Facing new challenges

Malaysian Annual Real Estate Convention (MAREC09)

Over the last 10 years the Malaysian Institute of Estate Agents (MIEA) has organised the Malaysian real estate convention and developed various themes to focus the attention of the delegates on the myriad issues that affect the real estate fraternity.

This year’s MAREC 09 has been planned with a down-to-earth programme that will address the real issues affecting the profession and the way the business is operated. The theme for this year’s convention is ‘Reinventing the Profession’, which is apt and timely as practitioners can embrace new ideas to face new challenges ahead.

As the old Chinese saying goes, “A good carpenter will always sharpen his saw”. So with this saying in mind, the institute encourages its members and fellow practitioners to develop themselves continually in order to remain competitive in an ever-changing world.

The speakers will:

·Introduce new practices

·Infuse new ideas in managing the business

·Embrace new methods of operations

·Introduce new marketing methodologies

·Improve attitude & aptitude to manage small firms profitably

·Share methods on how to grow small businesses successfully

At the end of the convention, it is hoped that practitioners would be able to reinvent not just themselves, but the profession as a whole.

The speakers at the convention include:


Previndran Singhe

Previndran Singhe is the CEO of Zerin Properties and focuses on hospitality transactions in the region. He is the only Malaysian selected from among 12 winners across nine categories in the Asia Pacific region for the inaugural Real Estate, Facilities, Project (RFP) Outstanding Individuals in Industry Awards 2007 in the real estate investment category.


YY Lau

YY Lau is the director of YY Property Solutions. With 15 years of estate agency practice, she has serviced some Fortune 500 companies and is much sought after by the press for her comments on the local real estate industry.


Siva Shanker

Siva Shanker is the chief executive of Linear Estates and has more than 24 years experience in the property industry. He is currently a council member of the MIEA and was the convention chairman of MAREC 08.

Negotiators Programme

Having realised that negotiators play an important role in the profession, the organisers introduced the negotiators programme last year and have now made this programme a permanent feature of MAREC.

The negotiators programme at the upcoming convention is expected to teach and guide negotiators on sharpening their knowledge and skills in salesmanship and negotiating. It is structured to impart technical knowledge of the workings of the industry and also to get negotiators to envision the endless possibilities this industry offers them.

The highlight of this convention is when they get first-hand information on how the top producers in the fraternity made their millions. This will be done at the Million Dollar Producer’s Forum, both for the negotiators and the real estate agents. There will be three speakers each from the residential, commercial and industrial sectors who will share their thoughts in the Q & A.

One of the latest topics included is ‘The Malaysia Property Incorporated or MPI’ which has been set up by the Economic Planning Unit, Ministry of Finance, to promote Malaysia as a property investment destination.

The ministry has given a grant of RM25 million for this purpose. The speaker will share ideas on how estate agents can participate in this programme and how they can develop new business leads.

There will also be about 20 exhibition booths that will display products that can benefit the practitioners. These include software programmes for managing listings and negotiators, property inspection and building advisory services, latest maps by Ho Chin Soon, as well as mortgage companies, banks and property magazines.

At the convention, each participant will receive a free voucher which entitles him to free accommodation for a four-night stay either in Bali, Phuket or Pattaya, worth over RM3,000.

All participants are also invited to participate in the Networking Cocktail Reception on Saturday evening, February 14, to celebrate Valentine’s Day.

The current registration fee for MAREC 09 is:

·RM688 for real estate agents

·RM388 for negotiators

Sign up now for the Malaysian Real Estate Convention – MAREC 09, to be held on February 14 & 15. For details, please contact MIEA.

The Malaysian Institute of Estate Agents, Unit C-27-05, Dataran 3 Dua, No. 2, Jalan 19/1, 46300 Petaling Jaya. Tel: 03-79602577 Fax: 03-79603757 Email: secretariat@miea.co.my Website: www.miea.com.my

By The Star