KUCHING: Sarawak is looking into categorising its Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) programme into several distinct groups such as retirement, education, medical tourism and investment.
Prime Minister's Special Envoy to the People's Republic of China Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing said there could also be customised packages for the purchase of properties in different regions or locations to make it more convenient for applicants to look for fixed residence at a specific price range.
He said the current programme has resulted in a mixed bag of applications without clear rules for each applicant group.
Tiong said this after paying a courtesy visit and holding a meeting with Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan today.
He said it was agreed during the meeting that the government should avoid a partial or disjointed approach to the MM2H programme, which was originally aimed at attracting foreign nationals to spend their retirement years in Malaysia.
"The deputy chief minister (Awang Tengah) had expressed agreement with the proposals as the entire application process must be simplified to further avoid cumbersome red tape and introduce more people-friendly procedures, with the joint cooperation of all parties involved," he said in a statement today.
"He (Awang Tengah) assured that the state and federal governments will discuss the application conditions for MM2H including applicants' financial capacities, conditions for property purchases and more," he added.
Tiong, who is also the Malaysia China Business Council Chairman said Awang Tengah also recognised the need for an environment that is attractive and convenient for foreign applicants to attract economic investment and help spur the state's development.
He said the Sarawak government will also regulate applicants in a specific group according to the area they have applied to invest in.
These should apply to industries of a certain value and with a certain amount of medical coverage as part of the relevant requirements for this applicant group. The details would be further ironed out based on discussions with the relevant stakeholders before a final decision is made, he said.
"We also agreed (during the meeting) that Sarawak's immigration autonomy could also be a factor in the MM2H application requirements in determining whether retirees meet the requirements for applying for a second home in Sarawak."
"So long as there are applications toward an industry of a certain value, the government should consider granting the Residence Permit (PR) to facilitate their travel to and from their country," Tiong said.
He said Awang Tengah, who is also Sarawak's Minister of Rural Development and Natural Resources, and Minister of International Trade and Industry, Industrial Terminal and Entrepreneur Development said during their discussion also affirmed China as an important partner with great potential for cooperation.
Tiong who is the Bintulu Member of Parliament said the Sarawak government hoped to invite more Chinese higher education institutions to establish in Sarawak to deepen academic cooperation.
On the frontlines of the Covid-19 pandemic, he said the two countries can further cooperate on medical development with the merging of Chinese and Western medicines. This exchange may also accelerate the number of MM2H applicants from China.
