Re: Why Retire in Malaysia?
 

Maybe not in KK. It certainly happens regularly in KL.

Re: Why Retire in Malaysia?
 

AJW, thanks for the warning. I will take care when I visit KL. Bag snatches are very traumatic, Bakedbean. My wife suffered one when we visited Chinatown in London one year. We used to go there regularly but did not return for many years afterwards. I was also the victim of an attempted mugging in a Watford park. Every town/city has its areas into which it is unwise to stray.
However the subject was Why Retire In Malaysia? In my case it was because my Malaysian Chinese wife, of now 34+ years of marriage, asked me if we could and I said "Yes". I don't regret that despite what is happening in the East.

Re: Why Retire in Malaysia?
 

That's all gone very quiet in the news now. Did it all get sorted out (anyone)?

I still think Malaysia is a good place for retirement. I'm now into my 3rd year here. Now been here longer than I was in Thailand and, for me, Malaysia wins hands down (though Horses for Courses and all that).

It's a great visa, warm climate, pretty cheap (mostly), great food, good shopping, good healthcare/hospitals, and nice people. What more do you need?

Glad I didn't pick Cyprus :( or anywhere else in Europe, come to that.

Re: Why Retire in Malaysia?
 

There is still some minor mopping up but essentially it is all over bar the shouting.

The MM2H was an inspiration and they keep making it better. I have a LTSVP and one day hope to get PR. Bakedbean there is nothing more needed (IMOT) but a few wants - here in Sabah at least. Most of them you already have in the west and it is just a matter of time, and population growth, before they head out here (Ikea, Aeon, Home Depot, Autobacs, Kinokuniya, etc.) Walking into a hardware store here is quaint and reminds me of the Two Ronnies Four Candles sketch - is a delightful experience and can be funny. Another reasons to retire here is that many of the statutes are based upon the Laws of England and Wales, e.g., property law, which should make life a little familiar. I think you could add Dubai to the list of 'glad I did not' - it was all the craze at one time.

Re: Why Retire in Malaysia?
 

I am married to a Malaysian, she wanted to retire to Malaysia and we arrived here 6 months ago. Her family (more than you can shake a stick at) are mostly in Kajang, near KL, so here we are 250km away on the east coast!

At the moment we're living Kampong style in a shack next to the beautiful South China Sea but we hope to have a proper house built on site before the end of this year. We can live comfortably on her NHS pension, what with the reasonable cost of food and petrol prices 1/3 of UK. The weather is cheerful, not grey and depressing like so many a Birmingham day, I can indulge my photography hobby with loads of colourful birds and amazing insects around and it is so peaceful and isolated here. The nearest traffic jams are 100km and more away and the view of the sea and surrounding trees is lovely.

Personally, the eating out experience is not a plus point, as I'm not keen on rice and don't enjoy chilli and bones in everything, but I do like the wide range of fruits available (even durian). I miss being able to order things over the Internet, as Malaysia is not a country to which the likes of Amazon will deliver. Take a tip from me and conclude business such as selling shares BEFORE leaving your UK address, to avoid a mountain of problems, as Malaysia is also considered a high risk as far as money laundering is concerned. Be prepared for frustrating and time consuming procedures and paperwork. Don't worry though, Malaysia boleh and you will get there in the end. Since you are retiring, hopefully you will have plenty of time, so relax and don't let things stress you out.

Re: Why Retire in Malaysia?
 

Hi, I am a Brit, married to a Malaysian, resident in Dubai and own property in Malaysia so can fully understand and agree with all the previous comments. In short:
UK/Europe I try to be proud to beBritish/European but it is getting harder all the time and I have no intention of ever returning to UK to live - which I get no pleasure from saying.
Dubai: Necessary to live here at the moment for work. My company is superb to work for and we have a nice villa but we are here for work not pleasure.
Malaysia: We have spent quite a bit of time in Malaysia in recent years and my MM2H application is well underway. I find the people friendly and helpful, the cost of living relatively cheap, the climate superb and the overall experience thoroughly relaxing and peaceful. As soon as we can afford to retire there permanently we will do so and I intend to apply for PR.

Re: Why Retire in Malaysia?
 

Hi Virilath and welcome to the forum :). Sounds like you're enjoying life on the East coast.

Rusty, I didn't think that PR was an option if you were an MM2Her? Or is that an option if you are married to a Malaysian?

Re: Why Retire in Malaysia?
 

Bakedbean,

I am married to a Malaysian, have obtained a five year visa (that says I'm not allowed to work in Malaysia) and intend to go for Permanent Resident status at the end of the five years, when I understand that if I've been good I should get a special red Identity Card.

