Financial Privileges Malaysians Get To Enjoy!

Malaysia is going to celebrate its 66th anniversary of independence this year! To help you get in the patriotic mode, we have listed a few financial privileges only Malaysians get to enjoy in this article. 

Housing schemes

for all income groups in Malaysia

 

 No doubt, housing prices are getting ridiculous nowadays but thanks to housing schemes that are now available for all income groups, home ownership has become possible. #FYI, Malaysians are categorized into three different income groups: Top 20% (T20), Middle 40% (M40), and Bottom 40% (B40). Let's find out what housing schemes are available for all income groups.

T20 housing scheme

PRIMA

Aiming to provide high-quality housing for Malaysians, PR1MA houses are priced between RM100,000 and RM400,000. Technically PR1MA housing is not exclusive to T20 income groups however you are eligible to apply if you have an individual or combined household income of RM2,500 – RM15,000.

Other eligibility criteria: 

• Malaysian citizen
• Be over the age of 21
• Own no more than one property between you and your spouse

B40 and M40 housing schemes

Rent-To-Own (RTO)

First announced in Budget 2020, Rent-To-Own (RTO) is one of the government initiatives to help out Malaysians that couldn’t afford to own a house. It's a scheme that allows you to lease a selected property for up to 5 years before purchasing it. You can then purchase the property at a price stated in the rental agreement when the lease was first signed! 

Read more on RTO, here.

Residensi Wilayah 

Previously known as RUMAWIP, Residensi Wilayah is an affordable housing program for those who were born, working, or living in any Federal Territories to own their first property. All Residensi Wilayah units are below the market price. Here are details on the types of properties you can purchase under the program: 

Low-priced house

Built-up: 700 sq ft

Price: RM63,000 (KL and Putrajaya), RM52,000 (Labuan)

Medium low-priced house

Built-up: 800 sq ft

Price: RM63,001 – RM150,000

Medium-priced house

Built-up: 650 sq ft

Price: RM150,001-RM300,000

For freelancers or with irregular incomes

Housing Credit Guarantee Scheme (HCGS)

HSGS provides a guarantee to banks and financial institutions, which means that they are less likely to lose money if the borrower defaults on their loan. This makes it easier for borrowers to get approved for a loan and get the best possible interest rate.

Eligibility criteria:

• Malaysian aged 18 to 60 years old 
• First house purchase for own occupancy
• Average monthly income of at least RM1,000

BSN MyHome Program Perumahan Rakyat

BSN MyHome is a housing loan offered to freelancers and people with irregular incomes to buy their first home by Bank Simpanan Nasional (BSN). The minimum income required to apply for the BSN MyHome initiative is only RM1,000! With the loan amount capped at RM300,000, you are entitled to 100% financing.

Healthcare 

Malaysia doesn’t offer free healthcare (yet) but the government heavily subsidizes the cost of healthcare at public facilities. Take a look at the below initiatives by the government to extend help to Malaysians in need. 

mySalam National Health Protection Scheme

mySalam is a government initiative to provide eligible Malaysians with free takaful protection. Recipients of mySalam are entitled to a one-time RM8,000 cash payout upon diagnosis of one of the 45 Critical Illnesses and RM50 daily hospitalization income replacement up to RM700 per annum at any government, military, or university hospital. 

Peka B40

Peka B40 or Skim Peduli Kesihatan for the B40 income group aims to provide healthcare needs by focusing on non-communicable diseases (NCDs). This scheme is eligible for those aged 40 and above and recipients of Bantuan Prihatin Rakyat and their registered spouses. Among the benefits you get to enjoy with this scheme are:

• Health screening at MOH or private clinics
• Up to RM20,000 of the health item value
• Completing cancer treatment incentive up to RM1,000
• Transport incentive up to RM1,000

EDUCATION

Free and compulsory primary education

All Malaysian children are entitled to free and compulsory primary education. This means that they can attend government primary schools without having to pay any tuition fees.

National Higher Education Fund (PTPTN)

The PTPTN is a government-backed loan scheme that provides loans to Malaysian students to finance their higher education. The PTPTN loan has a low-interest rate of 1% per annum and can be repaid over a period of up to 30 years. 

Insurance

i-Lindung

Launched by Employees Provident Fund (EPF), members can purchase protection products such as insurance/takaful products from Insurance & Takaful Operators (ITOs) via i-Lindung. Currently, FWD, eTiQa, and Prudential offer 10 different insurance products through this initiative. Of these 10 products, some offer protection benefits for death, total permanent disability (TPD), and critical-illness policies. 

TRAVEL

Our powerful passport!

 

Do you know that the Malaysian passport is ranked the 11th most powerful passport in the world according to the Passport Index?

Yes! We are free to travel to 181 countries without a visa! Tourist visa requirements can be expensive and complicated. Let us look at an example: If you're planning to travel to Italy, you are required to pay around RM428.00 (USD96) for a tourist visa however, if you hold a Malaysian passport, you get to enter the land of pasta, pizza, and gelato for FREE!

Traveling soon? Get Allianz Travel Care insurance to protect you and your loved ones! Claim a 20% discount when you apply via CompareHero from NOW until 15 September 2023. HURRY. 

SUBSIDIES

Malaysia’s subsidies have been such a hot topic in recent years. This year alone, the total amount of subsidies is expected to reach RM80 billion! But do you know what’s been subsidized? 

To help fellow Malaysians with rising living costs, the government has provided various consumption subsidies including:

• Petrol
• Cooking oil
• Diesel
• Flour 
• Electricity
• 6 other government aids and subsidies

Finally, we must know what privileges we are entitled to as Malaysians. You may not need it but would be helpful to pass the information to those in need. If you’re eligible for any of the listed schemes and privileges, make sure to utilize them.