“The Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry did not approve the criteria for Sabah MM2H, launched without federal consultation. The program restricts affordable housing to locals and bans employment.”
Kuala Lumpur, 08th July 2024, 12.25pm – The Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry (Motac) did not approve any criteria for the Sabah Malaysia My Second Home (Sabah MM2H) program that was launched last month.
Reports based on a statement from Motac last week indicate that the decision to launch the Sabah MM2H scheme with its own criteria was made without consulting Motac.
“The conditions were established unilaterally by the state’s tourism, culture, and environment ministry without consulting the federal ministry,” Motac said in a statement reported by news portal FMT.
On June 30, Sabah Tourism, Culture, and Environment Minister Datuk Christina Liew stated that the Sabah MM2H program had received approval from the Federal government and the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture, with an expected approval timeline of about eight to ten weeks.
She emphasized that the Sabah MM2H program is only applicable within the state and participants are not allowed to use the permit for employment in Malaysia.
Motac urged the Sabah authorities to ensure that any decisions regarding the state’s MM2H program comply with the law, including the Tourism Industry Act 1992 and its regulations, according to a report by FMT.
Motac expressed openness to meeting with the Sabah ministry to address any concerns or questions about the MM2H program.
During the launch of Sabah MM2H on June 30, Liew clarified that affordable homes are excluded from the program. “Affordable housing is reserved for local Sabahans and is not meant for foreign investment through this program.”
“We will also prevent the subletting of these permits. A committee will be established to oversee these issues,” she added.
Liew specified that applicants for the Sabah MM2H scheme must be at least 30 years old, originate from countries with diplomatic ties to Malaysia, fulfill fixed deposit and financial requirements, and are limited to purchasing high-rise properties worth at least RM600,000.
The Sabah MM2H scheme began accepting applications on July 1.
