Public Accounts Committee chairman Wong Kah Woh said there was no complete record to identify the overall value of properties owned by all MM2H participants. – Bernama pic
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 16 — The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) today ticked off the way the Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) programme was managed, which was unsatisfactory and urged that immediate improvements be made to ensure that the programme achieves its original objectives.
PAC, among others, found that the MM2H participants’ data and documents were not systematically maintained and as a result monitoring of participants’ activities, expenses and asset ownership could not be verified.
“In addition, there was no complete record to identify the overall value of properties owned by all MM2H participants. Property ownership data was only recorded if the purchase of the property involves the use of fixed deposits (FD) which is attached to the requirements of the MM2H programme,” said PAC chairman Wong Kah Woh in a statement today.
As such, it is recommended that the role of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (Motac) in promoting the MM2H programme be strengthened in order to achieve the original goal of stimulating the country’s economy in tourism sub-sectors such as education, healthcare, real estate and automobile industry.
Improvement measures are needed as the MM2H programme is able to contribute to the country’s revenue and economic growth in various sectors, he said.
Meanwhile, the Home Ministry was advised to enhance its data storage application system, especially in terms of monitoring the number of participants according to categories that are divided into new applications and extension applications, participants’ activities and expenses, asset ownership and other issues.
“The new policy on the MM2H programme must be customer-friendly and more competitive compared to neighbouring countries.
“The participation criteria should be more flexible according to the diversity of the targeted participants. Engagement sessions with all stakeholders should be intensified before the new policy is finalised,” he said.
A total of three proceedings on the MM2H programme were held on November 24, December 1 and December 2 which saw five witnesses called, namely Auditor-General Datuk Nik Azman Nik Abdul Majid, Motac secretary-general Datuk Noor Zari Hamat, MM2H Consultant Association chairman Anthony Liew Yong Huat, Home Ministry deputy secretary-general (Policy and Control) Datuk Mohamad Fauzi Md Isa and Immigration director-general Datuk Seri Khairul Dzaimee Daud. — Bernama