Many tenants of the People's Housing Programme (PPR) have yet to settle their house rent, with some incurring rent arrears over nine years.

National Housing Department director-general, Datuk Mohamad Yusoff Ghazali said through the Community Well-being Operation conducted to date at three PPR, 187 units were found having rent arrears.

From the three PPR inspected, the highest rent arrears of RM1.6 million were recorded at a PPR involving 125 units in Kedah, he said.

"There are tenants who owe up to nine years in rent," he told reporters after a Community Well-being Operation at a Taman Sri Stulang PPR here Saturday.

Currently, there are 103,000 PPR units nationwide, in which rent in the peninsula is RM124 a month while in Sabah and Sarawak, it is RM150 a month.

Mohamad said notices on rent arrears were issued to the tenants concerned during the operation.

The Community Well-being Operation which began early this year focused on tenants who rented out their units to third parties, those with rent arrears and tenants who abuse of their housing unit.

Meanwhile, Mohamad said PPR tenants who owned houses had to return their rented units to the state government to be given to more deserving families.

From 619 PPR units inspected at the Jalan Sagindai PPR in Papar, Sabah; Pudu Ulu PPR, Kuala Lumpur and Taman Dahlia PPR in Kuah, Langkawi, 59 PPR premises were found to have been rented to third parties.

"They should return their PPR units to the state government to enable more deserving parties to rent the housing unit.

"We want them to understand the PPR houses we provided were for locals who do not own houses and for low-income families living in squatter houses.

"For those found renting their units to foreigners, there will be no compromise and we will issue a termination notice immediately, while those who sublet to locals, a month's notice will be given," said Mohamad.