Malaysia My Second Home is a long-running programme (mm2h.gov.my dates its launch to 2002; the MOTAC programme page says 1996). The 2024 revision set the current four categories: Silver, Gold, Platinum and the SEZ/SFZ category tied to Forest City in Johor.
For Singaporean investors the question is usually not "do I want to live in Malaysia?" but "does MM2H give me a property advantage that justifies a locked deposit?" This guide answers that from the official programme pages only. The figures were captured from mm2h.gov.my on 16 October 2026.
The four MM2H categories
You apply for the category that matches your capital and your plans. The categories are not steps.
| Requirement | Silver | Gold | Platinum | SEZ/SFZ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fixed deposit | USD 150,000 | USD 500,000 | USD 1,000,000 | USD 65,000 (age 21 to 49) or USD 32,000 (age 50 and above) |
| Participating fee (one-off) | RM1,000 | RM3,000 | RM200,000 | RM1,000 |
| Minimum residence purchase | RM600,000 | RM1,000,000 | RM2,000,000 | Forest City, Johor, at the Johor floor price |
| Pass term (renewable) | 5 years | 15 years | 20 years | 10 years |
| Minimum age | 25 | 25 | 25 | 21 (50 for the lower deposit) |
| Business and investment | Not allowed | Not allowed | Permissible | Not allowed |
| Career opportunities | Not allowed | Not allowed | See business rights | Not allowed |
Every category pays a processing fee of RM5,000 for the principal and RM2,500 for each dependant. The dependant rules are the same for every category. You may bring your spouse, children below 21, children aged 21 to 34 if single and unemployed in Malaysia, disabled children with no age limit, and parents or parents-in-law. Platinum participants may also bring a foreign maid.
The official pages publish no monthly offshore income test and no liquid-asset test, and the MOTAC conditions document of 14 June 2024 states that the offshore income condition is dropped for all categories. Earlier versions of this guide stated both tests. They are withdrawn.
The fixed deposit: what it costs you
The deposit sits in a Malaysian financial institution licensed under the Financial Services Act 2013 or the Islamic Financial Services Act 2013. It is stated in USD. The bank sets the return; the official pages publish no rate.
You may withdraw up to 50% of the principal for a residence purchase, education, medical or tourism activities in Malaysia. The official sources differ on the timing: the category pages say after approval, and the MOTAC guide says from the second year onwards. Ask the One Stop Centre before you plan around a withdrawal date. The rest stays for the life of the pass.
The requirement is stated in USD. A MOTAC announcement of 28 May 2025 encourages a ringgit deposit equal to the USD value, so the account currency can be ringgit. For a Singaporean earning SGD, the cost of the deposit is the gap between the return you would earn on that capital at home and the return the bank pays in Malaysia, plus the movement of SGD against the account currency over the hold. Put your own rate assumptions into this:
Annual deposit cost = deposit x (your alternative return - the bank's deposit rate)
The programme also requires a residence purchase at or above the category floor, which you cannot sell for 10 years except to upgrade. For a property investor, that is the larger commitment.
MM2H and state minimum prices: no concession
Standard foreign buyers face minimum purchase prices that vary by state, typically RM1,000,000 in the states Singaporeans buy in. The official MM2H pages give holders no lower threshold. MM2H adds a floor of its own on top.
| State | Standard foreign minimum | Silver participant's effective minimum |
|---|---|---|
| Kuala Lumpur | RM1,000,000 | RM1,000,000 |
| Selangor (Zone 1) | RM2,000,000 | RM2,000,000 |
| Johor | RM1,000,000 | RM1,000,000 |
| Penang Island (strata) | RM1,000,000 | RM1,000,000 |
| Penang Mainland (strata) | RM500,000 | RM600,000 (the MM2H floor) |
| Melaka (strata) | RM500,000 | RM600,000 (the MM2H floor) |
For Gold (RM1,000,000) and Platinum (RM2,000,000) the higher of the floor and the state minimum applies. In Selangor Zone 1 the RM2,000,000 state minimum binds for Gold. See the state-by-state minimum price guide.
Key takeaway: in Johor, KL, Selangor and Penang, where most Singaporean investors look, MM2H gives no price advantage. In the cheapest strata markets it raises your entry price to the floor.
Does MM2H make sense for a property investor?
Scenario: buying in Johor or KL. Without MM2H you buy at the RM1,000,000 state minimum through the normal foreign buyer process. With MM2H you buy at the same minimum, pay the same 8% foreigner stamp duty, and in addition lock a USD deposit, pay the fees, and accept the 10-year no-sale rule on the residence. For the investment alone, MM2H adds cost without improving the return.
Scenario: living in Malaysia for part of the year. If you want the long-term pass, want to bring dependants, want schooling to tertiary level for your children, or plan to reach 182 days a year for tax residence, the pass has value that a purchase alone does not deliver.
