KUALA LUMPUR: Foreign married women can now apply directly for the Malaysia My Second Home programme, Deputy Tourism Minister Datuk Donald Lim said.

Before, only foreign men could apply for the programme on behalf of their spouses.

“There are instances where the wife is earning more than her husband and this move will make it easier for the couple to meet the basic requirements,” he told reporters after opening the inaugural Expat Expo at the KL Convention Centre yesterday.

Lim said applicants were required to have a fixed deposit of RM150,000 (for those aged 50 and above) or RM300,000 (for those below 50), and that this move would help a couple meet the figure.

This was among several issues that were discussed during a policy meeting between the ministry, the Immigration Department and Home Affairs Ministry recently.

“We have also proposed a one-stop centre for MM2H applications, particularly because those who apply to stay in Sabah and Sarawak have to go through the Immigration Department there,” Lim said.

The two-day exhibition, from 10am to 8pm, which ends today, showcases the various facilities and services available to existing, incoming and potential members of the expatriate community.

On property investments for expatriates, Lim said the Government was considering a uniform minimum price of RM250,000 for all states.

Most states have already agreed in principle to standardise it but final details have yet to be ironed out.

On tourist arrivals, Lim said the country managed to garner RM24bil in tourist dollars from 10.7 million tourist arrivals within the first six months of Visit Malaysia 2007. This is on track to meet the Government’s target of RM44.5bil.

Source: TheStar

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