are expected to be built here. But there will be a limit, due to the difficulty of diverting water supply in the area. Hence, overdevelopment of condominiums is highly unlikely, staving off any risk of an oversupply," Dato Tan notes.

Landowner and major developer of Genting Permai, PH Leong, is the guiding force behind the recently completed Geo38 Residence, GEO Hotel & Resort, and the soon-to-be-launched Geo Antharas. PH Leong is also credited for developing several thousands of properties ranging from landed properties to high rises, in his 30 years of business expertise.

Coolness Personified

Each with past experiences in property development, this partnership has great synergy.

"We work very well together, capitalizing on each other's strengths and in time, discovered that we share passions, from supercars to ethics to properties. This was indeed a natural progression for us, moving forward," enthuses Dato Tan.

He adds: "During our many brainstorming sessions, we came up with a lot of design ideas and how to give buyers the best for their investments. These sessions are priceless to us, we built up a lot of trust and support between the three of us."

"My interest in property development was also encouraged, having dealt with many top developers, in interior design matters, for the last 30 years. It was during these years, that I have learned a lot, in regards to property development and also some trade secrets. I was very fortunate to have met three renowned property tycoons in the market, who later became my mentors. They have kindly guided us step by step for this project; from project design, finances to marketing," Dato Tan reveals.

For Dato Tan, who has been investing in property for the last 20 years, developing a property has always been his 'elusive' dream and now, the dream is finally becoming a reality. "Yes, I have been considering being a developer for some time. I have a passion for building dreams for people, from all walks of life. It is very humbling to know that we are helping to fulfill the dreams of many Malaysians whom I have met from all over Malaysia; each shares the same dream, that is owning a property in Genting Highlands."

Along with giving time for his property development works, Dato Tan continues spearheading his firm, PDI Design & Associates, undertaking interior design for many Corporate clients. "We do very unique designs, which include enhancement work in the high-end Bangsar and Damansara areas."

Dato Tan is thrilled and cannot get over the fact that living at home without turning on the air conditioner is such a "fantastic thing" in Malaysia. He also loves the fact that within a few minutes' drive from the development, nature is in abundance – waterfalls, and hot springs, where one can trek and cycle.

"Besides Genting Highlands, we are also in discussions on developing prime land in the Ampang/KLCC area. We plan to design quality homes with vast greeneries in a quiet zone in the Ampang/KLCC area."

Dato Tan is also happy that his villa, Remember Villa, situated in Janda Baik, completed in 2017, is currently doing very well. "Janda Baik is a beautiful area where nature coincides with the simple pleasures of life. We have rare monkeys and hornbills in the area, just 15 minutes drive away from Genting Highlands."

In the pipeline, is an iteration of Remember Villa in Ipoh which will be housed in a 100-year old heritage building. A third Remember Villa will be built on an existing building in Lorong Selamat, Penang. The Penang Villa is specially designed for SMEs for team building and strategy meetings, Dato Tan reveals.

Aviation Factor

A member of the trio, quiet and reserved Kenneth Teh is in the business of aviation, taking care of the sales and marketing, due to his vast networking with neighboring countries such as Hong Kong, China, and Singapore. He deals with the authorities for approvals and is an essential part of the team, holding a directorship.

The 'Coolness' Factor

Apart from its crisp, cool weather, the short distance from Kuala Lumpur makes it an ideal getaway from the city. A mere 45kms from Bangsar in Kuala Lumpur, it takes about one hour to reach the Midhills section.

There are hundreds of choices when it comes to food. Gohtong Jaya which is about 800m away from Geo Antharas is a gourmet paradise, with many food outlets that cater to all tastes and cultures.

For shoppers, the Genting Highlands Premium Outlets (GPO) is nearby while Resorts World Genting (RWG) at the hilltop, offers even more choices. This year, the 20th Century Fox World Theme Park is expected to be completed thus offering visitors even more activities to indulge in. RWG is also known as an international entertainment center, hosting many international artists.

Nearer to the condominium stands the Awana Golf Course and strawberry, butterfly, and bee farms. "about 200m away is the Highlands International Boarding School while a university and a hospital are in the pipeline," reveals Dato Tan.

"The potential is massive in Genting Highlands. Currently, there are only 15, 000 rooms to accommodate 30 million tourist arrivals every year which still fall far short of demand." For Genting Highlands, the trio is planning for more developments shortly. They are currently identifying potential pieces of land there.

This comes back to why the supercar owners-turned-developers are tuning in to the next hotspot in Genting. The property game is only just heating up for them.