BANGI: The Ministry of Housing and Local Government (KPKT) has introduced the Malaysian Family Home or Rumah IKRAM KPKT initiative for Malaysians affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, by offering a minimum rental rate of RM124 per month for a maximum period of two years.

Its Minister, Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican, said the cushion-based initiative was specifically formulated for families affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, such as loss of income, reduced income, job loss to the point of not being able to pay high rent or being evicted from rented housing.

For a start, he said a total of 1,000 units of Rumah IKRAM KPKT are being offered in the People's Housing Project (PPR) areas around Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Kedah, Kelantan and Johor.

Application for the units has been opened on the website https://teduh.kpkt.gov.my.

"It (application) is going to be simpler, with the estimate (approval process) within a week because we want to simplify (things) and with reasonable conditions," he said in a press conference after a walkabout session at the Malaysian Housing Maintenance Fund (TPPM) project at Jubli Perak Apartments, in Bandar Baru Bangi, today.

He said among the conditions that should be met in the application is that the applicant and spouse are Malaysian citizens; aged 18 and above; do not have a home; the tenancy is terminated by the landlord and the household income does not exceed RM3,000 per month.

Meanwhile, Reezal Merican said a total of RM3.4 million from TPPM was allocated for the purpose of repair, beautification and roof maintenance for the Jubli Perak Apartments.

The Jubli Perak Apartments has 13 blocks with 900 housing units.

-- BERNAMA