Reader Submission: That's how it can be: Malaysia!
Sometimes you get lost on the world wide web and you come across surprising places. This time on the site MM2H. That stands for Malaysia My Second Home. MM2H is a Malaysian government program to encourage expatriate settlement. My eye fell on the possibility of a 10-year visa. I read on with interest.
Eligibility for the MM2H program requires a certificate from a Malaysian doctor and a fixed bank account of RM 150000 (approximately 38.000 euros) at the start. After a year, money can be withdrawn for expenses such as buying a house or financing a child's education. If the expat is older than 50 years, a fixed income of approximately € 2500 per month is also sufficient and the deposit is no longer necessary.
It goes without saying that it is possible to stay in Malaysia for a long time without meeting these financial requirements, only that many of the benefits mentioned later will lapse.
Benefits Malaysia
In addition to the more promotional texts such as good health care and excellent education, there were also a number of concrete benefits. I'll name a few:
- A stable government.
- The government also communicates in English, so bilingually, and many Malaysians speak English.
- It is safe, little violence against expats and only 3 to 5 murders per 100.000 people, slightly more than Switzerland.
- Few road casualties.
- Expats can buy land and houses in their own name.
- Mortgage is possible at local banks and up to 70% of the purchase price of the house.
- Expats can purchase a car tax-free or import their own car tax-free.
- If you are admitted to the MM2H program you will receive a 10-year visa with multiple entry (no limit) and an extension option (imagine, no 40 times to immigration as in Thailand).
- Visiting family can stay for up to 6 months on a type of tourist visa.
- No tax on income from outside Malaysia.
The message is clear, the Malaysian government sees potential in the settlement of foreigners, lures them in with a sophisticated program and erects as few barriers as possible. Has vision.
How different from Thailand where there is nothing to be found. Could it also be done here? I don't think so, I don't rate the learning capacity of the Thai government very highly. Moreover, Thailand there is no better!! The arrogance at its peak.
Why then are relatively few (compared to Thailand) going to live in Malaysia? Maybe little name recognition, have no Pattaya and the women are veiled?
Malaysia so close and yet so far away.
Submitted by Klaasje123
As for the last sentence – that of those veiled women is incorrect. A headscarf, yes, but also many women without that attribute!
a very good friend of mine lived in Malaysia for several years and ran away from misery and came to live in Thailand; There is a list of all the “advantages” here, but not a word about the disadvantages. every coin has two sides. I don't think I need to explain what one of the biggest disadvantages is... just look around the world and you will know enough. The southernmost provinces in Thailand frequently experience one of these disadvantages.
lung addie
what are the disadvantages then? I read that Malaysia is more expensive than Thailand. There is also the rainy season and recent floods.
Do you mean this ?
I think lung means Islam as a disadvantage! Also because of that no conditions like in Pattaya.
Also, the girls here will not whistle behind the boys.
I was made aware of this program some years ago.
Partly due to this successful programme, the island of Penang (where relatively few Muslims live) is very popular with foreigners.
I visit there every year for at least a month and am well aware of the situation.
There is still a lot of construction going on. Of course that also has consequences….
But in itself, Malaysia as a country of residence is in many respects better suited than Thailand.
A critical note is fine.
A brief summary of arguments would be even better, for those less informed.
It's always nice to learn something here 🙂
Is Malaysia dealing with guerrillas and terrorism as insinuated in the last sentence?
Isn't that invalidated by very low crime figures?
Also check out the Philippine Immigration website. There is a special program called the SRRV, Special Resident Retiree's Visa, http://www.pra.gov.ph.
There is a one time payment of $1400. Without retirement a deposit of $20,000.00 and retired $10,000.00 and proof of a minimum pension of $800 monthly is required for persons over 50 years old. An annual contribution of $360 is also required. The deposit can be used after 6 months for the purchase of a condo or long-term lease. The usual documents including a health certificate and certificate of good conduct are required but all available within a day on site at the one-stop immigration office.
The benefits are numerous and as long as one continues to meet their financial obligations, a permanent visa is issued with multiple entries and one no longer has to show up at an immigration office.
There is a "great and assist" program, where an immigration officer picks up the applicant from the airport and then helps them through the paperwork!!
In addition to Filipino, the English language is mastered to a reasonable degree by everyone and used for all official documents.
To quote one of the previous commenters, lots and lots of very moderate Catholics locally except in the far south.
Khan Harry, Chiang Mai
After reading your comment I am somehow obliged to respond to the last sentence of the author of the article and to your last sentence. The real reason why Westerners are not eager to “reside” in Malaisia is certainly not that there is no Pattaya and that women walk around veiled or not. That is by no means the reason. No one has anything against the fact that the women are walking around veiled somewhere in their “own” country, but what lies behind it. Going somewhere as a tourist cannot be compared to staying there permanently.
As Khun Harry writes about the Philippines: it is probably a good place to be, except in the South and by that Khun Harry means: Mudano, Sahu, Palawan…. and what lives there? Look it up and you will know why Malaysia is not on the wish list of Westerners to “reside” there, whatever the benefits. That's why Lung also asked Addie about the list of disadvantages.
lung addie
Lung Addie, you were required to respond? Am I now too! Since your post was posted I assume mine is too? Because so much nonsense is written here that the truth can be written, I hope moderator?
1) Mudan? Never heard of it! Well from Mindanao
2) Palawan south? Who lives there? I!!! I have a country house. Can you already say that nowhere in Thailand (beach) is as beautiful as there!!! Palawan is in the west!!! of the Philippines and is one of the most visited tourist attractions in the Philippines: You have no idea how beautiful it is there. But on google you can view photos or some more info instead of putting fellow bloggers on the wrong track!
Sometimes I feel like you are responding to respond, sorry!
