Malaysia Developer Awards 2025 Raises the Bar: Redefining Rigour and Reward

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 2025 — The Malaysia Developer Awards (MDA) 2025 has set a new benchmark for excellence in the property industry, unveiling its most rigorous and transparent evaluation framework to date. This year’s awards programme aims to honour property developers whose innovation, resilience, and integrity are driving the nation’s built environment forward.

Following a detailed post-mortem analysis of the 2024 awards, the MDA organising committee has restructured its criteria to focus on developers that balance financial strength with long-term vision. This holistic approach reflects the industry’s evolution — where profitability must align with sustainability, digital transformation, and community impact.

The awards are divided into two main categories: Top-of-the-Chart (TOTC) and Special Awards, with each highlighting excellence through both quantitative performance and qualitative innovation.

A Balanced Framework: 50% Numbers, 50% Vision

The TOTC category, which evaluates property companies listed on Bursa Malaysia, now employs a 50/50 evaluation model — half based on financial data, and half on qualitative execution. This balanced structure recognises that true leadership goes beyond profit margins.

Quantitatively, companies were assessed based on Revenue Growth, Profit Growth, Stability, and Sustainability, measured across a three-year window (2022–2024) with 2021 serving as the base year. Using the Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) formula, the awards ensured a fair comparison between large-cap developers and smaller listed entities, effectively levelling the playing field.

To ensure fair competition, the TOTC category was further stratified by market capitalisation:

• Top 10 (RM1 billion and above)

• Top 10 (below RM1 billion)

This segmentation allowed the awards to celebrate both major developers and emerging players that demonstrate sustainable momentum in Malaysia’s competitive real estate market.

Recognising Consistency and Strategy

IOI Properties Group Bhd emerged as the top performer in the RM1 billion and above segment, recognised for its balanced financial trajectory and strategic qualitative execution. Meanwhile, Avaland Bhd took the top spot in the below RM1 billion tier, achieving three consecutive years of positive revenue growth.

In the Revenue Growth category, Sime Darby Property Bhd and PTT Synergy Group Bhd were recognised as best performers for their consistent performance over the three-year evaluation period.

These companies exemplify the dual strength that the MDA seeks to promote — financial robustness supported by strong governance, sustainability focus, and community-building values.

The New Qualitative Standard: ESG, Placemaking, and Digitalisation

This year’s qualitative evaluation carries equal weight, reflecting the industry’s growing understanding that environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles are vital to long-term competitiveness.

Three focus pillars guided the 2025 evaluation:

1. Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) Initiatives – highlighting sustainable and responsible practices.

2. Placemaking Ingenuity – celebrating developers that create inclusive, vibrant communities.

3. Creative Digitalisation – recognising innovation in smart technology and operational efficiency.

Unlike previous years, developers no longer needed to submit entries. Instead, the MDA committee conducted an independent, in-depth assessment of all eligible listed property developers, ensuring objectivity and credibility.

Out of nearly 90 listed property firms, 24 developers in the RM1 billion and above category and 37 in the below RM1 billion tier advanced to the final shortlist — representing Malaysia’s best in financial transparency, innovation, and sustainable design.

Beyond Awards: Raising Industry Standards

The MDA 2025 underscores a vital shift in Malaysia’s property development landscape — one where excellence is defined by accountability and vision, not just growth figures.

For property professionals and investors, this heightened standard reflects broader trends across commercial property in KL and industrial markets in Selangor. Developers are now expected to integrate ESG and digitalisation not just into residential projects but also into industrial land in Selangor, office space in Bukit Jalil, factories in Puchong, and industrial property in the Subang area, where sustainability and smart infrastructure are fast becoming investment prerequisites.

By combining quantitative performance with qualitative insight, the MDA 2025 represents a new era of developer excellence — one that rewards consistency, purpose, and innovation. It reaffirms Malaysia’s commitment to building not just structures, but a resilient, future-ready property ecosystem that will continue shaping the nation’s urban and industrial landscapes for decades to come.