trane22

Great info all..Thank you...Im going for Sarawak MM2H later in the year..very excited, to have a break for a few years in Kuching and be able to travel around..Ive been before , just briefly, and KK too, in my work.....but now time to chill, wakeup late, evening walks, and street food!!(cant do that in the depths of Manchester).my question, I have a hobby retirement business, making jewelery, i will get them cast in Bali, and sell a few pieces on line while in Kuching, perhaps show at the occasional art fairs in Kuching...My Question, will they, the folk/authorities that grant my the visa allow such an endeavor...i wont be reliant on this for my main income, just a small income stream perhaps though this...

mikemike

I am not sure that on line sales is regulated. mymudah.com is a very significant on line portal and I would be very surprised if there is any form of applied regulation. As for sales direct in Kuching that would be another matter.

RedApe

Selling on-line is a grey zone. But be careful of putting a local sales address on any business card that promotes your jewelry as a business. Also consider keeping a foreign gmail or other contact. In addition, many residential leases state that you cannot operate a business through your residential address. That mainly means a walk in business, I suspect. You could obviously do your hobby and even send things out via that address but maybe would prefer to use the post office.
There aren't a lot of crafts faires...other than the Rainforest Music Festival Crafts festival. The main interest is in indigenous and locally produced items. But you might speak casually with some of the stores that deal with western jewelry.

"Nowadays, Malaysia does not issue any business visa. If the visit / trip is only for business meeting, discussion, negotiation etc., as long as the visit is not engaging any employment (paid or unpaid) you may enter the country by using tourist visa."

Just keep the local separate from the business.

the troubadour

Heading over to Kuching in June, to check it out if desirable as a place to reside. It'll be first visit to Borneo (besides Brunei) but know/knew mainland Malaysia well.


Some great info on here by RedApe on matters Sarawak which is my prime interest at the moment. Still a bit unclear the way around the requirement of a Sarawak local having to sponsor that has known me for three years.
Will read through the posts again which may shed further light on this.

RedApe

I don't think there is any official statement that the sponsor must know you for three years. I don't think I ever said that.

They cannot work for the Departments of Tourism, Immigration, and Health.

The major thing is that the sponsor be willing to sign the promissary note that covers your "personal bond". That can be up to RM2500 depending on where you are from. It's unclear whether or not you could include that in your rental security deposit (and your sponsor being your landlord or housing agent)...or if you could arrange with a lawyer to make a side contract with your sponsor contracting to pay THEM the bond amount if necessary.

From the interview the sponsor WAS asked how well they know me, how long, what my job was, about why I wanted to move to Sarawak, if I was going to do any business or be employed in Sarawak. But I think the question about length of time was simply relevant to the "how well do you know".

trane22

Thx All...Etsy would be my on line choice, trip to Bali to collect the castings , once in a while......a dremel and a few hand tools and im set....I cant think of a smaller type, non offensive business...im sure even if I sort permission it would be OK, Im lucky I have an agent from my work days who, could help with sponsorship....DP rates seem good oo, can get 4%, as good as most Dividends..

RedApe

I think it could be done but keep it low key. Do as much as you can outside the country...though obviously delivery and payment might be preferable domestically. If you can do an offshore payment system that might be better, with payments in cash only as a last option. If you are being paid then someone might think "how is this not work/employment". There are some westerners (though married to locals) that are involved with jewelry (mainly beads). DP rate? Deposit? Remember they are Fixed and limited in how you can withdraw...for the term of your visa. If you can do the pension plan you can set up an annual or quarterly FD with almost equivalent rates.

trane22

Hi Red...Yeah castings from Bali, finish up in Kuching, then though Etsy sell only OS, not within Malaysia, and IF permission is granted then display a few pieces at Bike fairs which happen all over Malaysia at different times, (most of my stuff is silver skulls /anchors/ Rock n Roll kind of thing..Yes, thats the plan, have an FD paying out monthly/Quart...I cant see the Ringgit more risky than other currencies on the deprecation front, not more or less than losing 10% share value quite easily on Divi shares, for the same return...I guess i Would have to have the FD amount for the Visa in a different account...

OriginalSunshine

How are you getting the castings from Bali to Kuching? Customs may be interested in large amounts of silver....

trane22

Hello Sunshine..Not really large, maybe 10 pieces, say 8 ounces, 150 dollars worth of silver..

OriginalSunshine

Keep it in your hand baggage and you’ll be fine

assimafzal

Hi, i am a pakistani 59 years old ,visited sarawak in 2016 and am wanting to get sarawak mm2h for me, my son and wife.I get rental income from my property and from a business investment of around Rm 10,000 per month.My question is:
1) Is this ok for getting the mm2h in sarawak?
2)Do the immigration check on the amount being transferred in mm2h'ers bank account there in sarawak or can he get the amount(from his offshore income)as and when he needs for his monthly or other expenses?
if anyone can answer his or someone's experience?
thnx
assim

RedApe

I had to show three months warrants for my government PENSION income. My impression is that they want proof of a FIXED income like an annuity, pension, or other income not subject to rising and falling markets.

But I could be wrong as it says "Applicants must show proof of monthly off shore income /pension funds of RM10,000 for married couples or RM7,000 for single applicants".

