UMS Residences: Taman Kingfisher

Continuing the series on UMS residential hotspots will be Taman Kingfisher.

Why would this residential area be the number one spot for students planning to leave the campus for a rent paying lifestyle? The answer lies that Taman Kingfisher is merely 15 minutes away from campus and is the nearest residential area to the university where rental space is in abundance. Whereas compared to the 1 hour or so it takes to ride the bus from Kurnia Perdana (now defunct) or the 40 minutes or so ride to Indah Permai, you can have the luxury of half an hours extra sleep in the morning before you rush for the bus to class. Also Taman Kingfisher can truly be said to be a version of a university town with residences and services tailored to the student population.

There are two options; one is to apply to stay at the college hostels (which UMS maintains) in Kingfisher or two, find a place to rent.

The first option is basically the same package as you would find if you were to be stationed within the kampungs but there is more leeway here as compared to staying in campus. The security here is more lax though they do have patrols around the area which means you are still free to go haven late night mamak session at the 24 hours mamak stalls nearby or to visit friends and boy/girl friends who may be habiting nearby. Rooms are more spacious since all the houses are double storey terrace houses in Phase 2 while the ones in Phase 3 are semi detached bungalows. Equipped with facilities such as kitchens (though you are still not allowed to cook), living room and 3 bathrooms (less sharing than the communal areas in campus) which I’m sure many will find as a godsend.

The other option if you truly want to break free from the university administration is to rent out, which makes Kingfisher an ideally suited accommodation. The fact is with the university hostels here, bus services are provided and do not discriminate whether you are under uni or not. Most rental places are situated within Kingfisher Phase 1 and 2 with those in Phase 1 being cheaper as they are the older blocks with a notch below compared to Phase 2 in living conditions. Rent is around RM900 to RM1, 300 in Phase 2 while Phase 1 goes from around RM600 to RM900. Living out does have it perks such as more freedom, the ability to cook as well s to cohabit with the other sex.

As for facilities Kingfisher Park offers a wide range of facilities for students, many of the shops here cater specifically for student needs such as photocopying facilities, book binding services, food outlets, clinics, video rentals, convenience stores, confectionary shops and car rental booths. Anything you need can be gotten here, plus McDonalds will be opening a branch at the Shell station nearby soon. Food is one of the main features to stay here, whereas Indah Permai offers a wide variety of foodstuff so does Kingfisher. Indian mamak stalls with roti canai and nasi briyanis; Chinese style cooking with economy rice; Malay soto and nasi goreng as well as more posh vegetarian diners. For recreation there is the park where you can enjoy a jog or other amenities such as the basketball courts. For access to town, a short walk out to the roundabout will allow you to hitch a ride with the various public transports as in the OMO bus serving uni, the local mini buses, transport vans or even at times illegal private rides. Time to town is around 20 minutes.

Renting is a simple business, a majority of the houses here are being lived in by the UMS student population and every year there are various homes advertised for rent. A tip is to get hold of a senior that is currently residing there and make known your intentions to take over a room or the whole house for a future date.

Pros

• Nearby to campus (less than 20 minutes)
• Lots of facilities within walking distance to cater to students
• Availability of options to stay within campus or rent out
• More freedom of movement compared to in campus
• Green lung such as river and parks to relax in
• The ability to cook in your place if you’re renting out
• More spacious accommodations as compared to the quad sharing basis in campus
• Food is not a problem and nicer than kampung food with 24 hours stores open
• Clinic is within a walking distance (with panel clinics)
• Bus service provided whether you’re under the uni or not
• Various mode of transport available to town and frequent as well
• Felos and pengetuas are not as paranoid as in kampung due to the vast estate

Cons

• Similar problems faced as in kampung if you are under the administration
• Renting out can be costly with bills to pay unlike the subsidized fees when you stay in campus
• Buses are less than what they are in uni so may be a tight squeeze when rush hours are here
• Certain housing areas such as Phase 1 and 4 might require some walking to get to the nearest bus stand
• Busses to town requires walking to the bus drop off