"MM2Hs" What are they? A Primer*

MM2H is a semi-permannet residency visa program.

My Malaysian 2nd Home or alternatively Malaysia My 2nd Home

There are several variants.  Unlike COVID, this is good for me.

S-MM2H, "Sarawak - My Malaysia 2nd Home," is the 5 year residency pass I'm applying for.  

Specifically, "MM2H" refers to the peninsular version.  Sabah has one too.  (As mentioned before, the Borneo states have some autonomy for things like this.)  But it seems to be known as Sabah MM2H.

The programs vary substantially.  What was originally targeted for retirees (Howdy!) has changed to bring investors on the mainland and to a lesser extent for Sabah. 

What may look like a sudden decision on my part isn't.  I've been considering this since last winter.  The original MM2H program changed with COVID.  The revised prospective guidelines issued last winter were more expensive.  The final version in July this year more so.

Sarawak remains unique in that is affordable and allows but does not require a property purchase.  It also does not specify residency in Sarawak.  The locals have noticed an influx of folks doing S-MM2H and residing in Penang.  That's allowed but not the spirit of the program.  

KL is not happy about it.  Kuching (capital of Sarawak) is not happy about it.  There are changes coming.  Potentially as early as November.  They will probably have a Sarawak residency requirement (90d per year, same as the mainland) - I don't care about that.  I'm very happy in Kuching.  

A property purchase requirement would kill any potential for me to do this.  I neither need nor want to own anything.  So, I'm doing this now.  The decision has been taken over months not days.

The mainland requires property purchases and has big dollar denominated deposits.  There are 2 particular exceptions: Special Economic Zones (SEZ) and Special Financial Zones. (SFZ.)  

The SEZ are basically the Singapore suburbs (an area known as Johor Bahru, "JB".)  This is Malaysia's attempt to draw off some of the Singaporean middle class.  Sing is incredibly expensive.   By Malaysian standards, JB is very expensive.  Probably worse than KK.  Because it is Singapore adjacent.  By S'pore  

metrics, JB is very cheap.

The SFZ is the infamous ghost town and failed development of Forest City.  The Government is a 40% owner (60% is owned by Chinese developers)...the SFZ is an attempt to bail out a colossal blunder.  Google Forest City; look for videos to actually "feel" it.  It's an ugly situation.

From my understanding, here are the types and their big tent poles :

• Peninsular except SEZs and SFZs (JB and Forest City)
• Various levels of deposit $150K-$2M.  Denominated in USD
• After year 1 can withdraw some (50%) for select expenditures
• MUST buy property
• Must spend time on mainland - I believe 90 days per year
  
  
• Mainland SEZ/SFZ
• Smaller depoit deposit
• same withdrawal rules
  
• MUST buy but from developers not private sale
• 90d
  
  
• Sabah
• RM 150,000 deposit
• Different withdrawal rules and amounts (40%)
• MUST buy
  
  
• Sarawak
• RM 150,000 deposit
• Sabah-like withdrawal rules; 40%
• NO REQUIREMENT to buy

There are lots of rules for all of them.  Particularly with regard to age and deposit "withdrawal" rules.  Working is not allowed under any, basically.  Like I care about that!

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* Semantics.  Used in this sense it is pronounced "Primm-er" as "Primm, Nevada" or in 'Prim, Primer, Primest."

It is decidedly not a "Pry-mer". 

The Pry-mer pronunciation deals with paints, pumps, and (gun)powder-like things.

At least it all did in the '70s!