Use the stamp duty calculator to model acquisition costs, and the foreigner eligibility checker to confirm what you can buy in each state.
MM2H holder against standard foreign buyer
| Factor | Standard foreign buyer | MM2H holder |
|---|---|---|
| Property minimum price | State-dependent (RM1,000,000 in most states) | The same state minimum, plus the category floor |
| Stamp duty | 8% flat for foreigners (2026) | Same |
| Residence purchase | Optional | Compulsory, no sale for 10 years |
| Capital locked | None beyond the purchase | USD 32,000 to USD 1,000,000 by category and age (Silver USD 150,000) |
| Stay right | Visa-free entries | 5, 15 or 20 years by category (SEZ/SFZ 10) |
| Tax residence | 182-day test | Same test; MM2H does not confer residence |
| Business rights | None | Platinum only |
On tax residence. Non-resident landlords pay a flat 30% on net rental income. A tax resident (182 days or more in a basis year under the LHDN residence test) pays progressive rates from 0% to 30% with personal reliefs. Residence in Malaysia can change your Singapore tax position, so take advice before you plan around it.
The application route
- Choose your category.
- Engage an MM2H company licensed by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture under the Tourism Industry Act 1992. Every application goes through the One Stop Centre MM2H.
- Submit the forms through the licensed company (visa application IM38, visit pass application IMM.12, Medical Form II, personal bond and a resume).
- Receive conditional approval. The Immigration Department under the Ministry of Home Affairs gives the final approval.
- Place the deposit and complete the compulsory medical check-up at a MOTAC panel clinic or hospital. Applicants under 60 need health insurance with worldwide coverage (the documents differ on age 60 itself). Silver, Gold and Platinum participants buy the residence within one year after endorsement; SEZ/SFZ participants buy the Forest City house before endorsement.
- Collect the pass endorsement.
The official pages publish no processing time and no fee for the licensed company. Ask the company for both in writing.
Sarawak S-MM2H: a different programme
Sarawak runs its own programme through the Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak. Its rules differ from the federal programme (figures from the state application guide, amended 31 July 2025):
- Minimum age 30.
- A fixed deposit of RM500,000 in a Sarawak panel bank, and one of: pension of RM10,000 a month (RM15,000 with a dependant), offshore income of RM10,000 a month (RM15,000 with a dependant), or, for an applicant with no pension or offshore income, savings of RM100,000 (RM200,000 with a dependant) shown in three months of statements and subject to panel approval.
- A one-time processing fee of RM5,000, non-refundable.
- A stay of at least 30 days a year in Sarawak.
- A 5 + 5 year pass. Renewal after 10 years is a new application.
- Property purchase is optional: at least RM600,000 in Kuching Division or RM500,000 in other divisions.
- Part-time professional work up to 20 hours a week in approved sectors, and a minority stake in a joint venture, are possible with state approval.
The S-MM2H pass is a Sarawak pass. Sabah runs a separate Sabah MM2H with its own deposit, fee and stay rules.
Who should consider MM2H
MM2H is worth it if you:
- Plan to spend extended time in Malaysia.
- Want to bring your spouse, children or parents, with schooling to tertiary level.
- Were going to buy a residence at or above the category floor anyway and can hold it for 10 years.
- Plan to reach 182 days for Malaysian tax residence and have taken advice on your Singapore position.
MM2H is not worth it if you:
- Are a remote investor buying in Johor or KL.
- Want to keep capital free for the purchase itself.
- Want a unit below the category floor.
- Have a horizon under 10 years.
The honest assessment: for a Singaporean making a single investment purchase in Johor or KL, MM2H is a long-term pass with no property advantage. The standard foreign buyer route is simpler, cheaper, and achieves the same purchase.
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Other long-term options
MM2H is one route. An employment pass depends on an employer and a role. The DE Rantau digital nomad pass is a separate programme with its own income test; check its official page. Singapore citizens enter Malaysia visa-free for short stays, which covers quarterly inspection trips for a single investment property.
Next steps for Singaporean investors
- Decide whether you want a stay right or only a property. For a property alone, buy as a standard foreign buyer.
- Check your target state's minimum with the foreigner eligibility checker, then add the MM2H floor for your category.
- Model the full cost stack with the stamp duty calculator, and add the deposit cost formula above.
- Read the MM2H requirements guide and the MM2H property guide.
- Read the research limitations. Our sample uses Malaysian-buyer assumptions and saved asking evidence, not foreign-buyer eligibility or verified profitability.
Sources
- MM2H category overview, Silver, Gold, Platinum, SEZ/SFZ and the requirements and regulations, captured 16 October 2026
- Sarawak S-MM2H application requirements, Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak
- LHDN residence status
- Stamp Act 1949, Item 32(ab) (LHDN)
Figures captured 16 October 2026. MM2H terms change; verify with a licensed MM2H company or the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture before you apply, and take Malaysian and Singapore tax advice before you plan around residence.