The Forum

The Roman-inspired The Forum is nestled on Jalan Tun Razak, right in front of the Royal Selangor Golf Club. Completed in 1993 by Singaporean property developer, Lum Chang, the property is made up of a single 16-storey block. Among its immediate residential neighbors are Bintang Goldhill and 231 Tun Razak, and it is sandwiched between two office towers – Wisma Technip and Menara AA.

The Forum is perhaps deserving of its reputation of being one of the “value for money” condominiums in the heart of Kuala Lumpur; the lower sub sale prices and rentals are due to the fact that it’s one of the oldest apartments in the city (belonging to the same “generation” as the venerable Desa Kudalari).

The Forum is looking its age (20 years!), and still appealing to some

Historically the price levels have been lagging behind its peers in the KLCC enclave and along Jalan Tun Razak although we have noticed some units being advertised for sale at rather outrageous asking prices of RM850 psf. Units at the neighboring 231 Tun Razak sells from RM780 to RM990 psf while Bintang Goldhill sells from RM630 to RM750 psf. Do the sellers know something that we don’t? *wink* To derive the fair market value for a unit at The Forum, use our handy guide here.

Rental asking rates have also increased from around RM2 psf to RM2.50 – RM3.50 psf.

Units at The Forum have may be facing one of the four views the property has – the lush greenery of Royal Selangor golf course, the magnificent view of the KLCC Petronas Twin Towers, the rather mundane look of Menara AA or the blandly corporate Wisma Technip – and are sized from 1,292 sqf. Facilities available to The Forum residents are:

• Barbecue area
• Gym
• Kids’ play area
• Tennis and squash courts
• Swimming pool
• Sauna
• Mini market
• Round-the-clock security

Pretty much blog standard stuff. Maintenance-wise, The Forum seems to be lagging behind other properties. It is rather old (twentieth anniversary this year!) and it definitely shows. We are of the opinion that a new layer of paint is in order!

About the Developer: Lum Chang

The Lum Chang Group is one of the most popular property developers in Singapore. It has built the iconic National University of Singapore, National Library, Paragon Shopping Centre, Bugis Junction and Marriott Hotel in Singapore.

It was one of the earliest developers of upscale properties in Kuala Lumpur. Among its most notable projects include the KL Golf and Country Club, Damansara Villa and Wickham Manor. They also have projects outside Kuala Lumpur – Twin Palms Kemensah, Twin Palms Sungai Long and Suria 618 in Shah Alam.

Our Analysis

For its age, The Forum seems to be steeply priced. Its two neighbors, 231 TR and Bintang Goldhill, are newer properties with cheaper units. Without any upcoming improvements for the property, we do not see the price going higher. Instead, I might even expect a drop in its asking price soon enough.

Location-wise, The Forum occupies a central slot on Jalan Tun Razak, may be a good or a bad thing depending how you see it. Superior accessibility comes with the cost of heavy traffic on a daily basis. Also, sub-par maintenance and an aging design (similar to what’s plaguing the Corinthian inside the KLCC enclave) means that there’s a little upside to whatever the asking price currently is. Maybe you’ll like it for its “retro” look, but most would probably go for newer units at the Bintang Goldhill down the road… especially when the prices are almost at the same level. #truestory

Use our interactive map below to check where the closest amenities to the The Forum are.

There have been rumors going on that investors are snapping up Desa Kudalari units in the hope of future en-bloc purchases; we won’t be surprised that The Forum will turn up on their radar as well. As with these types of investments, it’s (almost) all about the purchase price – find out how to derive the fair market value of a unit here at The Forum using this guide which you can download below for free upon signing up -