Foreign Ownership In Malaysia

As a foreign citizen, are my property rights different than those of Malaysian residents?

No, whether you are a foreign or local investor, basically all are subject to and benefit from the same property rights. Malaysia’s land tenure is based on the

Australian system of land ownership – the Torrens system. A small percentage of lands mainly in the rural areas are reserved for the

indigenous people (Malay Reserve land) and cannot be owned or purchased by the non-native locals or foreigners. Most properties that are investment generating lie predominantly in the urban areas of the larger cities like Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Malacca and Johor Bahru (adjoining Singapore) and have no ownership restrictions.

Is financing available for investors who wish to purchase property? If so, how hard is it for foreigners to qualify for this financing?

Yes, financing is available for foreign investors and there is no hard and fast rule about it. For the potential purchaser to qualify he must show proof of possessing some source of income to enable repayment. For foreigners, the maximum loan normally allowed is 70% and the term of loan depends on the age of the purchaser.

Have you noticed any increase in the numbers of foreigners interested in investing in and/or moving to Malaysia recently?

Yes, there is an increase in foreigners interested in investing and moving to Malaysia. Some of them come under the Malaysia My 2nd Home (MM2H) Programme and others come in for investment purposes or move to Malaysia to take up a job.

The Malaysia My Second Home Programme (commonly abbreviated “MM2H”) is an international residency scheme supported by the Malaysian government to allow foreigners to live in the country on a long-stay visa of up to 10 years. So far over 10,000 foreigners have been approved and it is generating a lot of interest with the program attracting people who wish to retire in Malaysia or spend extended periods here.



Those who have called Malaysia “home”, have appreciated this country for its low cost of living, developed infrastructure, friendly Malaysians, attractive tourist destinations and its quality of life. For those with children, high education standards are available with international schools found across Malaysia.


To qualify for the program, applicants must meet certain financial and medical criteria. Successful applicants are then entitled to enter and leave the country on a largely unrestricted basis, and also benefit from other incentives aimed at making their stay in Malaysia more convenient.