MALAYSIA My Second Home (MM2H) pass-holders have not posed a threat to national security since the programme started in 2002, says Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman Wong Kah Woh.

       This was verified by the Immigration Department, he said in a statement yesterday.

       This was among the findings of an inquiry by the Parliamentary bipartisan committee after the MM2H programme was raised in the Auditor-General’s Report 2019 and tabled in Parliament on Sept 28.

       The MM2H programme was suspended pending review in 2019, but was reactivated in October this year.

       However, there was outcry from several quarters over the new conditions, such as an increase in the amount of fixed deposits from RM150,000 for applicants aged 50 and above and RM300,000 for applicants under 50 years old, to RM1mil.

       Applicants must also have an offshore income of at least RM40,000 per month, compared with RM10,000 previously.

       Wong said engagement was not held with stakeholders prior to the announcement of the new conditions.

       However, he said the PAC took note that existing participants under the programme were not bound by the new conditions and merely had to pay a fee of RM500 per year.

       Wong also said the PAC found that poor data and record-keeping had resulted in a lack of information on the number of programme participants.

       “The number of MM2H applications for an extension after the 10-year expiry period could not be verified.

       “The Immigration Department could not produce a report to differentiate between new applications and applications for extensions.

       “Steps to carry out improvements have yet to be made,” he said.

       He also noted that records to identify the ownership of property by participants under the programme were incomplete.

       “The data of property ownership is only recorded if the properties were purchased using participants’ fixed deposits, which are part of the conditions under the programme,” he added.

       Among the recommendations by the PAC, Wong said, was that the new MM2H policy should be more client-friendly and competitive compared with similar programmes offered by neighbouring countries.

       He said the MM2H programme should be more flexible in catering to the needs of target groups.

       He added that the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry should be given more prominence in promoting the programme.

       He also said that there should be better coordination among the agencies involved.