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PETALING JAYA: Some 29 property units under the Malaysian Civil Servants Housing (PPAM) programme and 31 units under 1Malaysia People’s Housing Programme (PR1MA) in Kuala Lumpur are up for rent, ranging from RM800 to RM2,000 monthly.
The properties are listed on Mudah.my, an online marketplace to buy and sell a variety of products and services in Malaysia, including renting of properties.
Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican told theSun the majority of civil servants live in their PPAM houses.
“Those who rent out their house may have reasons. For example, a civil servant may be stationed in Putrajaya and after a few years, he is transferred to Pahang, Perlis or even Sabah or Sarawak.
“In some cases, he needs to serve abroad,” he said, adding that to keep the house occupied, it would be rented to third parties.
He said there was no specific law that prevents PPAM homeowners from renting out their houses.
“Article 13 of the Federal Constitution (Right to Property) states rental is allowed. But under a 10-year moratorium for PPAM, homeowners are not allowed to sell their properties without government approval,” he added.
A PR1MA spokesman said there is a five-year moratorium under the programme, during which property owners cannot sell or transfer their units to a third party without approval. The houses must be owner-occupied and no sub-letting is allowed either.
“The owner must make an official request before he rents his unit. If PR1MA receives a complaint, we will issue a warning letter to the property owner.”
However, National House Buyers Association (HBA) honorary secretary-general Datuk Chang Kim Loong said it was previously common to hear complaints that low-cost flats under People’s Housing Projects (PPR) were rented to other parties, especially foreign workers.
“It is disheartening to hear this has now extended to housing schemes such as PR1MA and also PPAM, which is meant to assist civil servants to own properties.
“HBA has previously called on the government to crack down on those who took advantage of such social housing schemes. It should check on those who abuse the benefits.”
Chang said the government needs to conduct door-to-door spot checks to verify that occupants of PPAM and PR1MA houses are the intended ones.
“Stern action must be taken against owners who abuse the scheme. This includes imposing hefty fines or confiscating the units and offering them to more deserving parties.”
He suggested heavily subsidised housing schemes such as PPR and selected PPAM and PR1MA initiatives should not be sold but rented instead.
“Use these houses as a ‘transit home’ where the occupants can stay at subsidised rental charges. Then, they can build their savings to buy a property or move to a better location when their economic conditions improved,” he added.
“This would ensure there are sufficient ‘transit homes’ to cater to (other parties). If heavily subsidised housing schemes are allowed to be sold, they could end up in the hands of undeserving individuals who will only rent them for profit.”
