Comparing Malaysia’s Central and Southern regions for industrial property activity using the official 2024 and Q1 2025 snapshots—what the regional mix suggests for pricing, leasing, and where investors should look next.
Central vs Southern: Industrial Transaction Share 2024 and Q1 2025
This post compares the Central (Selangor + WPKL/Putrajaya) and Southern (Johor, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan) regions for industrial property activity using the official 2024 and Q1 2025 snapshots. Both reports provide Volume by Region and Volume/Value by Sub-sector dashboards, which allow a clean like-for-like read on industrial momentum.
How To Read the Dashboards Quickly
- Step 1 — Region first: Check the Volume by Region boards for the 2024 full-year picture, then compare with Q1 2025 to spot any early shift in activity mix.
- Step 2 — Sub-sector filter: Within each region, look at Volume/Value by Sub-sector to isolate any change in factory/warehouse deals.
- Step 3 — Price bands: Pair it with Volume by Price Range to gauge whether deal sizes are skewing up or down across quarters.
Central vs Southern: What the Mix Suggests
Central Region
- Distribution-led demand: Strong highway/port connectivity (WCE, NKVE, ELITE; Port Klang) typically supports bulk warehouse transactions and ready-built facilities.
- Spec standards: Tenants prioritise power reliability, clear heights, and trailer circulation—features more common in newer Central parks.
Southern Region
- Manufacturing gravity: Johor’s E&E and cross-border supply chains often drive medium-to-large factory transactions, with Melaka/NS providing cost-competitive alternatives.
- Land-bank angle: Larger tracts and phased roll-outs appeal to build-to-suit users and developers planning multi-lot estates.
Quarterly Context: Supply Pipeline
On the construction side, the Q1 2025 snapshot shows starts outpacing completions, shaping near-term delivery timing and potential rent pressure in tight micro-markets (e.g., modern big-box).
Price Bands & Deal Sizes
Use Volume by Price Range to see whether transactions cluster in sub-RM5m strata factories or shift toward large logistics boxes; track how that distribution differs between Central and Southern in Q1 2025 versus 2024.
Investor Playbook (2025)
- Follow the corridor signals: Shortlist precincts where regional volume stays consistently high and where new interchanges shorten first-mile/last-mile times.
- Validate specs & utilities: Power readiness, floor loading, and drainage compliance determine rentability more than headline address.
- Structure leases for capex: Seek step-ups and longer terms for heavy M&E fit-outs; add rooftop solar clauses where relevant.
