Sarawak Updates Its MM2H Program Criteria Amid Growing Demand

Sarawak has introduced updated eligibility and financial criteria for its Malaysia My Second Home (S-MM2H) program, responding to rising interest from foreign applicants and a growing need for more thorough screening. The changes are already in effect as of January 1, 2025.

The program, which operates independently from the federal MM2H structure, has seen a sharp rise in demand.

Sarawak approved 542 applications in 2023, up from an annual average of just 89 between 2007 and 2020. Last year, 560 applications were received, with many applicants planning to relocate with their families to East Malaysia.

What’s Changing Under the New 2025 S-MM2H Rules

The updated criteria include enhanced financial thresholds and more rigorous vetting measures:

1. Financial Requirements

Applicants must place a fixed deposit of RM500,000 in a Sarawak-based bank. This deposit covers the applicant, their spouse, and dependents as a family unit. The previous threshold was RM150,000 for individuals.

2. Proof of Financial Stability

Applicants can qualify by providing either:

• A monthly offshore income of RM10,000 (individual) or RM15,000 (couple), or
• Savings of RM100,000 (individual) or RM200,000 (couple).

3. Age and Eligibility

Applicants must be at least 30 years old and citizens of countries with diplomatic relations with Malaysia.

4. Health and Background Verification

As part of the due diligence process, applicants undergo health screenings and background checks to ensure compliance with the program’s long-term residency standards.

Local Autonomy and Shifting Demographics

A major development in 2024 was Sarawak taking full control over the licensing and regulation of MM2H agents. This change allows the state to directly manage the process, making it more responsive to local conditions, without federal oversight.

Chinese nationals remain the largest applicant group, drawn by cultural familiarity, affordability, and Sarawak’s more relaxed lifestyle.

At the national level, the federal MM2H program has approved 22,282 applications from 2015 to 2024, with Chinese citizens accounting for nearly half. Other leading countries include South Korea, Japan, and the United Kingdom.

While approvals dropped to just 77 in 2021 during the pandemic, numbers have steadily recovered, especially in Sarawak, which is now one of the most active regions under the MM2H framework.