Into the green

Suburb of the month: Selayang

Among Klang Valley suburbs, Selayang has been regarded somewhat declassé – an extension of Jinjang populated by urban kampungs, kedai potong and tile factories, made famous but at the same time brought down by its wholesale wet market.

Now however, developers have discovered Selayang’s verdant expanse on the northern reaches of KL’s urban sprawl as literally green fields for residential properties. Not only is there space for landed homes, these can be sited amongst unspoilt elevated surroundings.

Heading up north on busy Jalan Ipoh, you have no less than Batu Caves to remind you that you are now leaving the flat lands of the Klang Valley towards the limestone hills beyond.

Mah Sing Group was one of the early big name developers to build luxury properties here. In 2008, it completed its Perdana Residence gated and guarded bungalows off Jalan Bidara, followed by Perdana Residences 2′s 3-storey superlink houses launched last year. Located close to Selayang Hospital, the follow-up development is now complete and sells on the sub-sale market for in excess of RM1.15 million.

Templer Hills on the way to Templer Park is a boutique development of 45 bungalows, perched on the side of the hill with only forest behind and around you. Built-up area ranges from 3,575 to 6,650 sq ft with prices ranging from RM1,500,000 to RM2,860,000 (RM420-RM430 psf).

Loh & Loh has come out with an impressive township that actually has its own portion of the Bukit Lagong river as part of its landscaping. Idaman Hills offers big bungalows and semi-detached houses priced between RM837,000 and RM2.1 million. Phase 1 is due to be handed over by August next year.

Recently launched closer towards Bandar Baru Selayang is Tiara Pool villas, a bijou street of 46 units perched on a hillside with a superb view of KL. The houses are huge at over 5,000 sq ft, and each has a lap pool. Price starts from approximately RM1,700,000 (about RM350+ per sq ft) and 10 units are still available.

Those with a smaller budget may consider Amansiara’s townhouses. Surrounded by forested hills, these 1,200 sq ft units are priced at approximately RM250,000 (RM208 psf).

Heading back closer to Bandar Baru Selayang is One Sierra, due to be completed next year by Magna Prima. It comprises bungalows, shop apartments and 2.5-storey superlink houses now on the subsale market for from RM 920,000 (RM 316 psf).

Across the road from One Sierra is Selayang Springs. As its name suggests, this development is located just next to the area’s famous hot springs, whose mineral-rich waters draw visitors every day.

Its first phase, Damar condominiums, is sold out while its Cedar condominiums are now being marketed. Units range from 586 sq ft (from RM230,000) to 1130 sq ft sky bungalows selling from RM451,000 (RM390-400 per sq ft). Upcoming phases include serviced apartments, landed houses and a retail building holding a TGV cinema, promise the sales staff.

Set to launch closer to Selayang Indah next month are the leasehold Aveda 228 condominiums and villas. Built-up area ranges between 965-2,575 sq ft, and prices are RM275,000–RM418,000 (approximately RM285 per sq ft); the villas are tagged at RM630,000-RM688,000.

Selayang has seen further regeneration after last year’s opening of Universiti Teknologi MARA’s Faculty of Medicine campus. Under construction next to it is Magna Prima’s D’Sierra. Its 2-storey and 2.5-storey leasehold terrace houses are available subsale upwards of RM800,000.

One big weakness however is the area’s lack of a good shopping mall. Outside of a Tesco Extra on Jalan Ipoh and a medium-sized Selayang Mall (with a Giant and Parkson), one would have to travel towards 1 Utama and The Curve for some true retail therapy.

Hopefully, this will improve with the advent of Emerald Avenue, which will complete in 2014 near Selayang hospital, offering to “inject a thrilling and vibrant lifestyle” to the neighbourhood with a street mall, al-fresco F&B outlets, and a hotel, among others.

