He said that through this programme, foreigners are allowed to apply for residency under different eligibility criteria and those who succeed will receive a residence pass for a specified period.
“Successful applicants will receive a residence pass for a certain period, allowing them to live and spend their currency in Malaysia, thereby contributing to our economic growth and generating national income.
“Even Malaysians can apply for residency in other countries under stipulated conditions,” he said in a statement posted on Facebook today.
He said this when commenting on a statement by former Minister of Information, Communications and Culture Tan Sri Dr Rais Yatim on Facebook on Friday regarding the MM2H programme, which was alleged to have made 22,000 Chinese nationals permanent residents in Malaysia.
Tiong added that there is no hidden agenda in the implementation of MM2H and that it, instead, aims to attract foreign investments and improve Malaysia’s position as the destination of choice for investors and international residents.
“This programme is designed to generate economic benefits for the country. Actions, such as those by Rais Yatim, will certainly hinder the potential and brand of MM2H on the international stage, prevent foreign investors from carrying out their businesses in Malaysia and foil efforts to make Malaysia a thriving investment hub,” he said.
Tiong said that as a former minister who is well-versed in legislation, Rais should have verified the accuracy of the information before making accusations that could cause confusion and racial tension in Malaysia’s multicultural society.
“It must be understood that his irresponsible statement could trigger unnecessary turmoil among the people. In a multiracial country like Malaysia, misleading narratives like this can provoke racial tension and division, potentially leading to serious consequences such as racial disputes or social conflicts,” he said.
Introduced in 2002, the MM2H programme allowed foreigners to purchase property and reside in Malaysia before it was temporarily suspended in August 2020 for the Home Ministry and the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC) to comprehensively review the programme.
Since October 2021, new MM2H applications have been handled by the Immigration Department, covering existing application processing services and logistics.
The general conditions for the programme include being open to foreigners from countries with diplomatic relations with Malaysia, being at least 25 years old, all applications must be submitted through the MM2H One-Stop Centre and staying in Malaysia for at least 90 cumulative days per year. — Bernama