By FOONG PEK YEE pekyee@thestar.com.my
MUNICH: Participants of Malaysia My Second Home Programme (MM2H) who are 55 and above are allowed to work up to 20 hours a week.
Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen said such a practice was popular among the British and mainland Chinese. The foreigners were sought after as language teachers or tour guides.
Speaking to the media here on Thursday, she said “there was no such thing as retirement in life”.
“We only go through different phases in life,” she said, inviting those in their “golden third era” (G3A) to join the MM2H, which comes with a 10-year visa and several perks, including purchase of a duty free car.
“After our children grow up, we gradually move into the G3A.”
Dr Ng said the Europeans would find value-for-money when they stay in Malaysia; petrol in Malaysia was cheaper than mineral water sold in Munich.
On the green campaign, Dr Ng said every foreign tourist under the ministry’s homestay programme would plant a tree before leaving.
The programme has about 3,600 homes in some 360 villages.
On a separate issue, Ng said the ministry had asked Malaysia Airlines to resume its Munich-Kuala Lumpur direct flight, which was discontinued about seven years ago.
Currently, travellers flying to Kuala Lumpur from here need to transit in Singapore’s Changi Air-port.
Tourist arrivals from Germany to Kuala Lumpur was 128,000 last year compared with 110,000 in 2008.
Dr Ng said German tour guides would also be allowed to operate in Malaysia under certain circumstances.
“For instance, a group of 40 German businessmen, requesting to bring in their own German-speaking tour guides, would be acceptable.”
