71.   Bank employee misinformed about housing loan, NEW STRAITS TIMES-

72.   Bearish factors such as the unwinding of cross-shareholdings and higher interest rates for housing loans were dampening market sentiment, investors said.

73.   BTN used the funds for its low-cost housing loans, offering similar interest rates for loans allocated for small firms.

74.   Calls for its breakup became especially frequent after it was revealed that oversight failures were partly responsible for a costly liquidation of seven housing loan companies last year.

75.   Civil servants are mostly ethnic Malays who are assured of low-interest housing loans, prompting them to book houses linked by fiber-optic cables.

76.   Currently there are thirty- nine local finance companies involved in the business of housing loans, hire purchase for motor vehicles and business equipment.

77.   Domestic concerns also dragged stock prices lower, particularly a deadlock in Parliament over a bailout plan for failed housing loan companies.

78.   Even though the keys to his new home have been delivered, the purchaser has to service his housing loan and carry on renting a house elsewhere.

79.   He attributed the rise to possible widespread business failures, unrestrained use of credit cards, indulgence in gambling leading to debt and failure to settle housing loans.

80.   He said the concept was necessary as it was difficult for those from the lower-income group to obtain housing loans.