Saleh Fareed
Saudi Gazette
JEDDAH – The number of foreigners taking part in the Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) program has increased in the last few years to 20,000 and 1,460 from Middle East has participated, Malaysian Consul General Mohammed Khalid Abbasi Abdul Razak said during the MM2H seminar held Sunday night at Le Meridien Hotel Jeddah to promote MM2H in the Kingdom.
“We expect to see a substantial increase in the number of participants from the Middle East from next year onwards,” he said.
MM2H was introduced by the Malaysian government and invites all nationalities regardless of age, gender and race to stay in Malaysia for an indefinite period with a renewable 10-year multiple entry visa, as long as they do not contravene or violate the Malaysian law.Abdul Razak said Malaysia needed to maintain its economic vibrancy not just by drawing tourists in, but also by getting them to stay longer. “Through this program, Malaysia is now attracting foreigners not just for long-stay vacations, but also as a base for conducting their business overseas, to educate their children, and for retirement or semi-retirement” he said.
MM2H is a campaign by Malaysia’s Ministry of Tourism since 2002.The Consul General added that Malaysia was one of the nicest countries in the world to live in. “Malaysia’s strategic location, developed infrastructure and communications system, political stability, wide use of English, investment-friendly environment, tropical climate, low cost and high standard of living and lifestyle have been increasingly appreciated by its expatriate community,” he said.
Joseph Fernandez, General Manager of International Placement House, who is visiting Saudi Arabia to promote MM2H, told the Gazette that this program is open to all citizens of countries recognized by Malaysia regardless of race, religion, gender or age. Applicants are allowed to bring along their spouse and children.“We here to welcome all foreigners to join this great program and in particularly we are here to extend our invitation to Saudis because we have a common culture we share together.
It is a lifestyle program and participants in Malaysia My Second Home program are provided with various incentives to make their stay more comfortable and enjoyable in Malaysia,” he said.Ahmed Yahya Al Jahsyi, director of Malyasia Tourism Saudi Arabia, briefed the attendees, noting that Malaysia is an attractive, safe and value-for-money destination for international tourists.Sherman Siewi from Malaysia MM2H Association explained the program, how to apply and its main incentives.
He called the program as one of the cheapest migration and 4th best retirement programs in the world.He pointed out that successful applicants are given a 10-year social visit pass with a multiple entry visa which is renewable for as long as they like, besides enjoying tax-free income abroad.
