CAMERON HIGHLANDS: A sum of RM50mil has been allocated by the Government to help local estate workers to own houses before they retire, said Deputy Human Resources Minister Datuk Maznah Mazlan.
The allocation was provided under the 10th Malaysia Plan and would be managed by Bank Simpanan Nasional.
“Presently, many locals are staying in quarters provided by their employers.
“However, when they become old, they will be left to fend for themselves and many cannot afford a house,” she said after closing a seminar on occupational safety and health for the agricultural sector at Kampung Sedia, Tanah Rata here yesterday.
Maznah, who is also the Muadzam Shah assemblyman, said the pioneer scheme would be introduced for the benefit of estate workers as part of the Government’s initiative to look after their welfare.
She said those interested could apply for a loan to build a house on an empty land or purchase a completed unit at a maximum interest rate of 4% with a repayment period of up to 40 years.
“The longer repayment period will enable their children to repay the loan amount and later inherit the house from their parents.
“We expect this scheme to benefit some 2,000 local estate workers,” she said.
Maznah said the Government would continue to work closely with employers to provide local estate workers with the opportunity to own houses.
However, she said, the Government would not take over the task completely as it wanted the employers to shoulder this responsibility.
“I was made to understand that 73 plantation companies have built over 6,300 houses to be offered to their workers.
“Some companies even offered land to the workers, but they instead sold them to third parties for short-term gains,” she said.
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