KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 11 — Perbadanan Usahawan Nasional Bhd (PUNB) is offering a 50 per cent discount on the rent of its business premises from October to December, 2020.

Its chairman Tan Sri Noh Omar said 220 tenants would benefit from the gesture involving a total collection of RM1.3 million.

“During the period from April until September, PUNB waived the rent for the entrepreneurs, amounting to RM5.3 million.

“This initiative is to help ease the burden of entrepreneurs affected by the Covid-19 pandemic,” he told reporters after visiting the business premises owned by PUNB at Pusat Industri Seri Rampai today.

Noh said entrepreneurs who were severely impacted could still appeal for a further reduction of the rent.

“PUNB may consider their appeal to reduce the rate by more than 50 per cent if they are really in dire circumstances provided they have a good payment record,” he said.

Meanwhile, Noh said PUNB would introduce a rent-to-own financing scheme for bumiputera entrepreneurs who intend to purchase PUNB-owned, external or new business premises with a minimum value of RM500,000.

“So tenants renting the 222 premises belonging to PUNB will be given an offer to own them.

“Once the entrepreneur agrees to take over the PUNB asset, the payment he makes monthly will be considered as instalments on the price of the premises,” he said.

As for the purchase of external and new premises, Noh said the entrepreneurs could submit an application for PUNB to purchase the asset and then continue paying the rent to PUNB until it becomes theirs. — Bernama