Introducing the Sabah My Second Home (Sabah-MM2H) Programme

Sabah recently launched the much-anticipated Sabah Malaysia My Second Home (“Sabah-MM2H Programme”) on 30 June 2024 and started accepting applications on 1 July 2024. The Sabah-MM2H Programme is only applicable in Sabah and pass holders are not allowed to work in Malaysia. The duration of the Sabah-MM2H Programme pass is for 10 years, with the visa to be issued for an initial 5-year period, at the end of which, security and minimum stay checks will be performed before the visa for the remaining five years can be issued.
 
According to the Application Guide of Sabah-MM2H1, the requirements for the application are as follows: 
 
  1. Age/ Nationality: Applicants must be at least 30 years of age and from countries that have diplomatic relations with Malaysia; 

  2. Fixed Deposit: Applicants must meet the following fixed deposit requirements:
     
    FIXED DEPOSIT
    INDIVIDUAL FAMILY
    RM150,000 RM150,000
    Withdrawal allowed for up to 40% after two years in the programme to purchase property, car, education expenses for children or medical expenses.
  1. Income: Applicant must provide the following proof of income: 
     
    PROOF OF INCOME (THREE MONTHS)
    INDIVIDUAL FAMILY
    RM10,000 per month RM15,000 per month
  1. Property Purchase: Participants are restricted to purchasing high-rise properties with minimum RM600,000 purchase price. The property can only be sold after five years from the date of purchase, with the condition that another property is purchased at the same price or that an upgrade to a more expensive property is made. 

  2. Dependents: Spouse, parents-in-law, and children (including adopted children/  stepchildren) below 21 years of age. 

  3. Minimum Stay Duration: Cumulative stay period of 30 days per year in Sabah. 
Comments
 
Despite only receiving the official green light from the Federal Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture on 19 July 20242, the Sabah Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment, Datuk Christina Liew said that the reception to the Sabah-MM2H Programme has been ‘tremendous’ since Sabah started accepting applications on 1 July 20243. It will be interesting to see whether the ‘less rigid’ requirements, as claimed by Datuk Christina Liew, will attract more participants for the Sabah-MM2H Programme4.
 
With the launch of the Sabah-MM2H Programme, there are now three separate MM2H programmes (Sabah, Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia) running concurrently. Our earlier articles on the MM2H and Sarawak-MM2H programme can be read at MM2H 3.0 – Here to Stay! and Sarawak’s Malaysia My Second Home Programme respectively.
 
Alert prepared by Foo Siew Li (Partner) and Ng You Xian (Associate) of the Immigration Practice of Skrine.
 
 

1 Sabah MM2H website by Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment, Application Guide of SBH-MM2H.
(https://sabahmm2h.sabahtourism.com/termsnconditions)
2 ‘Sabah gets full control over its MM2H programme after meeting between Liew, Tiong’, The Star Online, 19 July 2024.
(https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2024/07/19/sabah-gets-full-control-over-its-mm2h-programme-after-meeting-between-liew-tiong)
3 'Tremendous' response to Sabah's MM2H programme, says Liew, The Star Online, 4 July 2024.
(https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2024/07/04/039tremendous039-response-to-sabah039s-mm2h-programme-says-liew)
4 ‘As West Malaysia woos wealthy foreigners for its MM2H residency visa, Sarawak and Sabah emerge as popular alternatives’, CNA Online, 5 July 2024.
(https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/malaysia-mm2h-visa-sarawak-sabah-retire-expat-4450991)

This alert contains general information only. It does not constitute legal advice nor an expression of legal opinion and should not be relied upon as such. For further information, kindly contact skrine@skrine.com.