Onn Hafiz (seated, centre) and Mohd Jafni (standing, right) with recipients during the Perumahan Kasih Johor programme in Kulai. — THOMAS YONG/The Star
Over RM80mil in aid allocated for three initiatives
First-time homeowners and renters in Johor can now breathe a sigh of relief following the roll-out of three housing assistance initiatives announced under the state’s 2026 Budget, offering financial aid of up to RM7,000 per household.
State housing and local government committee chairman Datuk Mohd Jafni Md Shukor said the initiatives announced by Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi aimed to ease the burden of home ownership and rental costs, particularly for the younger generation.
“The three initiatives cover assistance for purchasing a first home, move-in costs and rental relief,” he said.
Under the scheme, first-time homebuyers are eligible for a RM5,000 incentive.
Those moving into a new house could receive RM2,000 to help cover initial expenses such as utility deposits, said Mohd Jafni, who is also Bukit Permai assemblyman.
Meanwhile, the state’s new rental assistance scheme offers RM200 a month for 10 months, totalling RM2,000.
Mohd Jafni said the application process for all three initiatives was now open.
He added that moving-in assistance, previously capped at homes priced below RM300,000, had been expanded to cover properties up to RM500,000.
“This means anyone buying their first home priced below RM500,000, with a minimum household income of RM4,500, can apply for both the RM2,000 moving-in assistance and the RM5,000 home purchase incentive,” he said.
For those not yet ready to buy, the 10-month rental incentive serves as a temporary cushion.
Mohd Jafni said eligibility criteria included being a first-time homebuyer as well as registered as a voter in Johor and residing in the state.
Married and single individuals are eligible to apply.
“This is among the largest housing-related allocations by a state government.
“The total allocation exceeds RM80mil, reflecting Johor’s commitment to housing affordability,” he said, noting that RM40mil had been allocated for move-in assistance alone, benefitting an estimated 20,000 recipients.
Application forms for home purchase and move-in assistance can be obtained from Johor Housing Development Corporation (PKPJ) or assemblymen’s offices.
For rental assistance, applications can be submitted via QR codes available on official banners, with forms also downloadable online.
To prevent fraud, Mohd Jafni stressed that all applications must be verified by their respective elected representatives.
“There are no agents or middlemen,” he said.
“Applicants should deal directly with PKPJ or government offices.”
The housing aid is part of the wider Perumahan Kasih Johor (PKJ) programme.
Onn Hafiz said the initiative reflected the government’s drive to ensure Johoreans had access to safe and affordable homes.
“This meaningful programme is close to the heart of the state leadership because housing is one of the biggest costs of our rakyat,” he said during a handover ceremony for the PKJ initiative at Dewan Serbaguna Bandar Putra in Kulai.
He said the state initially targeted 21,000 units under Rumah Mampu Milik Johor (RMMJ) by 2030, but had since revised the target following high demand to more than 100,000 units.
“People used to call them ‘rumah mampu lihat’ (only able to view), but in Johor, it is truly ‘rumah mampu milik’ (affordable homes),” he said.
Onn Hafiz also dismissed claims of bias, asserting that aid was distributed regardless of race or political leanings.
“Whoever is entitled must be helped. There is no cronyism,” he asserted.
He further attributed Johor’s ability to channel assistance to the state’s strong economic performance.
During his three years and nine months in office, he said, Johor attracted RM253bil in investments, created over 70,000 jobs and maintained unemployment at 2.5%.
“The state recorded RM91.1bil in investments between January and September 2025, the highest among Malaysian states.
“Johor’s gross domestic product grew to 6.4% and state revenue hit a historic RM2.67bil, while agriculture sales reached RM27.2bil.
Every sen must be returned to the people of Johor, he said, adding: “What is the point of recording billions in investment if the rakyat does not feel the benefit?”
