&bull With identified space of more than 210,000 square feet within Imperio Mall@Hatten City, Quantum Healthcare has committed to lease more than 138,000 square feet of space on Lower Ground Floor, Ground Floor and Mezzanine Floor with the option to lease up to an additional 72,000 square feet on Level 1

&bull Quantum Specialist Centre will be the newest healthcare facility in Melaka with its planned phased opening in second half of 2023

&bull Melaka is one of Malaysia&rsquo s top medical tourism destination and Imperio Mall' s strategic location in the heart of Melaka Raya' s commercial district, just minutes away from UNESCO World Heritage sites, makes it an ideal destination for these discerning travellers

&bull Post pandemic, the retail, hospitality and tourism activities in Malaysia have seen a strong rebound with Hatten Land continuing its proactive approach to re-purpose its property assets with new and innovative concepts to harness new business opportunities.

 

Hatten Land Limited (惠 胜 置 地 有 限 公 司 ) (&ldquo Hatten Land&rdquo , and together with its subsidiaries, the &ldquo Hatten Land Group&rdquo ) and Quantum Healthcare Limited (&ldquo Quantum Healthcare&rdquo and together with its subsidiaries, the &ldquo Quantum Healthcare Group&rdquo ), are pleased to announce the signing of a tenancy agreement (&ldquo Agreement&rdquo ) entered into between MDSA Venture Sdn. Bhd. (Hatten Land&rsquo s wholly owned subsidiary and developer of Imperio Mall@Hatten City) and Quantum Specialist Sdn. Bhd. (&ldquo Quantum Specialist&rdquo ), a subsidiary of Quantum Healthcare, for Imperio Mall@Hatten City in Melaka, which has recently been repositioned as a medical mall.

 

Imperio@Hatten City, also known as Hatten City Phase 2, is a spectacular mixed-use development completed in 2019, comprising Imperio Mall and Imperio Residence. The development features an iconic " cascading steps" design that doubles as an outdoor jogging route, offering breath-taking views of the coastline and the surrounding city skyline.

 

Located on prime acreage within the larger 25-acre completed Hatten City development, comprises both Phase 1 and Phase 2, Hatten Land is establishing a luxurious lifestyle district within Hatten City in Melaka, providing an indulgent living experience with an array of premium amenities that includes:

- Popular 5-star hotel managed by DoubleTree by Hilton

- Comprehensive healthcare services by Quantum Healthcare Group

- Extraordinary skyline dining experiences and lifestyle offerings in partnership with Singapore' s

1-Group

- Luxurious condominium units

- Dynamic experiential hub offering differentiated retail and esports experience at ElementX

Under the Agreement, both parties have identified more than 210,000 square feet of space within Imperio Mall@Hatten City, of which Quantum Specialist is committed to lease more than 138,000 square feet on the Lower Ground Floor, Ground Floor and Mezzanine Floor. In addition, Quantum

 

Specialist has an option to lease up to an additional 72,000 square feet on Level 1 of Imperio Mall@Hatten City, subject to a mutually agreed-upon agreement to be entered into.

 

As the anchor tenant of the eight-storey Imperio Mall@Hatten City, Quantum Specialist Centre will feature operating theatres, imaging centre, aesthetic clinics, specialist clinics and F& B outlets as well as house its own corporate offices.

 

Quantum Specialist Centre marks Quantum Healthcare&rsquo s first overseas expansion and maiden foray into medical tourism. Quantum Specialist Centre will be the newest healthcare facility in Melaka with its planned phased opening in second half of 2023.

 

This Agreement comes on the heel of a Strategic Partnership Agreement signed by both Hatten Land and Quantum Healthcare at SGX Centre in March 2023, which was witnessed by business partners of both companies as well as officials from the Singapore Exchange.

 

Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (&ldquo MHTC&rdquo ) said Malaysia&rsquo s healthcare travel industry recorded more than RM1.2 billion in revenue last year &ndash its highest since 2019 &ndash as air travel rebounded after three years of pandemic lockdowns and travel restrictions. MHTC expects the medical tourism industry to continue growing, with a projected annual revenue of RM2 billion in 2025.

 

While Melaka is one of the top tourism sites in Malaysia that is renowned for its UNESCO World Heritage sites, this multi-cultural city is also one of Malaysia&rsquo s top medical tourism destinations.