But the Documents Required Checklist states "Certified copy of latest 3 months' government approved pension funds"

They wanted the warrants and I think they checked with the agency that handles the pension portfolio. There may be extra requirements for determining if other income qualifies.


I would try to contact Diana Corazon Blikau [email protected] who might be able to answer your question.


2) No, immigration doesn't check to see if it's going into your local account. There isn't any obligation under the "pension option" to have a local bank (which is actually quite a hassle).

Establishing a local account only applies in the case of the Fixed Deposit. If you go THAT option you'd have to show immigration that you have deposited the money into the FD account in a local bank. They would not let you withdraw without a letter showing that you qualified for an approved withdrawal (i.e. property purchase, educational expense, healthcare cost) OR that you were departing the program.

On the surface I'd say you look like you qualify. If you son is unmarried and under 21 then he should qualify under your application as well.

Even though you are commonwealth you and your Family will need to get a Malaysia Visa from the Malaysia Embassy. This SHOULD avoid the "Journey Performed" Fee.

Hopefully you can also find a local Sarawakian sponsor.

Keep us updated.

assimafzal

Hi, thankyou for your feedback . I hope i can call you 'red', but i would like to add the word 'wise' with it,if its ok with you.In my introduction, i have stayed in USA for about six years ,that was many years ago and did my BBA from Texas Tech university , Lubbock and my son is 12 years old.
Now back to discussion, if i were to choose FD option , the big question is ; Is the money safe and mine? ( can be withdrawn in 'cash': of course with immigration approval)
But for pension receiving /offshore income mm2h'ers , not being able to open a hasslefree local bank account is not a positive thing as one has to receive money from offshore in either of the three cases. Even FD mm2h'ers might need to get expenditure from abroad (as work mostly is not allowed, and we are old timers).
The legal way is mostly bank accounts.
Any way as you mentioned, for my family FD might be a better option. Only if i could be sure, that i can use it hasslefree without any hidden loopholes ( because legal litigations is not my idea of enjoyable retirement) and jeopardising my hard earned monetary savings.
Do update me if you come across a FD mm2her ,and if he/she received the RM 90,000 in cash for his/her needs after the completion of first year, as the rule mentions.
I could'nt but, more agree with you guys,in that mm2h in sarawak seems easier and better in some aspects that west malaysia is. Although that there may be a couple of other things like : not complete system of laws and maturity and openess of local sarawakians to all foreigners.
In any case , it is a pleasure joining the forum with you guys.And not to mention that honest advice is scarce nowadays.
thankyou and
We will be on the forum,
Assim

RedApe

The money is yours but the fixed deposit is just that...fixed in place...except for certain types of things (healthcare, property purchase, children's education). It looks as if you will likely have at least some of those expenses...so over the Five Year Term of the visa you may actually draw it down a lot. Whether you come as a couple or a single you must ultimately retain RM60,000 in the account, refundable when you leave the program. The FD will accrue interest (currently about 4%/annum), so some have set up a paired account to receive the interest on that for spending. If you renew you only need to maintain the Fixed Account.

What I meant by "banking hassles" was that some banks were willing to take a fixed account, even when I explained "I don't need to get a FD...just regular savings". They stated I was not allowed to set up "just a savings account" (untrue). CIMB was the worst, followed by RHB, and Standard Chartered, RHB.
I eventually settled on Public Bank (Maybank was okay as well). Then there was a hassle with transferring money...for some reason my Transferwise transfer refused to be accepted on the Malaysian side...meanwhile the dollar plummeted vs. the Ringgit (but Transferwise stated..."don't worry we guarantee the initial rate"). But they tried for 3 weeks and finally gave up. That meant that I had to do it at absymal rates AND using the bank-to-bank transfer with high fees.


I don't think that you'll lose the money. Apparently the transfer out of the country when you leave is less of a problem than it going in. But it's not like you can simply use it as a checking account for healthcare or schools.

Remember that this is not for just any needs...but specific needs. And one is REIMBURSED. My understanding is that it is like on the Peninsula where one shows the receipts to the Sarawak M2H program and is paid back. About the only way one would draw down the entire RM90,000 amount would be a property purchase.

I'm trying to convince the Sarawak M2H program to allow more varieties of withdrawals (for domestic purchases) and that it is in their benefit to allow more to be taken out for these purposes. We'll see.

Sarawakians are actually open to most foreigners...and they are very law abiding (there are lots of laws, believe me...going back to the Brooke era). The crime rate here is stunningly low (except for motorcycle and outboard motor theft, usually blamed on "those Indonesians", and gambling and poaching). Most violent crime is related to domestic issues...affaires, marital problems, etc. and gambling). The unfriendliness is mainly directed "about" outsiders taking jobs (that seems to be universal nowadays) that could go to Sarawakians...those outsiders include, BTW, fellow Malaysians. That leads to some difficult things, they want to improve the speaking of English and Mandarin...but rely on locals who don't really speak or teach those languages very well. They want local college teachers but don't have enough...so often individuals with only a BA end up teaching at the University. They'll offer a part-time one year position but no one from the Peninsula will take such an offer (although perhaps a retiree with a higher degree might). And they actually might find many such people if the Sarawak M2H program expands.