Govt allocates RM50mil to help local estate workers own houses
By Simon Khoo
Monday November 1, 2010

CAMERON HIGHLANDS: The Government has allocated RM50mil to help local estate workers to own a house before they retired, Deputy Human Resources Minister Senator Datuk Maznah Mazlan said.

Maznah said the allocation was provided for under the 10th Malaysia Plan and would be managed by Bank Simpanan Nasional.

"Presently, many locals are staying in quarters provided by their employers while still under employment.

"However, when they retire, they will be left to fend for themselves and can ill-afford to own a house," she said after closing a seminar on occupational safety and health for the agricultural sector at Kampung Sedia, Tanah Rata here.

Maznah, who is also the Muadzam Shah assemblyman, said the pioneer scheme would be introduced for the benefit of estate workers as part of the Government's initiative to look after their welfare.

Among others, pplicants could apply for a loan to build a house on an empty land or purchase a completed unit at a maximum interest rate of 4% with a repayment period of up to 40 years.

"The longer repayment period will enable their children to repay the loan amount and later, inherit the house from their parents.

"We expect this scheme to benefit some 2,000 local estate workers," she said, adding that presently, a low cost house in the market cost between RM37,000 and RM50,000, depending on the areas.

Maznah said the Government would continue to work closely with employers to provide local estate workers with an opportunity to own a house.

She said, however, the Government would not take over the task permanently as it wanted the employers to shoulder this responsibility.

"So far, I was made to understand that 73 plantation companies had built over 6,300 houses to be offered to their workers.

"Some companies even offered land to them but they ended up selling it to third parties for short-term gains," she said, adding that the ministry would meet with employers to find out the problems they were facing pertaining to this matter so that a solution could be found. --The Star News