REDUCING SQUATTERS: Abang Johari (second left) flanked by Karim and Naroden (second right) fielding reporters’ questions during the press conference.
KUCHING: Buyers of low-cost houses sold by recipients of Rumah Mesra Rakyat houses risk having properties seized.
The government will seize ‘Rumah Mesra Rakyat’ (RMR) houses sold by recipients of the houses allocated to them under the housing scheme for the poor.
Housing Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg yesterday said that 10 cases have been reported in the Bako area near here. Investigations revealed that the RMR units have been sold by their owners for quick gains.
“The ministry has received public complaints through the community leaders about individuals selling off the houses awarded to them. Ten of the 150 RMR units in Bako were reported to have been sold by its owners.
“These individuals abused the system by taking advantage of government’s effort to help the low income group.
“Not only were these individuals given a one-third subsidy to buy their house, the units were also of good quality, made from bricks, had three bedrooms and such… and market value could reach around RM200,000 to RM250,000,” said Abang Johari who is also Tourism Minister at a press conference after chairing the squatters committee meeting at Wisma Bapa Malaysia near here yesterday.
Also present at the conference were Assistant Housing Minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah and Assistant Resource Planning Minister Datuk Mohd Naroden Majais.
Adding salt to injury, Abang Johari said that some of those who sold off their units had the audacity to report that they had not received their low-cost housing entitlement.
He warned that the government was monitoring the situation and selection for recipients will be strict to stop this abuse.
“We cannot exploit the poor. There are many people who are genuinely in need of these houses. However, when the government checked the culprit’s background, they were genuine. These cases happened because of greed.
“Luckily, the cases were only 10 from over hundred units built. At the moment, the government is investigating these transactions,” said Abang Johari.
Touching on the issue of squatters , he also warned those who built houses in squatters area only to rent it out to poor families. Previous investigations revealed that some of the families in the squatter area had reported that they rented the houses from well-off individuals.
He added that the government would also be investigating the matter to catch these ‘absentee landlords’.