Otherwise, with the DUKE expressway connecting this area to Mont’Kiara (and thus Bangsar and Mutiara Damansara) in barely 15 minutes (via Jalan Ipoh and Jalan Kuching), Selayang is looking more and more of a viable option, especially for those who want to live next to the green of nature.

Resident’s stories

Lim Jit Woei, musicianI stayed in Taman Seri Melati from 1981 to 2000. My parents bought in that area because my mum’s parents live in Kepong… My grandfather was a tailor and my auntie had a shop near the Kepong market.

How would you describe Selayang?When we were growing up there it was very nice. There were only four or five tamans there. Now there are like 20 tamans or more and it’s quite seedy, a lot of ah bengs on motorbikes, like a Chinese kampung.

What is your favourite place to eat in Selayang? There’s a very nice seafood fried rice in Selayang Jaya done by a husband and wife. They also do oh chien (oyster omelette) and it’s always sold out. I also like the pasar malam every Friday night. It was just outside my house and very convenient.

Ex-Taman Templer assemblyman Datuk Ahmad Bhari Abd RahmanSelayang has seen rapid growth. It has finally become a town here, with housing, industry and factories. We’ve become more dense.

What do you think of the luxury developments here?The value of property here has enhanced because communities see a lot of services provided here, like hospital, community college, schools and police station for security. Access to Kuala Lumpur is also not very far… It’s not overcrowded like some places, say, Subang Jaya. Also down here we have several thousands acres of forest reserve, Templar Park, FRIM.

What is the history of Selayang?Many of the people here migrated as squatters from Kuala Lumpur. They resettled to Selayang Baru, Selayang Indah and Selayang Pandang. Some came from Perak, Kedah, Kelantan, all over the country. The government gave them legal entities and land titles.

All of this was formerly state land, empty, forest. In the 60s, this area was to them considered ex-mining, rubber estate, plantation land and also forest reserve. Yes, Kampong Nakhoda, Sungai Kertas, Wira Damai are also migrated resettlement. All have titles.”

When we were given land by the government like Shah Alam Properties Berhad to develop Bandar Baru Selayang and Perangsang Templer Golf Club, this became a spark for more development in Selayang. We have Taman Bidara, Taman Selayang Utama, Bandar Baru Selayang, new townships in Rawang.

The pasar borong has been here since the 70s and 80s. Originally it used to be around Putra World Trade Centre in KL. Unfortunately, it also comes with some undesirable things, like illegal people, drugs, gangsterism.

You were quite vocal about development in Selayang.They were clearing the Bukit Batok land tremendously without any proper stages and planning. It can cause flash floods.

What is your favourite place to eat?I like traditional Malay food restaurants like in Selayang Indah, ikan bakar in Rawang. There’s also a very nice, medium cost Chinese restaurant serving halal seafood in Ideal Heights, Bukit Idaman.

How would you describe Selayang?It’s a peaceful area and quite mixed. There’s modern taman-taman, traditional kampongs, Chinese communities in Ulu Kepong, Rawang new villages, Indian communities, some rubber and oil palm estates, orang asli also. So we have balance.

Some amenities

Transport links: The KTM Komuter line (connecting to KL Sentral and Port Klang) which previously ended at Sentul had its old line and stations up to Batu Caves upgraded last year; work has already begun on the KL Outer ring Road (KLORR) which connects Selayang with Cheras but which is controversially cutting through forest; Recently opened is the KL-Kuala Selangor Expressway (LATAR), linking Templer’s Park with Ijok and Kuala Selangor.

Hospital: Hospital Selayang is currently the only advanced microsurgery center in Malaysia. This hospital also serves as teaching and training hospital for UiTM.

Leisure: Batu Dam where you can jog around the lake, football games at Majlis Perbandaran Selayang Stadium.

Retail: Besides Tesco Extra and Selayang Mall, NSK Trade City sells groceries at wholesale prices and is open 24 hours. Selayang’s best kept shopping secret is Fiske in Selayang Industrial Park, which can custom make modernist Scandinavian-style furniture at a fraction of designer prices.