Rental assistance scheme enhanced: Monthly household income cap raised to RM4,556, now covers S’wakian students in higher education

Michael Tiang Ming Tee (file photo)

By Ashley Sim

KUCHING, Nov 28: The Sarawak Rental Assistance Scheme (SRAS) has undergone further expansion, now offering monthly rental assistance of RM200 for up to 36 months to eligible applicants.

The monthly household income eligibility has been raised to RM4,556 for married individuals, widows/widowers, single parents, or working singles renting in Kuching, Sibu, Bintulu, Miri, and Samarahan.

Public Health, Housing, and Local Government (MPHLG) Sarawak deputy minister Michael Tiang Ming Tee further mentioned that SRAS is now available for Sarawakian students enrolled in higher educational institutions.

Tiang also noted that SRAS has been extended to Samarahan district in order to offset the high living costs in Samarahan, which are nearly equal to those in Kuching.

“SRAS is open to IPTA (public universities) and IPTS (private universities) in Sarawak. This assistance is however only applicable to those studying outstation in Sarawak and having to rent a room or house.

“Let’s say you are from Kuching, you are studying in Swinburne, you are not eligible. But if you are from Sariket, you are studying in Swinburne, you are renting a room or a house, you are eligible because you are studying outstation.

“And the eligibility for this assistance is that their guardian’s monthly household income should not be exceeding RM4,556. It (SRAS) also only limit to one student per household,” he told reporters during a press conference held in the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly (DUN) complex here today.

Tiang, who is also Pelawan assemblyman, remarked that at least 4,000 students are expected to benefit from the assistance which is according to the ministry’s statistics.

“Interested students can apply through the HDC website at https://hdc.sarawak.gov.my, or through their guardian and parents because they need to submit their income statements,” he remarked.

Tiang also stated that the SRAS enhancement will take effect in January 2024.

“Currently, as a result of the improvement, SRAS is eligible for married applicants with a monthly household income of not exceeding RM3,500, and widow/widowers, single parents or working single applicants with a monthly household income of not exceeding RM2,500.

“As of October 2023, SRAS has benefited a total number of 2,104 tenants of which 1,484 tenants are in Kuching, 235 tenants in Sibu, 311 tenants in Bintulu, and 74 tenants in Miri,” he added. — DayakDaily