The PKR vice-president said many of these tenants are still struggling financially due to the movement restrictions amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The housing and local government ministry should extend the exemption to six months until March next year,” Chang said, citing statistics which show that the country’s economy is still at a “critical” level.

“Tens of thousands of PPR and PA tenants are from the B40 group. They are facing significant financial problems during this crisis, as the country’s economy has still not recovered from the pandemic.

“The end of the loan moratorium has also had a significant financial impact on these low-income families. If the government refuses to extend the rental exemption period for them, many will suffer.”

He added that the exemption would cost the government RM3 million.

Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin announced the six-month rental waiver for PPR residents and federal government-owned premises on March 27 as part of the government’s RM250 billion Prihatin economic stimulus package.

The announcement in March came on the back of a previous one-month rent exemption.

The extension ended last month, meaning that PPR and PA tenants under the management of the housing and local government ministry and the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) would have to start paying rent from this month.

Chang cited the 17.1% drop in the gross domestic product (GDP) in the second quarter of this year to justify his argument on the state of the economy.

He also pointed out the unemployment rate in July and August being 4.7% (745,100 people), a sizable increase from the 3.3% (524,800 people) in July last year.