ASAJAYA: The federal government has been urged to approve the licence renewal of agencies involved in implementing the Sarawak-Malaysia My Second Home (S-MM2H) programme.
Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah who made the call said licences for the companies involved have not been renewed since the end of 2023.
As such, he stressed that it had a negative impact on the country, caused problems for companies or agents, and hindered the implementation of the programme.
“The licences for these companies (agents) handling the SMM2H programme are issued by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture (Motac).
“Since the end of 2023, Motac has not renewed these licences due to policy changes.
“I have appealed to Motac to reconsider so that in Sarawak, the licences for those companies handling the programme can be renewed,” he told reporters this during the Asajaya Hari Raya gathering at Asajaya Sports Complex on Saturday.
Abdul Karim, who is Asajaya assemblyman, added that the current policy used in the implementation of Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) has caused inconvenience.
With their licences not being renewed, he said the involved companies are unable to pay their employees’ salaries, as well as having to reject applications from prospective interested parties.
“When their license period expires, they cannot accept applications from interested parties worldwide to make Sarawak their second home.
“It’s now almost May, and there’s been no progress. There are applicants who have paid deposits but cannot be processed because the agent’s licence has not been renewed,” he added.
On the same note, he asserted that in Sarawak, around 400 applicants are still waiting for approval to join S-MM2H, and it is delayed due to expired licences.
“Every month we receive about 100 applications, and 300 to 400 more are yet to be approved.
“For Sarawak, the number already approved is more than 2,000,” he said.