Re: Why Retire in Malaysia?
 

As I understand it, until very recently if you are married to a Malaysian, you couldn't actually apply for MM2H and the only option was the Long Term Stay Visit Pass (previously known as a spouse pass). I say very recently because I believe they (Malaysia) changed the law and a spouse CAN now apply for MM2H but (again only my understanding) you do not qualify for importing a car duty/tax free. Also, until a few years ago, only female foreigners married to a Malaysian male could apply, but that has now been relaxed so that a Malay female married to a male foreigner (i.e. me, Rusty and presumably Virilath). Incidentally, my (6 month) visa also does not allow me to be employed!

Re: Why Retire in Malaysia?
 

I believe so, BB, although the last I heard (which was last week) the (Malaysian) special forces were still finalising the mopping up. The leader (I think he is a nephew of the Sultan of Sulu) was charged with trying to wage war against the King (effectively treason, I believe) and one of the possibly penalties is death! There was mention in the paper about a second charge which also carries the death penalty.

The problem at the moment is that there is so much news about the election in the papers that I sometimes find it difficult to pick out any other news!

Re: Why Retire in Malaysia?
 

from the other side of the Sulu sea. The larger of the terrorist groups here MNLF claim that they have landed an additional armed 1000 experienced fighters(read this as armed thugs and extorionists) in the conflict area and that they are being housed and fed by local sympathisers (if true they have at gun point taken over homes and are raiding the pantry whilst the owners are too scared to resist) So much Bola Bola this side it will always compete with Boleh Boleh :amen::amen:One thing for sure there is no official support this side for what has happened. There is no doubt that some who are trying to interfere with the elections due here(May13th) have funded this tragic stupidity. We arrive On May 9th in KK and just hope they have it all cleared up by then.

Re: Why Retire in Malaysia?
 

I don't know what the official line is currently but I do know of someone married to a Malaysian who got MM2H. Mind you, as I understand it, I don't think the person mentioned the spouse in the application :D

Re: Why Retire in Malaysia?
 

Yep, noted. Good for you.

My question was aimed at Rusty, who said he is married to a Malaysian, and also said that his MM2h application was under way.

Re: Why Retire in Malaysia?
 

Interesting posts above. I am using Joystay in KL as my MM2H agent and they are fully aware of my domestic situation. My only dilemma (which is a little complicated) is as follows:

Ideally I would like to get a 10 year MM2H visa now and after 10 years (or less) swap for a PR. The problem is that I have to live in Malaysia for 5 years before I can apply for PR which means that in less than 5 years from now I will have to live full time in Malaysia. That may be a little too soon. So, the option would be to renew the MM2H visa after 10 years and apply for PR when I have 5 years continuous residency. The problem with that is that at the 10 year renewal I will almost certainly have retired and (being a trusting soul) have already put most of our savings into my wife's sole name - she is Bumi and gets a good rate at Maybank/ASB - and I may then struggle to meet the financial requirements for MM2H renewal with regard to income in my sole name. So I may have to trade the MM2H renewal for a LSVP or whatever they are calling it then. The other option, of course, is to defer application for MM2H but that runs the risk of the rules changing. Thoughts anyone?

Re: Why Retire in Malaysia?
 

My thought is Do you actually need to be PR? Just carry on with MM2H and go the Fixed Deposit route. That way you only have to prove your income at the start, not at any renewal time. Mmmm might have to borrow some money back from your wife to do the Fixed Deposit :D

Anyway I'm sure that Yvonne at Joy Stay will give you good advice.

Re: Why Retire in Malaysia?
 

Is that right Baked Bean? No need to prove income at renewal? If so, Happy days!!!

Re: Why Retire in Malaysia?
 

If you're on Fixed Deposit, no need to prove income again. You'll have to show the FD on renewal.

Re: Why Retire in Malaysia?
 

That's the MYR150 k if over 50 years of age yes?

Re: Why Retire in Malaysia?
 

Yes that's the current requirement for over 50s. You can also withdraw RM 50,000 of that after one year for certain expenses.

You can read details below at the Gov website:
http://www.mm2h.gov.my/conditions.php

Re: Why Retire in Malaysia?
 

There are other factors to consider in the MM2H v LTSVP comparison. For one thing LTSVP is much cheaper than MM2H (no agent needed). Not sure whether you can move from MM2H to PR. Good to check out the Malaysian immigration website and also visit the NRD office and talk to an officer. If you choose the LTSVP route (which I did), make sure you register your marriage with the Malaysian High Comm in London BEFORE you leave the UK (assuming you have not already done so)

Re: Why Retire in Malaysia?
 

