KUCHING: The Housing Deposit Assistance Scheme (HDAS) has a two-pronged objective. It benefits the low-income group and at the same time impacts the state’s economy.
Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said while the scheme helped to ease the financial burden of the younger generation (B40 and M40 group) in purchasing their first homes, it would also help the construction sector and enable developers to build more houses and attract more buyers.
“This scheme will also affect the supply chain in the housing industry and reduce poverty rates both in urban and rural areas,” he said during the launching of HDAS and the Rumah Spektra Mutiara programme at UCSI Hotel on Monday (Feb 7).
Explaining that Sarawak was the only state to offer such a scheme, he said it was an innovative scheme introduced by the state government.
“The Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government always strives to provide adequate, quality, comfortable, and affordable housing facilities for its people, especially the low-income group.
“This scheme improves the people’s quality of life, and Sarawakians are not left behind from enjoying the rapid development of the state while having comfortable and quality homes,” he said.
For the record, HDAS offers a deposit of 10 per cent or RM10,000 maximum to first-time house buyers.
“The younger generation often has difficulties in paying for the house’s deposit due to insufficient savings. So, as a caring government, we are stepping in.
“They can now buy a house when they are young and the instalment payment period will be 25 to 30 years, thus, the monthly instalment is cheaper.
“This in return will create wealth for these people as they now have their own assets,” he said.
Abang Johari disclosed that the 10 per cent deposit need not be paid back, saying that as as long as he remained the chief minister, “the deposit assistance will be increased from time to time, depending on the number of applications received.”
Still on housing matters, he said that for individuals wishing to build a house on their own land, Mutiara Mortgage & Credit Sdn Bhd (Mutiara) would introduce the Rumah Spektra Mutiara programme where the cost of building a house will be funded by the firm through the Mutiara Dream Home Financing Scheme (MDHFS).
“The initiatives of the scheme greatly help the people in Sarawak in terms of increasing their household net disposable income as well as enhancing wealth creation respectively.
“In addition, the rural people are also given special attention so as not to be marginalised in this transformation process,” he added.
On the Sarawak Rental Assistance Scheme (SRAS), Abang Johari said the RM200 monthly assistance would benefit about 20,000 eligible households renting houses in Kuching, Sibu, Bintulu and Miri.
“We know many low-income individuals migrated to urban areas to work and are facing financial difficulties due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“That is why the government through this scheme is helping these individuals to settle their rent and indirectly helping to address the problem of urban poverty and squatters, as well as reducing the cost of living of the recipients,” he said.