Anyone can have an opinion and participate in the discussion or posting, but please: If they don't know, don't respond.
“The English language, in addition to Filipino, is reasonably well-versed by everyone and used for all official documents.”
Not Filipino, but Malay or BI (Bahasa Indonesia) is the national language.
Previous post is incorrect, I thought it was still about Malaysia.
Philippines: English in addition to Tagalok,
Malaysia: Malay and Bahasa Indonesia
Only 3 to 5 murders per 100.000 persons, slightly more than Switzerland.
In Switzerland it is 0,73 murders per 100.000 persons, which seems to me to be a considerable difference.
Certainly it is, but also a few less than in Thailand!!!!
The disadvantage in Malaysia is of course Islam. Not as strict as in the Middle East, but you have to live with its restrictions. However, what disturbs me the most in the Philippines is not only the Catholicism, but also the high crime rate as in many Catholic countries. In addition, I could never eat well in Manila. Thai cuisine is much more exciting. Also on my last visit to Malaysia I was quite disappointed with the cuisine. Maybe I've been spoiled by Thai cuisine.
You can't forget about the climate either. Malaysia is closer to the equator and has a more humid climate.
Indeed, the benefits are not to be forgotten. You can really use English everywhere and Malay, which is very similar to Indonesian, is also easier than Thai.
If I had to choose, I would go outside Thailand for Malaysia.
Dear Bloggers,
My article was not intended to advertise Malaysia in any way. The main reason was that the government there has a vision of settling foreigners, which apparently finds it attractive and has also made policy on this. Isn't it strange to compare that with the complete lack of it in Thailand? That's the point I wanted to make. And the fact that there are problems in the field of faith here and there in the world has not escaped my notice. But what can be expected here if the reds and yellows also take to the streets after today's ruling?
please don't beat around the bush
malaysia is strict islam
Malaysia is an Islamic country but certainly not a strictly Islamic country. I know the country well and know what is going on. But don't exaggerate!
okay, no problem!
but let me go to thailand!
Believe me , I have known this website for a very long time .
That's why I find it interesting that it suddenly pops up out of nowhere on our Thailand blog.
And believe me , if things actually go wrong or I get fed up with Thailand , I will definitely make use of their Malaysia your second home program .
Can they learn a lesson from this at the Thai emigration .
But the visa requirements are tougher than in the land of the eternal smile .
But I can meet these requirements to date.
But no more annual emigration hassle for your retirement visa , get up at 5 o'clock in the morning ( Chiangmai ) and then in the Queqeu for your visa until late in the afternoon .
Here a visa valid for 10 years.
Also no nagging for an exit visa, buy a plane ticket and off you go.
Here in Thailand they are addicted to stamps this and stamps like that.
Do you miss a big problem or no problem, but then pay.
Spending an hour or two every 90 days waiting for the slow-motion official for a simple stamp and piece of paper. Good news, Thailand needs to become more competitive.
Jan Beute.
Well, it may not be that easy here in Thailand, but when I look at how easy it is for a Dutch person to take a month's holiday in Thailand compared to what I now have to do to go to the Netherlands for a week with my girlfriend… a bitch….
I know Thailand well and am going to Malaysia for the first time this year, but also Indonesia and the Philippines, so I can only really compare when I've been there. But think that especially Malaysia and its neighbor Singapore are now miles ahead in all areas compared to Thailand.
However, Thailand remains that wonderful tourist country where everything is possible (as long as you pay 😉), but a difficult country to do business and live as a farang.
“and only 3 to 5 murders per 100.000 persons”
Is that so little then? Assuming 4 murders, that is extrapolated to the Netherlands more than 600 murders per year. In the Netherlands, that number is just over 100…
I am also very interested in this, would like to stay informed.
thanks in advance.
sabine
An important aspect not to forget is if you have an AOW pension, Malaysia and the Philippines do not have a treaty with the Netherlands.
The state pension will be reduced to 50% of the minimum wage.
See the link here:http://www.svb.nl/int/nl/aow/additioneel/export_door_opschorting_beu.jsp
I have been living on Penang Island since 2009 and have the MM2H visa. I chose this at the time because it is an easy way, especially for someone under 50, to get a long-term visa in a South-East Asian country.
About the mentioned benefits:
“A stable government.”
That is not true, there is a lot of political unrest, the economy is going badly and there is a kind of “apartheid” that favors the Malay over the population groups. There seem to be decent rules, but they are not guaranteed and complied with, the government and police do nothing in that case.
“It's safe”
Judging by statistics, maybe, but a lot of crime does not appear in the statistics and people in Kuala Lumpur and Penang feel a lot less safe compared to Bangkok or Chiang Mai: http://www.numbeo.com/crime/compare_cities.jsp?country1=Malaysia&country2=Thailand&city1=Kuala+Lumpur&city2=Bangkok&name_city_id1=&name_city_id2=
FYI in the past 12 months, at least 30 Burmese have been killed and dismembered on Penang.
“Expats can purchase a car tax-free”
If you want to sell the car, you still have to pay tax.
Penang is really a lot more expensive than Thailand, that difference will be even bigger when VAT on goods and services is introduced from April 1.
I will be 50 next month and the first thing I will do is go to the Thai consulate here to apply for a Thai visa, then I will move to Thailand as soon as possible.
Worked and lived in Malaysia myself. In KL life is good and quite western with both bars and good food everywhere. Once you get outside of KL in the smaller towns life is very different (by faith)
After 20.00:80 very difficult to eat outside and of course to be woken up in the early morning by the "prayer". Also my wife (Thai) was absolutely not happy there because of being whistled by XNUMX% of the men there. She did not feel safe and at ease at all. All in all it was nothing for me and for her.
Give me life in Thailand but with a lot of vibrancy and people on the street 24 hours a day and food and drink available.
Regards, A