Encouraged by 4-star ‘Best Golf Development’ award, BHR ready to invest more

KUCHING: Borneo Highlands Resort (BHR) has gained further recognition when it won a four-star award in the ‘Best Golf Development’ category at the Asia Pacific Property Awards 2008 at Marina Mandarin hotel in Singapore, Sunday.

RECOGNITION FOR EXCELLENCE: Lee (fourth right) and his wife Puan Sri Tan Bee Hong (fifth right) and Country Heights Holdings Berhad’s top management posing with the awards. From left are marketing manager Melinda Yap, BHR chief operating officer Loh Leh Ching, Lesiure & Tourism chief operating officer Steward Pack, managing director Mark Rozario, Property Development chief operating officer Datuk Ong Chong Sek and Property Investment chief operating officer Michelle Lee.

The win makes BHR the first resort from Sarawak to win the prestigious award.

Last year, the resort’s Hornbill Golf & Jungle Club was awarded the ‘Best Golf Resort’ in Expatriate Lifestyle’s The Best of Malaysia 2006/07.

The Asia Pacific Property Awards is part of the International Property Awards programme, which is the world’s largest and most prestigious property awards, and a symbol of excellence in residential estate, development, interior design, architecture and marketing.

The other components are European Property Awards, Americas Property Awards, UK Property Awards and Arabian Property Awards.

The awards are sponsored and supported by CNBC Telivision, SIMA08, major newspapers and the world’s leading professional bodies in the property industry.

According to the organising chairman of the Asia Pacific Property Awards, Stewart Shield, who is also publisher of the International Homes magazine, the panel of 40 judges led by Eric Pickles had found this year’s entries to be of higher quality, competition exceptionally fierce and judging very close.

BHR sent two entries for the awards - one for best golf development and the other for best development.

With the win, more investment will be pumped into BHR to upgrade facilities to cater for all types of tourists, said Country Heights Holdings Berhad’s deputy chairman Tan Sri Lee Kim Yew.

Lee said the win was an encouragement and confidence booster to the company to strive for excellence in property and golf resort development.

He said a comprehensive plan would be designed to attract business people, golfers and tourists converging in Singapore to come over to Sarawak.

“I want to promote and sell Borneo Highlands Resort not only to Singaporeans but also international people who come to Singapore. When the new casino is ready in two years’ time, there will be more international people coming here and Singapore is a business hub in this region,” he said.

“When they come to Singapore, they will easily get tired in three or four days as this is a concrete jungle. But when they go to BHR, it is a retreat out there and they can see the natural jungle, experience nature and enjoy the cool environment,” he added.

Lee said after the golfers had played golf in Singapore, they could be flown over to Kuching in a chartered plane and facilities could also be provided for the non-golfers, such as jungle-trekking and eco-tourism as well as medical tourism.

He said he had also discussed with the Laguna National Golf and Country Club in Singapore to have a golf exchange programme where its members could come and play at the Hornbill Golf & Jungle Club and vice versa.

Meanwhile, Country Heights Holding Berhad also won a four-star award for ‘Best Development’ on Country Heights Damansara.

BHR is developed by Borneo Heights Sdn Bhd, a joint venture company comprising Country Heights Holdings Berhad and the Land Custody and Development Authority of Sarawak (LCDA).