PETALING JAYA: the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry is set to introduce a screening process for agents and intermediaries associated with the Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) initiative.
Its Minister, Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing, said that any agents failing to meet the new qualifications would not have their licenses renewed.
He said that his ministry has launched a review of all agencies and intermediaries involved in the programme. Tiong said that all current agents must re-register, and no automatic renewal of existing licenses would be granted.
"Investigations revealed that some agents had engaged in the unethical practice of subleasing their licenses to 'consultant companies,' which turned out to be shell entities without legitimate offices or contact numbers," he said in his Facebook post on Wednesday (April 17).
Tiong reminded the MM2H Consultants Association president, Anthony Liew, not to politicise the matter. He said that the renewal of MM2H visas is an independent process, and MM2H visa holders with expired documents can proceed to the one-stop centre for updates and renewal.
Tiong reiterated the policy that agents are only permitted to charge fees after applications are approved and reminded agents that they are expected to be fully aware of the rules and conditions.
He advised those who are still exploiting the old MM2H application forms and deceiving applicants into paying unnecessary fees to stop their malpractices or face severe consequences.
On December 15 last year, the ministry introduced a restructured MM2H programme with different categories – Silver, Gold, and Platinum.
The MM2H programme was suspended for a year in response to the Covid-19 pandemic and reactivated on August 11, 2021, with updated prerequisites.