Actually, no agent is required for MM2h. you can diy.

though having said that, Yvonne at Joystay was amazing for our mm2h application.made it much easier for us.

Re: Why Retire in Malaysia?
 

I doubt it somehow. MM2H is just a long-term visit visa, albeit a good one which you can extend indefinitely. We are long-term tourists :)

As Kenny says, you can do the MM2H process yourself. You don't have to use an agent.

Re: Why Retire in Malaysia?
 

I believe MM2H DIY is a recent change but I am told it is still advisable and preferable to use an agent as people seem to be doing. For LTSVP you just need someone to help you through the process, in my case my daughter-in-law, and guide you through the way Malaysians smooth the path through the bureaucracy (that was quite an eye opener!). No fixed deposit sum either for LTSVP. Whichever way you choose, it is a great place to retire and centrally located for sightseeing around Asia.

Re: Why Retire in Malaysia?
 

MM2H DIY has been around for a few years but...... Don't forget that the rules are different in Sarawak and Sabah to the mainland.

Re: Why Retire in Malaysia?
 

There are strict criteria to apply for PR. High net worth individual, unique skills etc. In my case, as my wife is Malaysian, I can apply for PR after 5 years continuous stay in Malaysia on a long stay visa - which MM2H (I am told) qualifies as.

Re: Why Retire in Malaysia?
 

Thanks for that Rusty. Interesting. What does PR offer that is attractive? (Not that I would qualify, but just interested)

Re: Why Retire in Malaysia?
 

No requirement to maintain a FD account, right to live and work in Malaysia permanently, ID card. A few other benefits too I think.

Re: Why Retire in Malaysia?
 

Sorry not being deliberately argumentative but..... If one is High Net worth then surely one would not blink twice at the FD? But maybe I am missing something.

And if you are PR you will be taxed.

Re: Why Retire in Malaysia?
 

You are quite right. The criteria are either or. I am certainly not Hight Net Worth (I think the current requirement to tick that box is US$2 million in a FD) but being the husband of a Malaysian citizen I can apply once I have lived continuously in Malaysia for 5 years - despite my low net worth status.

Re: Why Retire in Malaysia?
 

Ok I gotcha now :)

Re: Why Retire in Malaysia?
 

Don't mean to contradict you, Rusty, it certainly was 5 years, but I think the law changed recently - When I got my LTSVP a couple of weeks ago I was told it is now 6 years on LTSVP before you can get PR. Mind you, it is possible everything could change (including MMH2 I guess?) on/after Sunday........ :unsure:

Re: Why Retire in Malaysia?
 

I doubt they (whoever it will be) would change MM2H radically. It's a good money-spinner for Malaysia.

Re: Why Retire in Malaysia?
 

Hello Virilath

This comment is rather disturbing news. I was under the impression that it was possible to live in Malaysia and do business elsewhere, like buying and selling shares in UK or US. If this is not possible - even though it is perfectly legal - because of restrictions from UK and US authorities, then Malaysia is a impractical destination for me after all.
But thanks for the warning, before I made any final decisions.

Re: Why Retire in Malaysia?
 

Hi, I’m a newbie on this forum. Although I have visited it in the past it’s only now that I’m coming close to making a decision on retiring to Malaysia that I feel a post coming on.

I’ve read the entire thread “Why retire to Malaysia?” which seems the best starting place for me to post although it has gone off-topic quite a few times it seems to have been guided to the matter in hand.

This is going to be rather a lengthy post; partly because I have quite a lot of questions but also because I a few observations too.

As a bit of background I should point out that I am a Brit though I’ve been living in Provence, South of France these last 22 years. I’m 60 and have decided to stop my work of designing and building houses here, partly because there are too few clients and partly because there is too much tax – it’s just not worthwhile enough to carry on. I could retire here or pretty much anywhere that would have me as an investor/retiree and I’ve spent the last 8 years looking for that lucky country. (For the record my French wife will be staying in France for a few more years however she, as a teacher, gets loads of holiday which would be spent wherever I end up).

At this point I feel driven to mention the obscene 3-letter word to which nobody dares give voice - TAX. Now, it’s all very well on this forum to compare Malaysia with Thailand, Indonesia or Mexico and to talk about eligibility for visas, length of visas, ease of renewal etc but if we include tax as a criteria then it is only Panama which can be properly compared to Malaysia as a retirement destination. Both countries offer a 10-year renewable visa with no tax whatsoever on foreign income whether it is remitted or not.

