This year marks a significant milestone for KTI Landmark Berhad, as the integrated property development company celebrates its 40th anniversary. What began as a modest venture by husband-and-wife team Datuk Dr Gordon Loke and Datin Chin Mee Leen has since evolved into one of Sabah’s most influential property developers. Their journey started with the construction of police staff quarters and affordable housing in Taman Nelly and, now, the company is spearheading projects with a total gross development value (GDV) of RM2.2 billion spread across Kota Kinabalu, Tuaran, Sandakan and Papar.
From its early days, KTI Landmark distinguished itself through innovation. In 2004, it became the first company in Sabah to be certified by CIDB as a premier industrialised building system manufacturer, further cementing the company’s position as a key player in building Sabah’s affordable housing. But why stop there?
For its 40th anniversary, KTI Landmark achieved a new milestone, an initial public offering, making it the first property developer in Sabah to be listed on Malaysia’s stock exchange. Today, KTI Landmark is no longer just a husband-and-wife endeavour. Datuk Dr Loke and Datin Chin’s three children—Wilson, Stella and Nelly—have joined the company to steer it into a new era.
Sitting down with Wilson, KTI Landmark’s Executive Director, it’s clear that the firm’s success is an amalgamation of the Loke family’s ambition, as with its latest project, The Logg. “It’s a collective idea. Everyone has their role in it,” Wilson says of The Logg, a five-acre, RM1 billion mixed-use development located in the heart of Luyang, Sabah. Slated to be completed by the first quarter of 2026, The Logg has already garnered accolades, including the prestigious SHAREDA Excellence Award for Integrated Development.
At first glance, The Logg might seem like another feather in the cap for KTI, but for Wilson and his family, it represents much more. “Initially, our idea was to build commercial lots and sell them off,” he recalls. “Good idea, not wrong. But during that time, my sisters and I got to thinking. That’s the last piece of land in Luyang. Do we want to do something else?”
That “something else” turned out to be one of Sabah’s first mixed-use development projects and certainly the first for KTI Landmark. Designed in collaboration with Shah Architects and renowned landscape architect Ng Seksan, The Logg fuses modern architecture with Seksan’s signature softscapes, fusing poured concrete, metal installations and intertwining greenery throughout the property. Its two condominium towers, Shorea and Astoria, along with the four-star Avani Hotel, Parkhill apartment tower, commercial space and mall, are planned with Sabah’s growing urban landscape as well as an influx of international tourists and investors in mind.
“We wanted it to be something people would remember, something lasting,” Wilson explains. In many ways, The Logg embodies the Loke family’s plans for diversification. As the company moves beyond affordable housing, it is branching into retail, lifestyle, hospitality, branding, corporate partnerships and advanced manufacturing systems, creating a wider range of job opportunities in Sabah.
Wilson attributes much of the company’s success to his father’s relentless pursuit of opportunities. “Coming from a finance background, I’m always thinking about risks. But my dad used to tell us: ‘If others can do it, why can’t we’?” Wilson shares, reflecting on the philosophy that has driven the company’s innovations and achievements. It’s a mindset that has not only guided the company’s growth, but has also permeated the family dynamic.
Family businesses often walk a fine line between personal relationships and professional demands, and KTI Landmark is no different. “At work, we go all out,” Wilson says. “When the sky is the limit, why settle for anything less?” However, the lines do blur, sometimes. “Even dinner can end up becoming a meeting. It’s like an AGM,” Wilson laughs. Yet, despite occasional disagreements, there is an unshakeable understanding that keeps it all together. “If we have differences over work, it’s okay. Family is still family.”
Wilson Loke is the Executive Director of KTI Landmark Berhad. His latest project, The Logg in Luyang, Sabah, is the gold recipient Integrated Development Excellence Award at the SHAREDA Excellence Awards 2024.
Stay tuned to read more stories about other SHAREDA members: Datuk Chua Soon Ping, Datuk Susan Wong, Datuk Matthew Tan, Gilbert Ee, Datuk Quek Siew Hau, Tan King Hong, Datuk Seri Panglima Tang and Soh Wai Fong.
Photographed by Xerxes/Awesome Image
Make up and hair by Celin Chin
Art Direction by Penn Ey, Chee
