AN allocation of RM10mil was approved through the Public Health, Housing and Local Government Ministry under the 2022 Sarawak Budget for Mutiara Mortgage & Credit Sdn Bhd (Mutiara) to implement the Housing Deposit Assistance Scheme (HDAS) initiative.
Deputy Premier Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian, who is also Public Health, Housing and Local Government Minister, said that it was targeted to benefit about 1,200 first-time home buyers.
“As of April 30, Mutiara has approved 318 applications amounting to RM2.3mil, and out of the number, 236 applicants are Housing Development Corporation (HDC) buyers with a value of RM1.49mil, while 82 applicants are private developer house buyers with a value of RM810,962.”
He said this in his ministerial winding-up speech at the DUN sitting on today.
To spur housing and real estate activities, the Sarawak government introduced the HDAS initiative in 2021.
This initiative provides cash assistance to the eligible applicant by giving a grant of up to RM10,000 as deposit payment.
On another note, he said that to address the end-financing problem faced by home buyers in the low-income groups (B40) and middle-income groups (M40), the state government approved an allocation of RM8mil in the 2022 State Budget to Mutiara, to provide loan assistance for these groups.
“Currently, Mutiara has approved a total of RM68.5mil, involving 1,259 house buyers and has disbursed RM38.3mil to 887 successful applicants.
“And of April 30, 2022, Mutiara’s collection report recorded zero arrears from the borrowers.”