I have recently returned from my 3rd extended trip to Panama over the last 8 years and I love that country – if I were American I wouldn’t hesitate to settle there, but it’s just too difficult to travel to from Europe and with a limited choice of routes it can be expensive to get to. English is not so widely spoken and Spanish seems quite beyond my grasp. Also the medical system, outside of the capital, is rather third-world. Finally, the cuisine, is appalling - even by American standards.

Which brings me to Malaysia – a country I have never visited but which I have soaked up through the internet and which is now my main contender. I’ve visited Singapore, Hong Kong and Vietnam in the past and Thailand three times – so much did I like that country. I know that a lot of people do choose Thailand over Malaysia for retirement but either they are keeping well below the tax radar or they have no money anyway. Thailand is unusual in that it taxes on a remittance basis – this could be money you’ve earned without having tax deducted at source but equally it could also be capital or income that has already been taxed at source. And tax rates in Thailand are progressive, they may be next to non-existent for the Bangkok street vendor but can be extremely high for a retiree who is renting a nice beach-front house on Koh Samui.

OK, so no-one is paying tax in Thailand and the Thai authorities are not looking too hard and anyway bribery can generally settle such problems but I for one don’t want to be there when another fiscal crisis kicks in, or their tax people get "joined-up" or the Thai neighbour I just pissed off gets his brother-in-law on my case.

Indonesia is even worse in that it taxes its residents on the basis of their worldwide income, whether remitted to Indonesia or not – again at progressive rates – and, yes, I know that few retirees would actually declare their overseas income but it would be fairly straightforward for the Indonesian tax authorities to get this information if they really wanted to.

Just to finish off on this tax issue; a reasonably well-heeled retiree is looking to stop paying tax in his home country but must be able to prove he is paying tax elsewhere or has made a declaration in his country of residence otherwise there is a real risk of him being tagged and taxed in his home country as a “perpetual tourist”.

So, having got that out of my system, I now move onto my questions regarding retiring to Malaysia (I think it goes without saying that this is in the context of getting MM2H residence):-

As is the case in pretty much any country I am assuming the area (or state) is going to be one of the first considerations in finding somewhere suitable to live. And this could be somewhere quite different to one’s current environment except that the bigger the adjustment one has to make the more difficult it is to successfully make the transition. I will hopefully be coming to Malaysia in August 2013 and have identified the following areas for investigation:-

Penang Island
Langkawi Island
Cameron Highlands
Ipoh
East coast

My plan is to spend 6 months in Malaysia and 6 months in France each year so I need to be able to fly to and from Nice. I like the Emirates Nice/Dubai/Bangkok route so will need to be somewhere which has direct flights to/from Bangkok within say an hour’s drive.

Currently, I live near a village in the hills behind Cannes but have a big selection of shops and supermarkets within a 5 minutes drive. I like being away from the noise and bustle although not too far!

Obviously I am accustomed to hot weather but not to high humidity or lots of rainfall. I can’t really figure out the climate in Malaysia which clearly depends on season and geography.

I understand that Malaysia is majority-Muslim but being somewhat irreligious myself I don’t have any preferences regarding one religion over another provided no-one is actually shooting at me! Clearly there is an uneven mix of religions over Malaysia as a whole so it may be that some areas are less tolerant than others or are more volatile than others so guidance on this would also be appreciated.

To be sensible, I think I would rent somewhere first but buying something has to be the end-objective. I am quite open as to the type of accommodation but it needs to be of quality and easy to look after. So this could be an up-market condominium in a convenient location, with nice views, balcony, air-con and communal pool or a nice house with some land provided that I can get someone to look after the garden and do the cleaning. But still I come back to the quality thing which I assume, in Malaysia, means it needs to be a fairly recent construction? (BTW before someone suggests building something I’ve been building for the last 20 years and really don’t want to be doing any more of that, thank you very much!)

I love Thai food and I love Indian food but am not too keen on Chinese. I assume I will be well pleased with Malaysian cuisine? I also love my wine (22 years in France has its consequences) – I know it’s expensive but is it easily available or does that depend on the area too?

I also love my TV and my internet. Is there a good selection of English TV channels and is high-speed (ie better than 2MB/sec) broadband widely available or is it limited to certain areas?

My wife is a highly sociable animal and she would add that being close to people of a similar ilk would be her number one priority (in other words, down-town Pattaya would present some difficulties!)

One son will soon start at French university where he will likely get a doctorate in Maths in about 5 years time. Is he likely to find good employment somewhere in the area? The other son is rather younger and may come to Malaysia before he does his baccalaureat – are all the good schools in KL and would they be good enough for him to get a decent International Bac? I’ve read that it’s best to get the kids residency under my MM2H well before they are 21.

