AUSTRALIAN Pat Jones, 66, is keen on taking up a part-time job in the tourism sector if work permits are issued to skilled spouses of Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) Programme participants.

Pat and her husband, Alan, 67, who have been living in Tanjung Bunga, Penang, for the past five years, said the Government’s plan was good news to her.

“I will be more than happy to take up a part-time job here,” she said when contacted.

She was commenting on the announcement that the Government would strengthen the MM2H Programme and consider issuing work permits to skilled spouses of programme participants under the Mini Budget 2009.

The couple, who operated a beach motel in Victoria, Australia, before relocating to Penang, have convinced about 150 foreigners to participate in the MM2H programme since their arrival.

“Most of the retirees who moved to Malaysia under the programme are not that old. They are more than willing to work if it is allowed,” she said.

Pat said the Malaysian government could also save a lot of money by tapping into the expertise of programme participants or their spouses who had worked before as lecturers, doctors, engineers or language teachers.

“However, the Malaysian government must not make it restrictive for the spouses to apply for the permits,” she said.

Another Australian Andrew Faron, 62, who joined the programme 18 months ago, said the Malaysian Government would benefit greatly if it went ahead with the move.

“There are many highly qualified spouses of the programme’s participants who would love to get involved in areas which they are good at.

“They can get involved in the tourism sector or even teach English,” said Faron.

He had worked as a cabin crew with Qantas.

Source: http://thestar.com.my/

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