ID :
44496
Fri, 02/06/2009 - 17:54
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/44496
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MALAYSIAN GOVT EASES REQUIREMENTS FOR MM2H
From Jocelyn Ann Dragon
SAPPORO (Japan), Feb 6 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian government is set to ease
the requirement for participating in the Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H)
programme to boost the country's property sales and the programme's
participations.
The proposed relaxation, among other things, includes abolishing the
requirement to disclose the source of participants' income.
Tourism Minister Azalina Othman Said said that the proposed relaxation had
been discussed at the Special Cabinet Committee on Tourism and submitted to the
cabinet for consideration.
Following that, she said, the cabinet requested the Tourism Ministry to find
the mechanism for its implementation.
"We received feedback that most of the participants feel insulted when they
were asked to reveal their income.
"We were informed that other countries do not practise such ruling," she
told a news conference at Doshin Hall here.
Earlier, Azalina delivered a speech to more than 1,000 people attending the
Malaysia Longstay Seminar organised by the Tourism Malaysia in collaboration
with Hokkaido Shimbun.
"Among matters that will be scrapped is the requirement to reveal the
participants' source of income. It's a sensitive and personal matter," Azalina
said.
Azalina said from 2002 until 2008, there were 12,566 foreigners who had
participated in the MM2H programme, with the Japanese ranking the second biggest
with 921 participants.
She said the strict immigration ruling would also be eased to allow
participants and their spouses with special skills to work on part-time basis.
"These are hindrances that discourage foreigners from participating in the
programme," she said.
She said changes would also be made to the requirements including permitting
foreigners married to Malaysians to join the programme.
Currently, foreigners under that category were barred from the programme.
Another change was the setting up of a one-stop centre to promote, process
and to take charge of all matters pertaining to the MM2H programme, she said.
"The ministry received complaints that agents abused their powers by
charging participants high processing fees. Participants are exempted from
paying the fees at the ministry's one-stop centre," she said.
-- BERNAMA
SAPPORO (Japan), Feb 6 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian government is set to ease
the requirement for participating in the Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H)
programme to boost the country's property sales and the programme's
participations.
The proposed relaxation, among other things, includes abolishing the
requirement to disclose the source of participants' income.
Tourism Minister Azalina Othman Said said that the proposed relaxation had
been discussed at the Special Cabinet Committee on Tourism and submitted to the
cabinet for consideration.
Following that, she said, the cabinet requested the Tourism Ministry to find
the mechanism for its implementation.
"We received feedback that most of the participants feel insulted when they
were asked to reveal their income.
"We were informed that other countries do not practise such ruling," she
told a news conference at Doshin Hall here.
Earlier, Azalina delivered a speech to more than 1,000 people attending the
Malaysia Longstay Seminar organised by the Tourism Malaysia in collaboration
with Hokkaido Shimbun.
"Among matters that will be scrapped is the requirement to reveal the
participants' source of income. It's a sensitive and personal matter," Azalina
said.
Azalina said from 2002 until 2008, there were 12,566 foreigners who had
participated in the MM2H programme, with the Japanese ranking the second biggest
with 921 participants.
She said the strict immigration ruling would also be eased to allow
participants and their spouses with special skills to work on part-time basis.
"These are hindrances that discourage foreigners from participating in the
programme," she said.
She said changes would also be made to the requirements including permitting
foreigners married to Malaysians to join the programme.
Currently, foreigners under that category were barred from the programme.
Another change was the setting up of a one-stop centre to promote, process
and to take charge of all matters pertaining to the MM2H programme, she said.
"The ministry received complaints that agents abused their powers by
charging participants high processing fees. Participants are exempted from
paying the fees at the ministry's one-stop centre," she said.
-- BERNAMA
