Belanjawan 2027: Perluas skim sewa beli ke seluruh negara, kata kumpulan advokasi

REACH, a housing advocacy group, is urging the Malaysian government to expand the Rental Purchase (RTO) scheme nationwide in the 2027 budget. The scheme aims to assist low-income and simple households who struggle to secure conventional bank loans due to self-employment, gig economy involvement, irregular income, or non-compliance with bank lending requirements.

The group also recommends establishing funds to purchase suitable ready-to-live-in homes for eligible buyers, while ensuring monthly payments are affordable based on household income. Prime Minister Iskandar Abdul Samad stressed that the fundamental goal of housing in Malaysia is to ensure that those in need can truly own a home.

Potential models include the government or public housing agencies buying suitable homes from wage earners before offering them via the RTO scheme, transferring ownership upon successful payment. However, Iskandar emphasized that the selection of projects must be based on genuine housing needs, suitable locations, affordable prices, and quality, rather than allowing profit-seeking individuals to exploit the scheme for unsold units.

Another approach could involve the government acting as a lender for buyers who can afford monthly payments but fail to meet conventional bank loan criteria. This approach was already implemented through the Housing Credit Guarantee Scheme (SJKP), which continues to be pursued and strengthened in the 2026 budget to aid first-time homebuyers, including those without stable income.

The RTO scheme under the People's Housing Program (PPR) was approved by the Cabinet in 2016 to assist those who cannot obtain financing from financial institutions. As of last March, the scheme was still operational in Kedah, Kelantan, Penang, Negri Sembilan, Selangor, Terengganu, and Kuala Lumpur. In August, Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming stated that the government will continue exploring RTO schemes, seeking a fixed-rate interest option and other suitable financing instruments to address changes in work and income patterns.

He also mentioned the government's intention to investigate the shared ownership model to provide Malaysians with more choices and flexibility in financing home purchases, similar to the United Kingdom's approach, where buyers can own a portion of a property through a housing loan and deposit, while the remaining share is paid through subsidized rent.