By Shikin Louis
KUCHING, April 4: The Sarawak government through Ministry of Public Health, Housing and Local Government (MPHLG) is considering measures to address the ongoing issue of recipients renting out or selling off affordable homes meant for those in genuine need.
Deputy Premier and Minister for Public Health, Housing and Local Government, Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian, said the ministry is reviewing enforcement measures and policy refinements to close loopholes and prevent abuse.
“We don’t want people to abuse it. We help you with sincerity, but you must reciprocate with sincerity,” he told reporters after officiating Mutiara Open Day 2026 held at Wisma Sultan Tengah here today.
Dr Sim acknowledged that some homeowners bypass restrictions, such as rules prohibiting the sale of units within a fixed period.
“In some cases, you are not allowed to sell for seven years, but some people go ahead and make a second agreement to sell anyway. There are all sorts of people,” he said.
While enforcement remains a last resort, he stressed that action will be taken if necessary.
“If there is no choice, we will take action. The ministry is looking at all sorts of actions,” he added.
At the same time, Dr Sim emphasised that Sarawak’s housing policies are designed to help those in genuine need, particularly lower- and middle-income families.
The State currently has more houses than families due to uneven distribution, rural-urban migration, and multiple ownership among some urban residents.
“What the Premier (Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg) wants is for as many people as possible to own houses, preferably when they are young, so they can pay off their loans by the time they are older,” he said.
To support this, Sarawak offers low-interest loans through schemes such as Mutiara Finance—one per cent for B40 and three per cent for M40 borrowers—while also assisting applicants often rejected by banks due to irregular income.
“These are people we want to help, like hawkers who may not have fixed income but can still afford a house,” he explained.
The scheme also allows cross-generation joint loans, enabling older applicants to co-borrow with their children so repayments can continue beyond typical lending age limits.
Dr Sim said Sarawak is targeting 20,000 housing units over the next five years under the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP), covering urban and rural areas through Skim Pembesaran Kampung or Village Expansion Scheme (SPK), private developments, and State agency projects.
In addition, agencies such as the Land Custody and Development Authority (LCDA) and Housing Development Corporation (HDC) increasingly build homes on a non-profit basis.
Earlier, Dr Sim handed over financing offer letters from Mutiara Mortgage & Credit Sdn Bhd to seven recipients under the Rumah Spektra Mutiara (RSM) scheme, marking the start of their journey to homeownership.
The RSM initiative is a collaboration between Mutiara Mortgage and the local authorities, combining house construction with financing support. Units, built on private or State-provided land, come with three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a living area, and a kitchen. — DayakDaily
