‘Rent-to-own concept helps Malaysians to own homes’

KUALA LUMPUR (March 30): The People’s Housing Projects’ (PPR) rent-to-own concept introduced in Sabah is meant to help the lower-income group own their homes, said Sabah Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.

“They only need to pay the rental rate as stipulated by the (state) government and after that, within a certain period of time, they will become the owners of the units occupied,” he told reporters after a live interview on TVOKEY in the Bah! Apa Cerita? programme here yesterday, Bernama reported.

Hajiji also added that the scheme was one of the ways to combat the squatter problem in Sabah due to the migration of rural folk to the towns, reported Bernama.

The rent-to-own scheme would first be implemented at the Batu Sapi and Batu Putih PPRs in Sandakan with 180 and 900 units, respectively.

“The scheme will continue (to be implemented) statewide as it is the government's policy to help our people who are not eligible for loans to own homes,” he said.