Gameplan of getting Malaysian PR

I dont know if your idea is valid or not. Can you list what you know about the 5 conditions you mention?

I never heard of anyone who got PR. The basic rule is 10 years continued residency and then you can APPLY, though once I was told in Immigration it was 5 years. Me, at 23 years,  never tried because 100% of the people i did know who did apply were still waiting for a decision on their application after 10 years which says to me that nobody is going to get it.

Yet, Malaysia does grant them, so how? To me, it means youre a VIP, youre connected, you knew who and how to bribe, or you were so important like a diplomat they plain gave it to you. Once, I met a lowly Indonesian who said he had PR because his father was "somebody."

In your idea in taxes, i can confidently say its not simply a tax record but very high taxes which is likely coming from a corporate standing like Toyota or Western Digital or one of those. Is the average expat paying $1 million or $5 million a year in taxes? Is any individual? Sure, a tax record could mean something unless its $20 in taxes.

Also, I'll repeat that meeting qualifications on paper doesnt mean being granted anything. You meet the conditions, apply and the years go by with no decision on your case. That is entirely normal and what would you do then? Why are people unable to get answers even after the application is 10 years old? Because the missing element was money. You want PR? Get connected in govt and when you know a guy who you know has power, you get him out to dinner to a luxury place and tell him there is a bag under the table with USD250,000 in it. Everything else is a daydream, in my opinion, but i admire your positivity.

I think....Malaysia will never change in this way. Off topic but same principle, before the pandemic I went to Customs to ask what the charges would be to bring a sailboat from USA and register it in Malaysia. I expected a list of charges and procedures but what I got was a stone wall and they said it likely couldnt be done. So I walked out and by the time I was down the stairs and on the way out, two grimy guys approached me and pressured me to pay them USD10,000 and they would take care of it. I said NO and went home. For two straight weeks they hounded me on the phone to take the deal. Frankly they scared me, I was afraid they would retaliate if I wouldnt accept their proposal. But I refused and eventually they gave up. Getting the picture now? Going in the "front door" and doing things by the book means pretty much nothing. Yes, the rules are published, the info is out there in public, but thats not how it works and they will never tell you what goes on behind the scenes which is very far different. I cant think of any department that doesnt work this way in some fashion or the other, even right down to getting a permit for a food stall on the street. You'll be told NO and NO but when you put RM200 in an red envelope, suddenly they have space available! Wow, just like magic!

Ive racked up successes in Malaysia and failures too. Successes came when someone wanted something from me and I could propose and do straight, honest business. Failures came when I wanted something from someone else and in many of the encounters I felt so dirty and filthy all I could think of is going home to take a bath. Im not completely unwilling to play the game, it depends. If the sailboat guy gave me a list of stuff to do and I, knowing it would take a while to complete offered him $1000 to make it go faster, thats corruption I can live with and thats actually how many people do normal business in Asia.

PR is not a small thing like a sailboat, its akin to citizenship and so the needed corruption level is justifiably much higher and there you are. Simply following a list of conditions isnt nearly enough. If it is, id sure like to meet that person.

I looked into this a few years ago. There was, and may still be, a points system. I calculated that it was almost impossible to reach the points threshold without being a blood relative of a Malaysian citizen, even if you are married to one.

Another route is said to be putting USD 2 Million into an FD for 5 years, but I've no idea if that is true. Even if you have the money to spare, it's quite an opportunity cost. And of course now, with the new tax regime on remittances, you would likely have to prove that the USD had been subject to tax in your home country, or pay tax on it here.

There may be other routes to PR of dubious legality if you are 'connected'. I know nothing about those.

