Sabah has launched its own Malaysia My Second Home project, which officially opened for applications yesterday.

The Sabah Second Home Project is specially designed for Sabah and is separate from the Malaysian Federal Second Home Project.

According to Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Christina Liew, the application process is expected to take 8 to 10 weeks to be approved.

To be eligible for the Sabah Second Home Project, applicants must be at least 30 years old and come from a country that has diplomatic relations with Malaysia.

They must purchase a high-rise property worth at least MYR 600,000 and meet certain financial conditions, including a fixed deposit of MYR 150,000 for individuals or MYR 300,000 for a family, as well as a monthly The income is MYR 10,000 or MYR 15,000 respectively.

Christina Liew emphasized that applicants are not allowed to purchase properties under affordable housing, which are reserved exclusively for Sabahans and are not open to foreign investment. She stressed that the government "will also ensure that these properties are not sublet" and that there will be a committee to oversee these matters to ensure compliance.

Despite a dispute between the Sabah Second Home project and the Malaysian Federal Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture in May, the Sabah Second Home project was approved by federal authorities and the project was approved. The applicant is provided with a 10-year residence permit.

Christina Liew said the updated terms and conditions would prevent policy conflicts with federal law.

She also clarified that participants are not allowed to use their visas to work in the country. Participants must also reside in Sabah for a cumulative minimum of 30 days per year.

Christina Liew expressed concern about the impact that the project may have on property prices in Sabah, pointing out that not all properties meet the requirements of the Sabah Second Home Project and buyers must meet certain conditions. She pledged that the state government was working hard to address infrastructure issues that could pose challenges.

There are currently approximately 3,000 vacant apartment units awaiting sale under the project.

Sabah is planning to hold follow-up meetings with cabinet members, department officials and other stakeholders to discuss the project.

Comparison chart of long-term residence visas in Southeast Asia

Comparison between Sabah Second Home Project, Sarawak Second Home Project and Malaysian Federal Second Home Project
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Although the Sabah Second Home Program and the Sarawak Second Home Program are similar in some respects to the recently revised Malaysian Federal Second Home Program, there are significant differences between the three.

The Malaysian Federal Second Home Project, which was adjusted by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture in June 2024, maintains a three-level structure: silver, gold and platinum. Each level has different fixed deposit requirements, ranging from MYR 500,000 for Silver level to MYR 5 million for Platinum level.

In contrast, the Sabah Second Home project has a fixed deposit requirement of MYR 150,000 for individuals and MYR 300,000 for families, regardless of the applicant’s financial status. The fixed deposit requirement for the Second Home project in Sarawak is the lowest, which is approximately MYR 150,000.

The Sabah Second Home Project also requires an income of MYR 10,000 for single applicants and MYR 15,000 for families. The Sarawak Second Home project also has income requirements, which are MYR 7,000 for single applicants and MYR 10,000 for families. There are no income requirements for the Malaysian Federal Second Home Program.

The Sabah Second Home Project provides a 10-year residence permit to approved applicants, while the residence permit provided by the Malaysian Federal Second Home Project is valid for 5 years for silver level and 15 years for gold level. Platinum level 20 years. The Sarawak My Second Home project provides a 5-year residence period, which can be renewed for another 5 years.

All three programs allow participants to purchase properties in Malaysia, but the conditions vary.

The Sabah Second Home project requires applicants to purchase high-rise properties worth at least RM600,000, and they cannot purchase properties under affordable housing.

Sarawak Second Home requires applicants aged 40 to 50 to invest at least RM600,000 to purchase a property, unless they receive medical treatment in Sarawak or have children in Sarawak of educational institutions.

On the other hand, the Malaysian Federal Second Home Program allows applicants to purchase a property based on certain criteria, but this is not required. Malaysia has set minimum property values based on tiers: MYR 600,000 for silver, MYR 1 million for gold, and MYR 2 million for platinum.

In addition, participants in the Malaysian Federation of Second Homes cannot resell their properties within 10 years, while the Sabah Second Home project has not yet mentioned such restrictions.

The age requirements for applicants also vary. Programs in Sabah and Sarawak require applicants to be at least 30 years old, while the minimum age for the Malaysian Federal Second Home Program is 25 years old.

All projects require participants to live in Malaysia for a certain period of time each year. The Sabah Second Home and Sarawak Second Home programs require a cumulative stay of at least 30 days per year in their respective jurisdictions, while the Malaysian Federal Second Home program requires participants to reside in Malaysia for 60 days per year regardless of level.