RM57 billion housing loans approved by banking institutions till Sept

HOUSING loans amounting to RM57 billion have been approved by banking institutions to 142,558 applicants for first time house purchases from January until September this year.

Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Lee Chee Leong said since 2010, the government and Bank Negara Malaysia ( BNM) had introduced various schemes and measures to facilitate home ownership in Malaysia for eligible borrowers especially for the purchase of first homes.

“Among them are step-up financing schemes PR1MA, MyHome, Rumawip, Selangorku Homes, 1Malaysia Civil Servant Housing ( PPA1M) and 1Malaysia People’s Friendly Homes and reducing the cost of buying houses through the MyDeposit Scheme by providing 100 per cent stamp duty exemption on the instrument of transfer letter and housing loan for purchase of houses worth RM300,000 and below,” he told the Dewan Negara sitting here yesterday.

He was replying to Senator Datuk Yong Wui Ching who wanted to know the bank loan approval statistics for first time house purchase from 2012 until now made by BNM to facilitate the applicants to obtain housing financing.

Lee added BNM also provides the Housing Watch website at http:// www.housingwatch.my that contains the latest information on real estate in Malaysia, including housing loan statistics, government aid schemes for youths and first time home buyers and advisory services for housing loans. — Bernama