22,320 foreigners allowed to stay in Malaysia as of Aug

Source: http://www.nst.com.my/latest/22-320-foreigners-allowed-to-stay-in-malaysia-as-of-aug-1.412991 26/11/2013

KUALA LUMPUR: As of August, 22,320 foreign nationals have been allowed to stay in Malaysia under the 'Malaysia, My Second Home' programme (MM2H).

Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz said they were from 22 countries, including China, Japan, Bagladesh, United Kingdom and Iran.

The majority were from China (4,187), Japan (2,880), Bangladesh (2,603), United Kingdom (2,016) and Iran (1,266), he said in a written answer to a question by Lim Lip Eng (DAP-Segambut), distributed at the Parliament lobby today.

Yesterday, Lim had asked for statistics on foreign nationals who migrated to Malaysia under MM2H since it was introduced in 2002, and the proposal to increase conditions for participation in the programme.

Mohamed Nazri said the ministry had no plans to change the criteria for MM2H in the near future.

The programme was promoted to allow foreign nationals who met certain conditions to stay in Malaysia, as long as they wanted by using the multiple-entry social visit pass.

Initially, the social visit pass is for a 10-year period and renewable, but a foreign national who marries a Malaysian does not qualify and must obtain a spouse permit. -- BERNAMA

Related new: http://www.theedgemalaysia.com/political-news/264776-22320-foreigners-settle-in-malaysia-under-mm2h-programme.html

http://english.astroawani.com/news/show/22-320-foreign-nationals-approved-to-stay-in-malaysia-25870