HONG Kong citizens are looking to Malaysia to set up home until the dust settles from weeks of chaotic protests in their homeland.

There has been a sharp increase of up to 40% in the number of enquiries from Hong Kong on the Malaysia: My Second Home programme (MM2H) in the past month, said relocation agents.

The deeply unpopular Extradition Bill tabled by the Hong Kong government sparked a two-month protest, plunging the port city into an unprecedented political crisis.

MM2H Programme Agents’ Association president Lim Kok Sai told The Malaysian Insight applications from Hong Kong citizens have increased by 30% to 40% in little more than a month.

However, even before that, Malaysia’s geographical location, food, culture and laws have attracted a good number of Hong Kong citizens under the MM2H programme.

“Now with the chaos caused by the anti-China movement, even more are looking to emigrate,” Lim said, adding that many developers have gone to Hong Kong to promote their projects or MM2H.

“As long as a Hong Kong citizen purchases property in Malaysia, the developer can apply for expenses under the MM2H programme.”

Vincent Kwok was one of many Hong Kong citizens looking to emigrate under MM2H, saying MM2H adverts also attracted many others.

“I think this anti-China movement will drive even more Hong Kongers to leave the city,” Kwok said, adding that many Hong Kong residents have thought about emigrating due to the living pressures there, which include high population density, high property prices and bad living environment.

Southeast Asian countries like Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam have good living conditions, Kwok said.

He has fond memories of Malaysia after coming here for a holiday some years ago.

“Malaysia is a civilised country with convenient transport options, the food here is also similar to Hong Kong and language is not a problem. So when I saw the MM2H advertisements, I wanted to find out more,” he said.

Kwok is looking for a country that is relatively free of natural disasters, with good security and with property prices much cheaper than those of Hong Kong.

“In Hong Kong, a 700sqft home costs between HK$9 million (RM4.8 million) and HK$10 million, and the living conditions are bad.

“Of course, I am hoping for a more comfortable and less crowded living environment, and I need to think about getting a job, too,” he said.

Hong Kong has long been among the world’s 10 safest cities but Kwok said the anti-government protests changed that.

Another Hong Kong citizen, only know as William, is mulling migrating to either Malaysia under MM2H, or to Taiwan.

“My friend recommended that I buy a home in Johor Baru because it is close to Singapore, but I have to look at the safety there and if it is suitable for a family.”

Weekly promotions

MM2H agent Patrick Ho said many Malaysian developers are now visiting Hong Kong every other week to promote their properties or hold MM2H seminars with local agencies.

Ho had been flying to Hong Kong almost every weekend to attend seminars and promote MM2H.

“I have been going to Hong Kong frequently these past two months and almost every time, there’s a seminar or property sales event, there’ll be about 50 Hong Kong citizens who either purchased property or applied for MM2H. The response has been great,” he said.

Ho similarly said many Hong Kong folk have been wanting to emigrate due to extreme property prices, which were exacerbated by the ongoing protests.

The agent said a recent television programme, Escape to Malaysia, which highlighted the local property situation, also increased the interest of locals to invest in the Malaysian housing market.

It was reported previously that there had been 251 applications from Hong Kong folk this year for the MM2H programme, more than last year’s 193.

The MM2H programme was established in 2002, with 1,087 Hong Kong citizens managing to obtain residence visas to date.

Almost 50% of the number were issued in 2017 and 2018, reflected the positive impression of Hong Kongers towards Malaysia. – August 26, 2019.