OK that’s probably enough cud to chew for now so it’s over to you, the Malay experts, to give your views as to whether my criteria are at all reasonable and, if so, which areas in Malaysia would get closest to achieving the requirement.

Re: Why Retire in Malaysia?
 

Hello and welcome to the forum :)

Yep that was rather a long post. I'll answer a few bits.

I've lived in Singapore (working) and both Thailand and Malaysia (retired). I prefer Malaysia but its a personal choice....horses for courses etc.

You say you like both Thailand and Singapore? That's a good start. If you're comfortable with both of those countries, then Malaysia may suit you.

Re the Emirates route via Dubai, believe you can fly on to Singapore...we used to do that route. There are lots and lots of connections Sing to KL, and Sing to Penang, lots of choice, so you might want to,think about that.

Err I'm going to split my reply into 2'or 3 here as I'm on my iPad and don't want to lose a long post :D

So continuing.......

Re: Why Retire in Malaysia?
 

Housing and quality, condos and quality are not 2 words that go together in Malaysia I'm afraid. Just have to accept that things won't be perfect.

Cuisine is fabulous. In KL and Penang you can get any kinds of cuisine. Local food would I guess be described as either Malay foods, Chinese foods, or Indian foods. Nyonya cuisine is a bit of a mixture of all three :D

Re French connections, there is certainly a French association in Penang, so no doubt quite a few French here, though I've not met many. I know the assoc hold dinners and other events.

Continuing......

Re: Why Retire in Malaysia?
 

On areas you are considering:

Penang Island - would be top of my list
Langkawi Island - quiet place maybe too quiet for the missus
Cameron Highlands - weather may rule this out, cooler and more rain, tourists generally
Ipoh - might be a possibility, a few on here have looked at this and will know more
East coast - Moslem Malay area but we've always found it fine. Perhentian Island are a big diving resort area, the other islands further south would be too quiet and only Tioman has a regular air service afaik

Jobs available with a doctorate in Maths.
Hmmm difficult one that.
KL Stock exchange is growing so maybe companies involved with that might be suitable, or universities.

Re: Why Retire in Malaysia?
 

The Malaysia Muslim thing....sigh.... Islam is the official religion but ALL religions are allowed/tolerated. Yes there are pockets of different religious kinds.

I'm not in KL but believe that is quite a mix racially/religion wise. Again I'm not on the East coast of peninsula, and have not visited there (yet) but friends tell me there are areas that are majority Muslim and that may be an issue for a non Muslim ie you won't find bars, pork butchers etc...yeh obvious I know.

Penang where I live is very mixed racially but majority Chinese. Religion wise there are lots of churches, though also many Buddhist temples and Indian temples and mosques too. Quite a mix. What I like about Penang is that there's plenty to do here, got international airport, a certain amount of infrastructure....it's not Singapore for sure, but plenty of malls, shops, medical facilities. Med facilities so so important for later retired years of course.

Continuing......

Re: Why Retire in Malaysia?
 

Just read ex Regs post and wholeheartedly agree with comments.

I would say definitely check out Penang. Based on what you say about travelling, you may also want to check out Melaka (Malacca). Not that far to drive to KLIA. I know quite a few MM2Hers are looking there. ,its also cheaper property wise than Penang.

Maybe also take a look at Johor close to Sing border? This area is growing. Check out the Iskandar threads on here and Singapore forum, and easy enough to get to Changi airport.

Re MM2H itself, if you haven't already done so, check out the sticky on the top of this section.

The End. Hehe :D

Re: Why Retire in Malaysia?
 

When comparing Malaysia & Thailand, advantages of Malaysia imo:
1. a clear and comprehensive retirement scheme including no taxes on outside Malaysia income.
2. The Common Law in Malaysia and resulting allowance of property ownership.
3. Better overall infrastructure and cleaner
4. More likely to pay same price as locals
5. Not a sex tourist haven
6. Multicultural and resulting food choices. I even say Malaysia wins over Thailand in the food department...which is a high hurdle.

Advantages of Thailand:
1. People are friendlier
2. Just more lively fun place
3. Better climate imo especially if you look at Chiang Mai
4. No Muslim majority. Sorry but it's the elephant in the room for non-Muzzies in Malaysia...for some people, here is where consideration of Malaysia stops. For me personally, I can deal with Muslims (currently working in Saudi) as long as they don't try to control your life to be like theirs (as they do in Saudi).