
RM1.4 billion project unveiled in Likas
Published on: Thu, Jul 24, 2025
By: Hayati Dzulkifli Text Size: Nick (right) posing with Puan Sri Irene Loor (fourth left), Kevin (second right), its Executive Director Ryan Chu (left), its Group Manager Joshua Ho Yee En (third right), Douglas (fourth right) and others while showing the model of 'The V' Project at the company's Sales Gallery here on Wednesday. Kota Kinabalu: Jesselton Waterfront Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Jesselton International, in a joint venture with Yayasan Sabah, officially unveiled on Wednesday its latest project, 'The V', a RM1.4 billion Gross Development Value (GDV) integrated waterfront development along Tanjung Lipat in Likas. 'The V would occupy 10.04 acres along Likas Bay. Fo' under of Jesselton International Tan Sri David Chu said 'The V' name in Roman numeral for number five draws inspiration from five elements that symbolise harmony and balance in life, reflecting a design philosophy that integrates nature, wellness, and connectivity. From its flowing architectural design to wellness-focused amenities, he said every feature had been thoughtfully crafted to create a destination where people can live, work, and connect in harmony, blending lifestyle and business within one ecosystem. 'Kota Kinabalu is one of the last places in Asia where you can still live by the sea at a price under RM300,000. That's an increasingly rare opportunity. 'Today, it's common to spend the equivalent of a property's value on a car, which depreciates over time. In contrast, property offers much more than a lifestyle statement — it represents long-term security, rental potential, and a tangible asset for future generations,' he said. Jesselton International Managing Director Nick Chu said the project marks another milestone in the company's property development journey. 'Our company's core focus has always been building quality and iconic developments, from our first project Jesselton Residences which we completed in 2017, to Jesselton Twin Towers completed early last year. 'Completing these developments and achieving innovating feats inspired us to build 'The V' and this project will be the largest development in our portfolio to-date, comprising three towers of commercial suites condominium, and one corporate office tower, where all four towers have accessed to their own stunning facility decks and the views of Likas and the bay. 'It has 78 blocks of commercial shops which are connected to a central air-well podium, and will house some of the finest businesses,' he said, at the preview. Nick said 'The V' represents five elements forming the rhythm of nature namely the metal, wood, water, fire and earth. 'As we unveil 'The V', our vision is simple: that is to also bring together the five essentials of modern living — nature, design, wellness, community, and ambition — creating a destination that feels nothing short of five-star. 'The opportunity is rare as developments of this size in prime Likas, positioned with such a great view, selling at very competitive prices for easy entry. 'Early bird deals are for a limited time,' he said, while adding that the sales gallery would be open to the public starting July 2025. Walk-ins are welcome to explore the show units and discover more about this landmark development, he added. Nick also commended its joint venture partner, Yayasan Sabah Group, which was represented by its Chief Operating Officer Douglas J. Joinol and his team, for being very supportive in providing the opportunity to realise their vision through 'The V'. Jeseelton International Group CEO Kevin Thong said 'The V' marks an exciting chapter for the company as they continue to shape Kota Kinabalu's skyline. 'The project which will commence in Sept, this year and expected to be completed in four and a half year, features a new benchmark in Waterfront living. 'Occupants and units owners get to enjoy permanent gazetted sea frontage along Likas Bay, offering uninterrupted views and exceptional exclusivity — a rare privilege in Sabah. 'The project will have Borneo's first 100-metre infinity lap pool, pickle ball courts, zen gardens, co-working lounges, kids' splash and play zones, and sky bars, among others,' he said. Kevin said they are targeting 80 per cent foreigners from China, Hong Kong, Korea and Taiwan showing interest for the commercial service suites or AirBnB. 'We are developing 'The V' project to accommodate Sabah's booming tourists in coming years where they could stay in our service suites as we know existing hotels also could not attend to the high demand of tourists coming to the State especially during peak season. 'In fact, the Sabah government has targeted 3.5 million tourist arrivals in 2025 following a successful 2024 where this exceeded the three million target. To a question, Kevin said Yayasan Sabah as its JV partner is taking up half of Tower D which is around 14 to 15 floors out of 31 floors in the tower, with the purpose of making the floors as their offices.
