How Aroma Tropics began

Almarhum Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Al-Haj who had a deep knowledge of the Japanese culture and a full understanding of the Japanese landscape architecture, decided to entrust the design of Shah Alam Lake & Park which enveloped the new capital of Selangor State, to Japanese Landscape Architects, and issued an order to select an appropriate consultant.

A mission including Dato' Haji Wan Mansor B. Abdullah （State Secretary), Dato’ Haji Wan Puteh B. Mohd Saman (State Financial Officer), Dato' Baharuddin B. Abu Kassim (Board member of State Development Corporation-PKNS), Dato' Haji Mohd. Nor B. Hj. Ismail (GM of PKNS), Dato' Haji Mohamed Ishak B. Hj. Mohd Ariff (Director of State Town & Country Planning); was sent to Japan in May 1980, and Mr. Takano Fumiaki who led Takano Landscape Planning Co. Ltd. was selected as the landscape consultant for Shah Alam Lake & Park through a series of thorough process including interviews in Hotel New Ohtani, Tokyo.

The planning and design exercise of Shah Alam Lake & Park was carried out in Malaysia by the team consolidated between Takano Landscape Planning Co. Ltd. and Malaysian technical members including Mohd Noor B. Abdul Aziz and Mohd Kamil B. Sapuan who later became key members of Aroma Tropics Sdn Bhd.

While performing the above, Mr. Fumiaki Takano proceeded discussions and negotiations with Dato’ Baharuddin B. Abu Kassim who led a renowned architectural firm - Team Three Architects, and the two jointly founded Team Three Takano Landscape Sdn Bhd in September 1983 for the purpose of the subsequent site supervisory service for Shah Alam Lake & Park as well as of diversifying professional activities in Malaysia.

Mr. Kanekiyo Norihiro of Takano Landscape Planning Co. Ltd. remained in Malaysia while the main team returned to Japan after the completion of park design work, being posted as the managing director of Team Three Takano Landscape Sdn Bhd, staffing Mohd. Noor B. Abdul Aziz, Mohd Kamil B. Sapuan and Wan Ahmad Halawah B. Haji Wan Hariri who is currently the associate professor of department of Landscape Architecture for MARA University of Technology.

Kashino Naohiro of Takano Landscape Planning Co. Ltd. was posted as a successor to Kanekiyo Norihiro and arrived in Kuala Lumpur in April 1986.

He extended his two-year-assignment and led Team Three Takano Landscape Sbn Bhd as an alternative director till 1990 with the assistant of Mohd. Noor B. Abdul Aziz and Mohd Kamil B. Sapuan.

The management of Takano Landscape Planning Co. Ltd. decided to withdraw from the operation in Malaysia due to the economic condition of the country.

Preferring to continue in Malaysia, Kashino Naohiro stayed on with a fresh consultancy practice inviting Mohd. Noor B. Abdul Aziz and Mohd Kamil B. Sapuan as directors. October 1990, Aroma Tropics Sdn Bhd was born among the three partners.


Once dispersed due to economic crisis, the three united to strengthen the company with other technical employments and grew Aroma community.
In December 1997, Dato’ Haji Mohamed Ishak B. Haji Mohd Ariff was invited to Aroma Tropics as a director; however, he withdrew in June 1999 due to other duties in his commitments.

Vivi Zuriati Bt. Azmi was promoted as a director in June 2001, however she left Aroma Tropics due to her own reason in 2016.
Kamil Sapuan left the company in June 2001 due to his preference of contracting activity. Mohd Noor maintained as the technical main figure.
Mohamad Zain B. Abd Salam was invited as a director in April 2002.

Sadly, very sadly, Mohd Noor passed away on 7th April 2015, after one year of his suffering from Lymphoma. Much early time when he had come back to Aroma Tropics after struggling no-job-period, he told Kashino that he preferred to work again as an ordinary staff rather than a director. The humble human with convincing skills has no longer been in the landscape field of Malaysia and this is no doubt painful loss to the world. He is the Honorable Founding Associate of Aroma Tropics to date.