KOTA KINABALU: Sabah will launch its Sabah Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) programme with applications opening on Monday (July 1), after over a month of disputes with the Federal Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry.
The issue began when the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry issued a circular on May 27 to all licensed agents handling MM2H applications, including those in Sabah and Sarawak, directing them to stop their operations.
The Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Ministry then wrote to the Federal ministry the following day, detailing its preparations to launch the Sabah MM2H programme.
On May 31, the Federal ministry replied stating that no one was allowed to process new applications for Sabah-MM2H until further notice.
State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Christina Liew criticised the move and said Sabah would continue with its Sabah MM2H with or without federal approval, resulting in her Federal counterpart Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing defending the decision.
During the launch of the Sabah MM2H on Sunday (June 30), Liew said that although the launch is a month later than scheduled, she is glad the programme can proceed with updated terms and conditions.
With the latest guidelines, she said she is confident that there will be no policy clashes with Federal laws, as both state and Federal Cabinets had agreed on the terms.
Liew said the timeline for application approval for the Sabah MM2H programme will generally take between eight to 10 weeks.
She added that the Sabah MM2H programme is only applicable in Sabah and applicants are not allowed to use this permit to work in Malaysia.
"We will also ensure there is no sub-letting of these permits. A committee will monitor these matters," she said after the launch of the programme.
Other conditions for applicants include being at least 30 years old, from countries that had diplomatic relations with Malaysia, fulfilling fixed deposit and financial requirements and only being allowed to purchase high-rise properties valued at least RM600,000, Liew said.
She said dependents of applicants can include spouses, parents, parents-in-law, and children (including adopted and stepchildren) below 21 years old.
Applicants must also have a minimum cumulative stay period of 30 days annually in Sabah, she added.
With this, Liew said appointed state representatives of the Sabah MM2H programme can now start planning how they wish to attract investors and property buyers.
There were a whole set of regulations, terms and conditions that both applicants and representatives for the Sabah MM2H programme must follow, which could be found at www.sabahmm2h.sabahtourism.com
She explained that this programme will boost investment and economic growth in the state, with at least 3,000 empty condominium units currently waiting to be sold.
Liew said Sabah offers the perfect attractions for retirement, investments and those looking for a second home outside their home country.
"Sabah is globally renowned for its pristine natural beauty, rich biodiversity, diverse cultures and, most importantly, warm hospitality," she said.
"This positions Sabah as the preferred destination for retirees, expatriates and individuals looking to relocate, enjoy long-term residence or have a second home outside their home country," she said.
Of course, infrastructure issues might pose some challenges but the state is working tirelessly to address these issues, Liew said.
Asked whether the programme would see property prices continue to rise in Sabah, she said it would not because not all properties could be included in the MM2H programme, and there were conditions set for these buyers.
Earlier during the event, she answered questions from the floor, including concerns about policies, company setup matters and sales and purchase procedures.
She said there would be follow-up meetings with cabinet members, ministry officials and other stakeholders for this programme.