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The couple's pop-up coffee stall, operating out of the back of a van, is just one of many at the neighbourhood's Saturday car-boot sale. Taman Melawati is one of several locations in Klang Valley seeing a rising coffee trend of young traders bringing drinks once served only in cafes and big coffee chains, to the streets. An oral history The pop-up coffee stall trend is closely tied to Gen Z, according to Hedir Abdul Manan, 38, who has been in the food and beverage industry for seven years. Hedir, who helps out at his family's food stall in Medan Selera AU2 in Taman Keramat in Ampang, calls the trend the third wave in local coffee culture. 'The first wave was the kopitiam with their local brews. 'Then came the second in the form of big coffee chains. Hedir Abdul Manan, 38 'The latest wave would be these street vendors,' he said. He added that the first time he saw the trend of street vendors setting up small tables to sell coffee and snacks to passers-by was in Manchester, England, while working on his masters thesis in facility management in 2009. 'I also saw this in Perth, Australia, in 2017 during a working trip to do quantity surveying. 'In these countries, these stalls are only open until 11am and their main customers are people looking for a quick drink while on their way to work. 'In Malaysia, many of these coffee stalls only open from evening until as late as 2am,' said Hedir. The country's warm climate, he added, was a factor in operating during later hours. 'While it may be argued that no one would want to drink coffee at night as it will keep them awake, we forget that our evenings are cooler, making it more conducive to hang out, especially since these stalls are usually outdoors,' he said. The father of three said the genesis of pop-up coffee stalls could be traced back to the movement control order (MCO)era when takeaways became the new norm. 'It started with the air balang sellers who came up with products like kopi ikat tepi, which were selling for below RM5. 'Due to Covid-19 restrictions and need for social distancing, camping and the great outdoors became a trend and this was when collapsible furniture and equipment also became more affordable and easily available. 'The availability of portable generators or batteries, with some models lasting up to three days, allows hawkers to operate their coffee machines and grinders from the trunks of their vehicles,' said Hedir. Fuelling the trend, he said were two words – 'healing' and 'chilling' – buzz words used by Gen Z to denote the need to rest, relax and recharge. 'These pop-up stalls, of which most have a campsite-like set-up, further evoke a hipster feel, quite unlike that of a regular, traditional hawker stall, which is now seen as 'old school'. 'In a nutshell, even if it's just a stall, these pop-up coffee stalls are still nice enough for outfit-of-the-day selfies,' he added. Another crucial element is that these stalls are not just offering cheaper copycat versions of more established cafes; they also have their own products. 'I know of stalls which have kopi kaya in their menu,' he said. Kopi kaya is coffee that has been flavoured with kaya (coconut jam). Sustainability factor On the question of sustainability and revenue viability, Hafiz Haizam, 26, a wedding dais maker who is helping his sister-in-law with a coffee stall franchise she bought in 2020, predicts the coffee trend easily lasting another 10 years. Hafiz, who also operates a stall at a carpark in Taman Melawati like Hanim and Safwan, said when the franchise first started business after the MCO in 2021, they were later able to expand. Hafiz's stall, at Jalan Bandar 4, opens from 11am to 6pm, with daily sales of RM400 to RM600 per day. The price range for his drinks, using kopi kampung – locally blended roasted coffee usually with sugar and margarine – is between RM6 and RM9. Two other coffee stall operators opposite Hafiz's say they can sell between 40 and 60 cups a day, earning a profit of between RM3 and RM5 per cup. These encouraging figures motivated Shahril Musa, 44, about three months ago to start selling iced coffee and chocolate drinks from the boot of his car while waiting to pick his daughter up from school. Shahril, a marketer, said he now made it a point to sell his drinks on a more regular basis. However, the rising trend of pop-up coffee stalls comes with its fair share of social issues. At a recent MPAJ board meeting, the proliferation of roadside coffee stalls in Taman Keramat was blamed for traffic chaos in the area. MPAJ deputy president Hasrolnizam Shaari said that while the council supports the coffee culture, operators need to manage their businesses in an orderly fashion. To tackle this, Hasrolnizam said that MPAJ's Licensing and Entrepreneurial Development Department director Addy Hissham Elias was currently carrying out an inventory to assist such small businesses. 'Many coffee sellers are youths and MPAJ is keen to help them look for suitable sites to do business without obstructing traffic,' he said. 'Most of the complaints are traffic-related as these coffee businesses are set up by the roadside and under trees.' Coffee traders who intend to set up stalls are advised that there are 462 temporary hawker sites under MPAJ's purview. Hasrolnizam said conditions for application include compulsory attendance of a food handling course and typhoid jab. The duration for temporary licence is a year whereas static permits are only valid for six months, based on MPAJ's licensing conditions. Opening times at the temporary trading sites are divided into three sessions: 7am to noon, noon to 7pm and 7pm to midnight. Successful applicants may only pick a maximum of two sessions, priced at RM120 per month per session. Local coffee culture On Nov 15 last year, during the tabling of Selangor Budget 2025, Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari announced that RM1mil was allocated towards the organisation of a coffee festival in conjunction with Visit Selangor Year. Among the goals is to allow emerging baristas to explore the coffee bean industry and corresponding technology. Last month's Pesta Kopi Melawati 2025, at Jalan Negara Kita Art Alley in Taman Melawati, saw 15 local coffee entrepreneurs participating in the festival organised by MPAJ and Hulu Kelang state constituency coordinator's office. Amirudin, who launched the event, posted on his social media page that local coffee culture had seen an extraordinary transformation in the last 10 to 20 years. 'In the past, coffee was just a drink you order at a warung. 'Today, it is a lifestyle, taking on its own cultural narrative with its diverse flavours and preparation techniques. 'It has also served as a bridge to unite local communities.' Amirudin also said that Taman Melawati was now known as one of the areas with an active local coffee culture, with more than 30 coffee entrepreneurs operating there. 'With continued support for micro and creative entrepreneurs, I hope that one day Selangor will be able to stand on par with neighbouring countries such as Indonesia and Vietnam in highlighting the local coffee industry at regional and global levels,' he added.