Cops identify Johor affordable home scam suspect

KUALA LUMPUR (July 13): The police have identified the person involved in scamming people over the Johor affordable housing scheme or (RMMJ).

According to a report by the Malay Mail yesterday, the suspect is believed to be a 30 something male who used to work for a residential developer.    

A source told the daily that: “The suspect, who understands the local residential market due to his job with a developer, acts in a very professional manner and has also managed to convince several people, including civil servants, who are keen to buy or own a house.

“His modus operandi is to meet his potential victims at the residential area in the Bandar Datuk Onn area for them to view the homes in a convincing manner.”

Potential customers were given choices such as entry-level, single-storey or double-storey linked homes and they have to pay a “booking fee” of just RM5,000.

“Most of the deals by the suspect were done early this year prior to the general election in May. However, some potential victims backed out of the deal as they found it doubtful due to the affordable home status quota for the needy,” the source told Malay Mail.

The source also said that he believed many of the victims of the suspected scammer have yet to lodge police reports.

Seri Alam police chief superintendent Jokhiri Abd Aziz said that checks “revealed that the suspect was suspended from his job and we have classified the case under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating.”

Meanwhile, Bernama reported yesterday that the state authorities have never appointed agents to collect payments from the public for the RMMJ homes.

State Housing and Rural Development Committee chairman Dzulkefly Ahmad reminded the public about the matter after nine people became victims of the RMMJ quota scam recently.

“The state government through the Johor State Secretary’s Office (SUKJ) only issues Sijil Layak Memiliki Rumah (SLMR) in the form of certificates.

“As such, a police report has been lodged as soon as SUKJ staff detected a forgery of the SLMR from the victims who came to the SUKJ office for housing matters,” he told the media after a working visit to the Johor Risda office yesterday.  

He said victims were allegedly asked to fork out RM5,000 to book the RMMJ and upon payment, the victim would be given a SLMR letter to qualify for the quota.