GOLDEN Hope Plantations Bhd and KPJ Healthcare Bhd, a member of Johor Corp, have signed an agreement to build a RM 17 million nursing college in Kota Seriemas, Nilai, Negri Sembilan.

Under the agreement, Golden Hope's wholly-owned subsidiaries Golden Hope Properties (Johor) Sdn Bhd and Golden Hope Builders Sdn Bhd will design and build the college for KPJ's wholly-owned subsidiary Puteri Nursing College Sdn Bhd.

Puteri Nursing in turn will lease the campus complete with an academic and residential boarding facilities for a total of RM17 million for 15 years or between RM1.2 million and RM1.3 million a year.

Golden Hope group chief executive and Golden Hope Properties director Datuk Abdul Wahab Maskan said construction work will begin within a month and the campus is expected to be completed in 30 months or in the second half of 2006.

"This partnership will bring a recurring income for our property division and contribute to Golden Hope's revenue and support the group's profit performance," Abdul Wahab told reporters in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

"The partnership will assist the development maturity of Kota Seriemas such as bringing in activities and population to the township," said Abdul Wahab.

Kota Seriemas is one of Golden Hope's many property projects being developed by its wholly-owned subsidiary Negara Properties (M) Bhd.

Once completed, the 1,133ha mixed development project aims for a population of 150,000 people over 20 years.

During the signing ceremony, Golden Hope and KPJ were represented by Abdul Wahab and Puteri Nursing's Datin Paduka Siti Sa'diah Sheikh Bakir.

The long lease agreement was witnessed by Golden Hope chairman Tan Sri Dr Ahmad Sarji Abdul Hamid and KPJ chairman as well as Johor Corp group chief executive Tan Sri Muhammad Ali Hashim.

When asked on why KPJ is renting instead of buying the institution, Muhamad Ali said when the right day comes along, Johor Corp may consider buying the college.

"As for now, Johor Corp is wary on the need to conserve its financial resources. However, we may gather and sit down once again in the future to discuss on all options available," said Muhammad Ali.

The 2ha campus takes over from its old campus in Petaling Jaya in Selangor and is able to cater up to 1,200 nursing students within five to 10 years.

The complex will consist of an administrative and nursing academic centre as well as a five-storey student apartments.

Puteri Nursing is Malaysia 's biggest nursing institution owned by the KPJ group which in turn is Malaysia 's biggest medical healthcare Group.

Established in 1991, Puteri Nursing was set up to address the shortage of nurses. It will also be Malaysia 's premier healthcare support services training academy in the country and perhaps in the region.

To date, it has produced 630 registered nurses with diploma qualifications while another 527 are still undergoing training. It has also trained 67 nurses for the Health Ministry.

The college also has a 100 percent track record for all trainees undertaking the final registration examination set by the Malaysian Nursing Board.

The new college is expected to cater to nursing students in Asia Pacific and the Association of South-East Asian Nations.

Established 25 years ago, KPJ first set up the Johor Specialist Centre and today it is Malaysia 's market leader with a total of 11 hospitals under its belt which are Tawakal Hospital , Ampang Puteri Specialist Hospital and Damansara Specialist Hospital .

Other hospitals are Puteri Specialist Hospital and Penawar Hospital in Johor, Ipoh Specialist Hospital in Ipoh, Perak, Kuantan Specialist Hospital in Pahang, Kedah Medical Centre in Alor Star, Kedah, Bukit Mertajam Specialist Hospital in Penang and its recently opened Perdana Specialist Hospital in Kota Baru, Kelantan.

The group is also expected to open another hospital in Seremban, Negri Sembilan, by year-end and the Seremban Specialist Hospital by early 2004.

The hospitals offer a combined capacity of 1,371 beds with 360 specialist consultants - the largest in any group outside of government-owned hospitals.

The KPJ Group employs 3,700 management, nursing, paramedic and support staff and has served almost a million outpatients and 100,000 in-patients in 2002.