Where commercial land looks strongest in 2025—Selangor (KLIA Aeropolis & ECRL nodes), Johor (JS-SEZ, RTS Link, data-centre corridor) and Penang (LRT Mutiara Line & Silicon Island)—plus what each corridor favors.
2025 Hotspots for Commercial Land: Selangor, Johor, Penang
Target corridors shaped by rail, logistics and digital infrastructure—and the commercial formats they favour.
Selangor: Rail Nodes & Airport City Logistics
KLIA Aeropolis / Selangor Aero Park (Sepang)
KLIA Aeropolis is expanding as an airport city anchored by cargo, logistics and aerospace (Selangor Aero Park), supported by rising passenger movements and recent infrastructure upgrades at KLIA. Suitable site types: air logistics, MRO-support, business parks, hotels near terminals and expressways.
ECRL Interface: Gombak Integrated Terminal & Western Linkages
The ECRL is on track with first operations targeted for January 2027, connecting the east coast to Gombak Integrated Terminal and later to Port Klang—raising prospects for coach/bus interchange retail, hotels, and last-mile logistics around Selangor nodes.
Johor: Cross-Border Demand, RTS Link & Data-Centre Boom
JS-SEZ (Johor–Singapore Special Economic Zone)
Malaysia and Singapore formalised the JS-SEZ in Jan 2025 to deepen cross-border flows, investments and talent mobility—benefitting Iskandar Puteri, Medini and adjoining corridors. Expect demand for office/innovation hubs, healthcare, education, F&B-retail.
RTS Link (Bukit Chagar ? Woodlands North)
The RTS Link targets passenger service by end-2026 with co-located CIQ—prime for transit-front retail, commuter services, hotels and co-working near Bukit Chagar.
Kulai–Sedenak–Gelang Patah: Hyperscale Data-Centre Corridor
Johor is now Malaysia’s largest data-centre market, with major campuses at Sedenak Tech Park and Nusajaya; new AI infrastructure by YTL–NVIDIA and hyperscale builds (PDG, Yondr, others) are accelerating demand for power-ready commercial plots, hotels, services and logistics.
Penang: LRT + Silicon Island = New Urban Catchments
LRT Mutiara Line (Island–Mainland connectivity)
Construction of the LRT Mutiara Line is underway with a budget ceiling affirmed in Dec 2024; official materials indicate works beginning in 2025 to connect Silicon Island, KOMTAR and onward to Butterworth. Sites near future stations suit TOD retail, offices and hospitality.
Silicon Island (South Penang Reclamation) Momentum
Reclamation has passed the 80-hectare mark with the mega-project on track, adding long-term supply of urban land and creating catchments for mixed-use, neighbourhood retail and waterfront hospitality.
Penang’s broader tech base (semiconductors, backend assembly/testing) continues to draw high-value investment—supportive of business hotels, labs, medical and education-linked commercial.
What Each Corridor Favours
- Transit-front (RTS/LRT/ECRL): TOD retail (F&B, convenience, services), commuter micro-hotels, co-working, medical/dental, gyms.
- Airport-city (KLIA Aeropolis): Cargo/logistics support, MRO-adjacent business parks, select destination retail, hotels/convention.
- Data-centre belts: Business hotels, colocation-support services, component suppliers, training centres, amenity retail.
Pre-Acquisition Checklist (2025)
- Confirm station/terminal timelines (RTS/LRT/ECRL) before pricing for TOD uplift.
- Verify utility capacity (power, water, sewer, fibre)—critical near DC clusters and F&B streets.
- Check planning rules (plot ratio, parking, urban design) for each council/state.
- Model traffic & access (TIA triggers, junction spacing) and any road/reserve encumbrances.
- Layer demand drivers: cross-border flows (Johor), air cargo/passenger growth (Selangor), tech FDI (Penang).
