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Kepala Batas Residents Cast Suspicion Over Rent-To-Own Housing Scheme

Last update: 11/08/2016

KEPALA BATAS, Aug 11 (Bernama) -- Kepala Batas residents are suspicious over a Rent-To-Own housing scheme by Sekretariat Komuniti Prefer Malaysia (SKPM), which offers condominiums and apartments with swimming pool and furniture, and with no maintenance fee and property assessment tax.



Applicants for housing units started to doubt the scheme after they were required to pay RM550 to attend an interview and deposit of RM15,000 in one month and another RM45,000 prior to approval.



Sulaiman Kunju Mohamed Musibar,56, said he found out about the housing scheme online and after applying, he was called for an interview on February 5 at Pusat Bandar Bertam Perdana on March 12.



"In the interview, I was told that they will build a 25-storey apartment complete with a swimming pool in Pinang Tunggal and offer to sell it to me at over RM300,000," he told reporters, here today.



After the interview, a company representative told him the application was approved and he had to pay managment fee of RM550 and a deposit of RM15,000, a month later.



Sulaiman Kunju was urged to settle the balance of RM45,000 and offered a unit with an area of ??88.2 square metres with rental of about RM650 for 30 years.



The 'pasar malam' worker refused to pay and threatened to make a police report after they failed to mention the location of the housing scheme.



"I went to the SKPM's office at Pusat Bandar Bertam Perdana to inquire further, but the premise had been vacated."



Meanwhile, a special officer to Kepala Batas Member of Parliament, Datuk Seri Reezal Merican, said he received thre complaints about the housing scheme.



Nazli Aziz said he was never told about the housing scheme although a billboard had been put up at Paya Keladi Hujung, much to the chagrin of residents.



He had also contacted the Public-Private Sector Partnership Unit (UKAS) which alledgedly supported the scheme, but UKAS denied their involvement.



-- BERNAMA