 

With Hatten City&rsquo s large-scale integrated healthcare, hospitality and retail components, there are more opportunities to drive new value creation and increase the footfall within Hatten City to cater to the growing needs of these medical and wellness tourists and their entourage as medical tourism activities scale up in Melaka. Healthcare and wellness travellers generally stay longer and spend more per trip than the average tourist(2)(3).

 

Post pandemic, the retail, hospitality and tourism activities in Melaka have seen a strong rebound with Hatten Land continuing its proactive approach to re-purpose its property assets with new and innovative concepts to harness new business opportunities.

 

By collaborating with government agencies and established industry leaders, the Hatten Land has successfully transformed its properties into dynamic destinations that cater to a diverse range of needs and preferences. The Board of Directors of Hatten Land believes that its focus on innovation and creativity has not only helped it to differentiate itself from competitors but also allowed it to contribute to the development of Melaka' s vibrant and thriving property market.

 

Dato&rsquo Colin Tan, Executive Chairman and Managing Director of Hatten Land, said: &ldquo The signing of Quantum Healthcare as an anchor tenant for Imperio Mall is not only a significant milestone for the property, but also a testament to Melaka' s attractiveness as a top choice for medical industry investors in the region. This partnership is expected to attract more medical-related investments into the city and complement the rebound of retail, hospitality, and tourism activities in Melaka.

 

Our collaboration with Quantum Healthcare will allow domestic and foreign patients to take proactive, personalised steps towards improving their healthcare journey and enhancing their overall well-being &ndash all within a strategic location at Imperio Mall, offering convenience for patients and service providers.

 

Promoting Melaka as a world-class destination for medical treatment, we aim to complement the authorities&rsquo initiatives to make Melaka a preferred medical tourism destination in Asia.&rdquo

 

Quantum Healthcare CEO Thomas Tan added, &ldquo Located at the heart of Melaka, Quantum Specialist Centre will be more than just a place for medical treatment and recovery.

 

We aim to deliver high quality, hassle-free continuum of care incorporating technology and innovative concepts with modern spaces and built-in flexibility.

Our business presence in Melaka is expected to open new opportunities for Quantum Healthcare and accelerate our ambition to become a regional leader in the healthcare space for the ASEAN region.

 

Quantum Healthcare Group is ready and eager to embark on a new journey in Melaka to serve more patients by offering accessible, convenient and affordable healthcare services.&rdquo

1-Altitude Melaka will sit atop the highest point in the coastal state&rsquo s tallest building 

 

The 1-Altitude Bar will sit on the 44th floor of Hatten City, Melaka' s tallest building. 

SINGAPORE&rsquo S 1-Group is spreading its wings overseas for the first time by launching seven lifestyle and hospitality concepts across the Causeway &ndash in Melaka.

 

In a joint venture with Malaysian developer Hatten, the group will take up 100,000 square feet spread across the top five levels of Hatten City, a seafront mixed development with more than 40 floors.

 

1-Group was the operator of the popular 1-Altitude rooftop dining and nightlife destination at One Raffles Place for 12 years until its closure on Mar 31, 2022. The group is known for F& B concepts in Singapore, such as the multi-concept venues 1-Atico and 1-Arden on the top floors of Ion Orchard and CapitaSpring respectively, and heritage properties such as The Alkaff Mansion in Telok Blangah and The Summerhouse in Seletar.

 

1-Group&rsquo s founder and managing director, Joseph Ong, told The Business Times that the total investment in 1-Altitude Melaka is expected to be over RM10 million (S$2.9 million). It will occupy the penthouse space on level 43, as well as the various rooftop levels from the 44th floor and up.

 

The group also plans to expand to Ho Chi Minh, Bangkok, Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur. &ldquo After 16 years of being only in Singapore, and with the help of Enterprise Singapore, we have devised an international expansion plan and aim to expand across Asia over the next decade,&rdquo said Ong.

 

Melaka was chosen over the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur as the group&rsquo s first outpost because it offers a unique and distinct value proposition for the 1-Group brand, he said.

 

While Melaka has a small local population, it attracts many tourists from within and outside Malaysia. In 2019, it drew over 17 million tourists, of which 70 per cent were Malaysian, and the rest, international visitors, said Ong.

 

The city also has a rich cultural heritage, including Unesco (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) World Heritage sites.

 

&ldquo However, the destination does not have what 1-Group can provide &ndash a vibrant night business, premium dining spaces and iconic wedding venues,&rdquo he said.

 

Hatten City sits on reclaimed land. Its skydeck will enable 1-Group to create recreation and dining concepts with views of the city skyline.

