Foreigners find paradise on a budget

Right at home: Chatmanee said Malaysia’s strategic location, as well as its cultural proximity to her home country, made it the perfect destination for her.

PETALING JAYA: Expatriate-friendly policies, a relatively lower cost of living and similar local culture are some of the factors drawing foreigners to make Malaysia their temporary homes while earning a living here.

Thai national Chatmanee Hussadisarn, 26, said she never thought that she would stay in Malaysia for more than three years. She had initially entered the country on a two-year employment pass, which has been extended for another two years.

“I have to admit that the idea of working abroad once concerned me when it came to career growth, as I might have limited access to opportunities.

“However, after researching and analysing the situation after being here for three years, Malaysia, as a regional tech hub, offers numerous benefits to expats,” said Chatmanee, who is working at a multinational company here.

She said Malaysia’s strategic location, as well as its cultural proximity to her home country, made it the perfect destination for her.

International school teacher Sakshi Banerjee, 35, from India concurred with Chatmanee, saying that she does not feel far from her home country.

“Since there are many Malaysian Indians here, getting South Asian food is so easy,” she said.

She added that the salary packages offered are also higher than in India.

Another teacher, who only wanted to be known as Hudson, found that the cost of living in Malaysia is relatively lower than in the United Kingdom.

“I get paid in US dollars, so living here is cheaper for me than in the UK,” she said.

“As an avid traveller, it is also easy for me to adapt to the local settings here, especially when Malaysians are very warm and welcoming.”

While there is no current data available on the number of expatriates living in Malaysia, there are 183,274 foreign professionals living here, according to data from the World Bank.

In Malaysia, there are several categories of expatriate passes issued in accordance with the salary bracket – Category 1 (minimum RM10,000 per month), Category 2 (between RM5,000 and RM9,999) and Category 3 (minimum RM3,000).

US national Ryan Habibullah, 36, said he had taken a job in Malaysia as he felt that he could serve the country here.

“I chose to take a job in Malaysia because, as a native English speaker and from a law and communications background, I believe I can be of better service to Malaysia compared to the United States.

“But of course, there are multiple factors and Kuala Lumpur has been my home for so many years that I know it more intimately than the cities I grew up in.

“I’ve grown accustomed to the hospitable people, the delectable food, blissful weather, modern infrastructure, and also renewing my visa and paying my taxes,” he added.

Habibullah has been living in Kuala Lumpur for nearly 14 years.