Not to go off the topic but commenting on remittance tax schemes, unless the amounts transferred in are very small like rm1000, its easy to have the deposits held until you furnish proof that the money has a record on which taxes were paid and that the original source of the money was legally earned. As I see it, Malaysia (or anywhere else outside the first world) couldnt care less but is under huge pressure to round up tax cheats and money launderers for the benefit of USA and others, thus being deputized to become an extension of some other country's tax system. Sorry, big black mark. This guise of rampant cheating is a sales tactic to get citizens to not revolt against a cashless society in which every transaction is tracked and taxed. As for transfers out of Malaysia, outbound capital has steadily risen to hedge against unsteady politics. Malaysia is losing ground and is fighting back.

Points system for PR. My point was that meeting all the criteria wont matter when, having met the goals, you still dont get an answer on your case. Im aware of four people who are in the PR application system and never got a ruling, favorable or otherwise. 100 rounds of beer to the guy who can display his PR status which came soon after applying and meeting the rules. Takers?

Do I talk negatively out of my butt? I dont think so. Take the case of the american economist, Jim Rogers, said to have made a gift to the Singapore govt of USD2 million and got instant citizenship for him and his family. And Singapore is considered a "law and order" first world country. Take the case of the american economist, Marc Faber, said to have done a similar thing in Thailand. They never adhered to any points system,  something designed to have a sweet public face, for foolish hopefuls who go on believing Malaysia and others are "do right" countries.

Some readers may know the Nomad Capitalist who always says, "go where you are treated best." For my own reasons I dislike that statement but the point is well taken: What country is worth an expats continued hope and struggle that doesnt have a clear, valid and honest path to what the expat is trying to achieve?

Submitted my application, will update folks on progress. Took a while to get the application accepted and the initial interview. Now waiting on 2nd interview in June.

I'll change gears and talk about something else, that being inflation and the forcing of PR.

This year, last too, there have been ongoing articles about the inflation cycle we are in, some blaming it on the Ukraine war which is not expected to end soon. But aside from any cycle, inflation is expected to continue to plague us and during the next 10-15 years prices will rise so much that the average person who is intact and solid now, wont be later. A person approaching or in retirement now, and lets say with USD500,000 or a million in the bank will have all of that easily drained out in this time period and at a time when the persons earning potential has fallen to zero. AARP has an article about this topic just today:

https://www.aarp.org/money/budgeting-sa … -expenses/

I expect to see huge migration in the future based on economics alone. USA will become unlivable for all but the rich, we are racing towards that. Homelessness and those living in cars is rising. Some people will have the resources to move to a new country voluntarily and many will move by the force of nature.

What does this mean for SE Asia? Readers will note that destitute expats in Thailand did not have the money to leave and were (and are) in such numbers that the govt is working out ways for them to stay. For Malaysia and others I predict the same, that expats will come in on valid tourist visas and simply not leave. Its not done to challenge the govt but to reflect a humanitarian crisis in which some kind of PR will be forced to be given.

I couldnt say whats coming but the leaning trends are clear. It could be that PR applications done through the front door will become academic.

@iskandarhack

good luck sir.

but why 2nd interview?

@mypat

Have no idea what the process is, but several of people that my wife knows who have been through the process weren't surprised. BTW her friends husbands eventually got their PR. I'll just do what they ask.

@iskandarhack Good luck for your 2nd interview! Did you apply as a spouse of a Malaysian citizen? Or are you taking another route e.g. in Malaysia long-term on Employment Pass? I am hoping to apply for PR for my husband once he has hit the 5 year minimum mark. And like @mypat mentioned, it does take a bit of planning so appreciate hearing any success stories

@mypat I have the same thinking as you and believe tax payments could help skew immigration in our favour especially when it comes to PR applications. But have you heard of any cases where this really helped? What inspired you to write this post?

While our tax agent has nudged us towards setting up our business in Singapore due to more favourable rates there, I don't see the point of giving a single sen to Singapore! We live in Malaysia and would rather pay a bit more in taxes if it helps our fellow countrymen.

I hit the 5-year mark. I am a professional in IT Industry. not sure of the procedure to get the Letter from Respective Ministry. if anyone know please share that