KUALA LUMPUR: Eastern & Oriental Bhd, a premier lifestyle property developer, announced that its indirect wholly-owned subsidiary, Tinggi Murni Sdn Bhd, has entered into a joint venture with OCK Setia Engineering Sdn Bhd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of OCK Group Bhd, one of Malaysia’s leading digital infrastructure players and telecommunications network solutions providers, to develop and operate telecommunications and related digital infrastructure within Andaman Island, Penang.
The collaboration represents a strategic step in E&O’s long-term vision for Andaman Island, where infrastructure planning is integral to creating a well-connected, liveable and enduring waterfront destination.
By integrating digital connectivity into the island’s broader development masterplan, E&O aims to ensure that essential infrastructure evolves in tandem with its residential, commercial, hospitality and lifestyle offerings.
Under the joint venture, both parties will collaborate to develop and operate telecommunications infrastructure and digital connectivity solutions, including telecommunications towers and poles, smart poles, fibre-optic and broadband networks, and in-building connectivity solutions.
The infrastructure will support telecommunications operators and internet service providers in delivering connectivity across Andaman Island.
E&O managing director Kok Tuck Cheong said the group believes a destination’s success depends not only on what is built, but on how thoughtfully it is planned to function and evolve over time.
“For a development of Andaman Island’s scale and ambition, infrastructure cannot be an afterthought. It must be considered from the outset as part of the wider masterplanning process.
“Our vision for Andaman Island extends beyond the development of individual properties. We are shaping an integrated waterfront destination where people can live, work, connect and experience a complete lifestyle.
“Achieving this requires us to look beyond the physical environment and consider the essential systems that support everyday life, from accessibility and utilities to digital connectivity and the infrastructure needed for future growth.
“With OCK’s long-established market presence and wide network, this collaboration reflects our broader approach to placemaking at E&O: bringing together the right expertise, planning with a long-term perspective and ensuring that the different components of a destination work together as a cohesive whole.
“As Andaman Island continues to take shape, our focus remains on creating a well-planned, connected and future-ready community that delivers lasting value to Penang,” he said.
OCK Group managing director Datuk Wira Sam Ooi Chin Khoon said this strategic joint venture represents an important step in advancing how telecommunications and digital infrastructure can be integrated into property developments.
“By collaborating with E&O, we see an opportunity to move beyond conventional, standalone network deployments towards a more comprehensive connectivity ecosystem that is planned in tandem with the development of a destination.
“OCK will bring together telecommunications towers, in-building coverage solutions and fibre-to-the-home infrastructure under a unified platform on Andaman Island.
“This approach is intended to enable telecommunications operators to expand their network presence more efficiently while supporting the connectivity needs of residents, businesses and the wider community.
“We believe this collaboration can provide a scalable model for integrating digital infrastructure into future property developments, demonstrating how closer alignment between infrastructure providers and developers can support the evolution of Malaysia’s digital connectivity landscape,” he said.
Through strategic partnerships like this, E&O continues to advance its vision of creating distinctive integrated lifestyle destinations designed for today’s needs and tomorrow’s opportunities.