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Make it easier for foreigners
11/01/2008 The Star By Nik Khusairi Ibrahim
The processing of applications to the Malaysia My Second Home
(MM2H)programme should be decentralised, said Penang Tourism Development and
Environment committee chairman Teng Chang Yeow.
“Approval for MM2H applications have been under the purview of the Tourism
Ministry since three years ago.
“Decentralising the processing of the applications will make things easy for
the applicants,” he told newsmen after chairing a special roundtable
discussion with stakeholders who are directly and indirectly involved in the
MM2H programme in Penang recently.
Some 24 representatives from an airline company, developer companies, banks,
research institutes, property agencies and accounting firms attended the
inaugural meeting held in collaboration with Social Econo mic Research
Institute (SERI), Malaysia Airlines and Henry Butcher.
Seri and Henry Butcher have set up a working sub-committee to formulate
action plans based on the ideas mooted during the brainstorming session.
Teng also said property developers as well as marketing and financing
sectors should be roped in to promote the programme together with the
relevant agencies.
“We will be looking into all aspects including preparing brochures and
taking integrated approaches to attract buyers.
“We are targeting tourists from Britain, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and
Indonesia,” said Teng.
Among those present were Real Estate and Housing Developers’ Association (Penang)
chairman Datuk Jerry Chan Fook Sing and Henry Butcher Malaysia honorary
chairman and business advisor Datuk Seri Kamal Hashim.
Andy Davison, a publisher and one of the founders of The Expat magazine,
said Malaysia would be losing out to other markets in the region if it kept
changing its policies.
“This country offers great potential. But the opportunities are not fully
utilised,” he said.
Chan said Penang’s selling points in attracting MM2H participation included
comfort, cuisine and affordability. |
