Security guard gets his wish to own a home

JOHOR BAHRU: Security guard, Ahmad Fuad, couldn’t contain his excitement yesterday at being chosen by ballot to own a house under the Rumah Mampu Biaya Johor (RMBJ) programme.

The 55-year-old from Kampung Kurnia said: “After almost 20 years of living with my family and looking after my siblings, my dream of owning a home has come true.”

He said he will use his Employees Provident Fund (EPF) savings to pay for the RM80,000 three-room, two-bath house provided under a Johor state government affordable home ownership scheme.

He said he submitted his application last month and “didn’t expect to be chosen”.

“This is a blessing for me and my soon-to-be wife. Our wedding is next year so this is perfect timing and has come through patience in hard times,” added the widower when met during the RMBJ balloting procedure and qualification certificate handover at Taman Perbadanan Islam Stulang Baru yesterday.

Meanwhile, Zuliana Amran, 34, who received an incubator lease certificate said she feels relieved to get picked because she has been paying RM4,000 per month in rent for her provision shop.

Earlier in his speech today, Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Hasni Mohammad, said the state government will continue helping the rakyat through its partnership with PIJ Holdings, either via RMBJ or the entrepreneurial sector.

Aside from the housing project, PIJ Holdings is also developing an incubator centre at Kompleks Pejabat dan Pusat Perniagaan PIJ Holdings in Stulang Baru where 43 office and business lots are available at reasonable rent.

-- BERNAMA