MANY tenants of a government transit housing scheme for young couples are still living in their units, despite the expiry of their tenancy and want clarity from the authorities in the form of a legal extension or a change in status of the scheme to permanent housing.

The scheme at Pinggiran Bukit Jalil launched in 2014 was the first of its kind meant for newlyweds. It was launched as Rumah Transit 1Malaysia (RT1M) by the Najib Razak government and rebranded and renamed after the change in government in 2018.

However, its success is questionable, as about half the units remain empty, even though finding housing is rated a top challenge for young adults and couples.

The Housing and Local Government Ministry said it plans to build even more such affordable housing.

Weaknesses, such as delays on the part of the ministry’s National Housing Department, also plagued its implementation.

The department is slow to sort out tenancy agreements.

If it’s to issue eviction letters, many of the couples, some of whom now have families, would be left in the lurch, they told The Malaysian Insight.

Khairul Abdul Rahim, 37, said finding another place in the Klang Valley with low rental rates is difficult.

“Most of us will struggle to find a new place. Most of us here don’t have high-paying jobs. We applied for this housing programme because the monthly rental is cheap,” said the Johor native, who works as a Food Panda delivery rider. He was among the first tenants to move in back in 2015.

“We were on a two-year contract initially, which was later extended for a year. Since 2018, we’ve been living without an agreement.

“Instead of a short-term contract, it would be great if the government could give us a lengthy contract to give us assurance,” said the father of three.

Empty units

The project comprises two blocks of 632 units but a check with the building management showed that only 329 are tenanted. The management is appointed by the ministry to maintain the building and collect rent, while all other decisions, including tenancy contracts, are made by the ministry.

Monthly rental is RM250 for a unit, which measures between 750sq/ft and 800 sq/ft, according to the project’s website.

Initially for a two-year lease only, the terms were revised last October to three years. The household income threshold for applicants was also initially RM3,000, but this has been revised to RM5,000, with rent remaining the same.

The target group was newlyweds below the age of 30 but based on The Malaysian Insight’s interviews with tenants, many couples living there already had children when they moved in.

Khairul said he and other tenants he knew were still paying monthly rental despite having no valid tenancy contract.

“We hope the government will consider this fact if it ever asks us to leave,” he said.

Another tenant, Mohd Azwan Ramli, 40, said the ministry should give tenants the chance to own their unit, similar to some people’s housing projects (PPR).

If this were to happen, priority should be given to tenants with good payment records, said the tour guide, who lost his job in May. He is now a freelance writer while his wife sells nasi lemak for extra income.

Azwan said he moved into the transit home project at the age of 35. Before that, he rented a house in Damai Utama, Puchong, for RM800 per month.

He moved to RT1M as he felt the rent in Puchong was taking too large a chunk out of his salary. His application to live in the transit home was approved within two weeks.

“If the government is not prepared to change the status and sell the unit to us, then it should consider extending the contact tenure.

“We know the units are meant for newlyweds and that tenants should make way for other new tenants once the agreement ends.

“But there are plenty of empty units here. In such cases, they should just give us a longer contract,” said Azwan.

A homemaker who wanted to be known only as Ella, 32, said she would consider buying her unit if the government offered it at a price of between RM20,000 and RM30,000.

“We used to rent a place at Bandar Kinrara and the rent there was three times more than here.

“This place is also strategic as everything is nearby. For instance, supermarkets are just 10 minutes away and schools are near as well,” said Ella, whose family has been living there for the past four years.

Both Azwan and Ella said it would not be realistic to expect tenants to move out any time soon, given the coronavirus-battered economy.

Hakim Jamal, 28, who sells nasi lemak at a stall in the transit housing project’s compound, said the weak economy will deter many from moving out.

“If they ask us to vacate, where would I go?” said the Malacca native who is in his third year living at the project.

In addition to helping his wife run their nasi lemak stall, he juggles home deliveries and also works as an electrical technician. The couple have two children, aged two and four, who attend a kindergarten set up at the transit home project.

The project’s environment and units appear much cleaner and better maintained than many of the city’s PPR flats.

Expired contracts

Checks with the building’s management found that many of the current tenants have contracts which expired in 2018. The ministry has not issued any new agreement nor given any clue as to the tenants’ future.

Most tenants The Malaysian Insight spoke to said they are continuing to pay the rent on a monthly basis, even with an expired contract.

They said they have not written to the ministry for clarification but hope that their diligence in paying rent will count in their favour when the ministry makes a decision.

The building management said there are only some tenants who paid promptly with other racking up huge arrears.

The management also said it exempted tenants from paying rent throughout the six-month bank loan moratorium period as part of Covid-19 relief efforts.

The Pakatan Harapan government had, before it was ousted in late February, said it would build more transit homes for youth and newlyweds in major cities as part of creating one million affordable housing units under different categories by 2028 for the B40 group. – October 2, 2020.