Sime Darby Property walks the talk on inclusion with first inclusive playground

Sime Darby Property has partnered with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) to launch Malaysia’s first inclusive playground in conjunction with Zero Discrimination Day. Designed with critical end-users in mind, the inclusive playground is located in Sime Darby Property's City of Elmina township in Shah Alam, Selangor. According to Sime Darby Property, these users include children with and without disabilities, parents, grandparents, and technical specialists, including organisations of people with disabilities, early intervention practitioners, and educators.

The property developer attributed its decision to open in the City of Elmina to the township's concept that is founded on principles of wellness, work-life balance, sustainability, and inclusion. "Due to its key focus on multi-generational living, all properties and community spaces have been designed using the principles of universal design," Sime Darby Property's spokesperson told A+M.

This in turn ensures that families with older grandparents or those with physical disabilities can live and enjoy all facilities equally with others. At the same time, the concept behind the inclusive playground is said to resonate deeply with their ethos as well. 

In 2017, UNICEF released a report, "Childhood Disability in Malaysia, A study on Knowledge, Attitudes, and Perception," with key findings indicating that the knowledge was low attitudes were predominantly negative, and practices excluded children with disabilities in Malaysia. Aware of Sime Darby Property's forward-thinking ideas on property development, UNICEF decided to engage the company to be the "inclusive champions" for children with disabilities. 

Equipped with ramps, spinners and swings that are designed for children with different capabilities, the inclusive playground will allow children to enjoy sensory poles. At the same time, it will allow the children to experience different textures and improve their steadiness on balancing logs and steppingstone slabs," said Sime Darby Property. As part of the collaboration, a "Best Business Practice Circular, and Guidance" toolkit was also released during the launch, inspiring other property developers and city councils to build inclusive, safe, and child-friendly spaces, including playgrounds. 

Separately, when asked about its marketing strategy for 2022, Sime Darby Property's spokesperson reiterated a previous statement made by group MD Azmir Merican who said its strategic initiatives implemented since last year will catalyse the company's growth into a real estate company.

"Through our investment and asset management segment, we have introduced the industrial development fund in partnership with LOGOS Property, targeted to make its maiden contribution in the second half of FY2022, as well as focus on expanding our retail and placemaking components in our flagship townships. We are optimistic of the growth opportunities in this sector that will broaden Sime Darby Property’s recurring income streams for the long term," he said.

Continuing the positive momentum from the last year, Sime Darby Property has planned strategic new launched that are worth more than RM2 billion in gross development value (GDV) planned for FY2022. In fact, in Q1, the company will be launching new residential landed products with a GDV worth RM571.0 million in the City of Elmina, Bandar Bukit Raja, Serenia City, Bandar Ainsdale, Nilai Impian and KL East; and high-rise products with a GDV worth RM156.0 million in Putra Heights.

Meanwhile, on the leadership front, Sime Darby Property appointed Lai Shu Wei as its chief marketing and sales officer last April. Before that, he was unifi's VP and head of marketing as well as CEO of TM Net and CEO of TM Multimedia at Telekom Malaysia. He first joined the telco as CMO for webe digital in 2015. 

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