Opening in stages from July to December 2023, six of the seven concepts are: Wildseed Café and Bistro Italian fine-dining restaurant Monti FLNT, which serves Japanese-Peruvian fusion cuisine an as-yet-unnamed speakeasy bar the rooftop 1-Altitude Apex Bar and the 1-Altitude Coast day and night clubs, complete with Melaka&rsquo s highest rooftop pool at 195 m above sea level.

 

Italian fine dining restaurant Monti will be located on the 45th floor. PHOTO: 1-GROUP

 

FLNT, which serves Japanese-Peruvian fusion cuisine, will be on the 44th floor. PHOTO: 1-GROUP

The seventh and final concept, still unconfirmed, is a Chinese restaurant, possibly specialising in seafood testing is underway for a no-pork-no-lard menu.

 

These concepts were selected based on variety, diversity, market demand and adaptability to the local market, said Ong.

 

Ong, referring to 1-Group&rsquo s concepts in Singapore, said they &ldquo are performing better than they did pre-Covid&rdquo .

 

&ldquo Many of our brands started to mature just prior to the pandemic they were fortunately able to continue to grow during the Covid-19 period,&rdquo he said, without citing numbers.

ATTEN Land on Wednesday (May 17) addressed a claim that its subsidiary was under probe by the Malaysian authorities over its Harbour City development in the Malaysian state of Melaka. 

 

The Singapore-listed developer was responding to a report in China Press, a Chinese-language newspaper in Malaysia, which quoted one Ng Kian Nam, a buyer of property in Harbour City, making allegations against Gold Mart Sdn Bhd (GMSB), the developer of Harbour City. Ng charged that GMSB had not applied for a housing developer licence for the project, and that the authorities had agreed to launch a probe to against GMSB under Malaysia&rsquo s Housing Development Act.

 

In a statement on Facebook, Hatten Land said the allegations had &ldquo tarnished the reputation&rdquo of its subsidiary and &ldquo resulted in unnecessary concern and fear among our contractors and purchasers&rdquo . 

 

It added that GMSB would initiate legal proceedings against Ng for his charges.

 

Plans for the mixed-use development were unveiled in 2018. Harbour City, to comprise a mall, theme park and three hotel blocks, is expected to span 4.5 million square feet (sq ft) in built-up area when completed.

 

The project was to have been opened in the first half of 2020, but construction was delayed because of a legal dispute between Hatten Land and the main contractor, and also because of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

 

Referring to Ng&rsquo s allegation about GMSB&rsquo s alleged failure to apply for a housing developer licence, Hatten Land said on Wednesday that it did not have to do so under Malaysia&rsquo s Housing Development Act because the units sold were commercial ones, not residential ones.

 

It added that its buyers were aware of this, &ldquo as the relevant sale and purchase agreements clearly describe the nature and specifications of the said units&rdquo .

 

Giving an update on the stalled project, Hatten Land said: &ldquo (GMSB) is diligently working towards the resumption of construction at Harbour City, and aiming to complete the project as soon as possible.&rdquo

 

It did not provide details of a completion date.

 

The legal dispute in 2020 that stopped construction work involved a claim of RM100 million (S$29.6 million) by the main contractor China Construction Yangtze River over the construction and completion contract for the project. The total contract value was RM818.2 million. 

 

Hatten Land said: &ldquo The main contractor ceased work and initiated legal proceedings. However, we have successfully resolved the legal dispute with the main contractor at this point.

 

&ldquo Additionally, the construction progress of Harbour City was further impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.&rdquo

 

Hatten Land added: &ldquo Mr Ng Kian Nam&rsquo s statement has had a negative impact on our contractors&rsquo willingness to resume construction work, thus resulting in further delay in the project&rsquo s development and completion. Additionally, purchasers have been unnecessarily alarmed. 

 

&ldquo (GMSB) remains committed to completing the Harbour City project and ensuring the satisfaction and confidence of our valued stakeholders and investors.&rdquo

 

The Straits Times reported that in March, at least 80 people, including Singaporeans, had organised a protest against Hatten Land at one of its developments, ElementX Mall in Melaka.

 

The buyers said they were unhappy with the long delay and that they were having to continue paying for their investments in the meantime.

 

In February this year, Hatten Land announced that it would terminate an existing agreement it had with Tayrona Capital Group over the proposed divestment of GMSB. The developer said Tayrona Capital Group did not comply with its obligations, including paying a consideration to GMSB.