Give blacklisted applicants a chance to buy homes - Mukhriz

The Kedah government on Wednesday urged the Ministry of Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government to come up with best mechanism to assist blacklisted individuals to have a second chance to own houses under the People's Housing Programme(PPR).

Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir said there had been many cases where individuals intending to purchase homes under the PPR failed due to debt obligations or being blacklisted by financial institutions.

"There are applicants in the lists of the Credit Tip Off Service (CTOS) or Central Credit Reference Information (CCRIS)," he said.

"I'm appealing to the ministry for help on how to help this category of people who wish to buy houses under the PPR but are not eligible due to bad debt records in financial institutions," he said at the launch of a PPR scheme in Kampung Naga near here.

Meanwhile, deputy minister of Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government, Datuk Halimah Sadique, who was also present, said the request would be brought to the ministry's attention.

"PPR has two concepts, owning and renting, with 312 units under the ownership concept currently available in Kampung Naga whereby applicants are required to go through open registration system."

"If there are applications from blacklisted buyers, they can opt for the hire-purchase approach. The concept of hire purchase can help applicants with bad debt record to own houses under PPR," she said.

She said although the method had never been implemented but it would help those in the low income bracket to own houses.