BY KELLY TEY

Participants celebrating as they reach the finish line in the 6km Discovery Walk at Sunway Resort City during World Environment Day celebration in May.

THERE’S a Chinese proverb that goes, “It is better to have good neighbours nearby than a distant cousin”.

Perhaps, this is what the developer of the Sunway townships had envisioned when it created them.

Apart from building quality homes with convenient infrastructure, Sunway Property hopes to bring people together from within and around its developments so that the communities can live and grow in a friendly, safe and healthy environment.

When the first phase of Sunway Iskandar in Johor fully takes off in 2017, the development will be poised to realise all the qualities a true community embodies.

Touted as Nature’s Capital City, the 728.5ha Iskandar development aspires to be a safe haven where children can run free and neighbours bond, and be an exemplary integrated township where holistic natural living and modern city elements can co-exist in harmony.

Its 283.3ha of green space makes for great connection with nature, encompassing natural elements such as the Pendas River, Straits of Johor and Emerald Lake, amidst a landscape of an evergreen forest.

Its advantageous location links residents and visitors to the Coastal Highway Southern Link (CHSL), making Singapore a mere five minutes drive away.

As with other Sunway developments in the country, Sunway Iskandar also integrates components such as education, healthcare, retail, leisure and hospitality into the township, which is now developing in stages.

But beyond building brick walls, Sunway Property is also earnestly promoting the township’s community engagement activities, which have begun since the announcement of the development.

The property developer has organised events such as Chinese New Year, Chap Goh Meh, Mid-Autumn Festival and Christmas festive celebrations to engage with its residents.

Other significant events include community driven initiatives such as World Environment Day (WED), done in collaboration with non-governmental organisation EcoKnights and supported by the US Embassy.

The programme saw Sunway Iskandar pledging to adopt over 75,000 trees across the township in phases.

In conjunction with the occasion, six types of fruit trees were planted around Emerald Lake Garden, which should bear fruit by the time the residents move in by 2017.

WED was also marked in Sunway Property’s flagship township, Sunway Resort City in Selangor, where 300 participants took part in a 6km Discovery Walk incorporating green practises.

The flagship township exemplifies Sunway Property’s green initiative development and is recognised as Malaysia’s first integrated green township by the Green Building Index.

Up north in Sunway City Ipoh, more than 200 eco bags were distributed for free at its property gallery to replace plastic shopping bags while environment-related challenges were held at the Lost World of Tambun to create nature and wildlife conservation awareness.

Sunway Property Penang also organised a “Be a Green Hero” booth activity and a recycled collage arts competition for students, among other health related activities.

At the Penang leg of the WED, State Welfare, Caring Society and Environment Committee chairman Phee Boon Poh, Bukit Mertajam MP Steven Sim Chee Keong and Seberang Perai Municipal Council Datuk Maimunah Mohd Sharif graced the event to show their support.

“Sunway Property is keen to integrate sustainability, not only in their development and townships, but also to inculcate it into the daily lives of communities.

“We no longer need to just protect the environment; living harmoniously with nature should become a state of being,” said Sunway Berhad Property Development Division for Malaysia and Singapore managing director Sarena Cheah.

In its bid to create a true community, Sunway Iskandar will continue to bring people together with other events.

Visitors will get a taste of what the Stone Age was like when Sunway Iskandar hosts “live” dinosaurs at its sales gallery at the “Outdoor Movie by The Lake – Jurassic World” event tomorrow.

The community activities extend to its neighbouring developments in Taman Molek which will celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival on Sept 26 with carnival activities for all to enjoy.