KUALA LUMPUR - According to MM2H Consultants Association President, Anthony Liew, Malaysia is seeing growing interest from citizens of Gulf countries in the Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) programme, The Star reported.

He said the increase is linked to Malaysia’s position as a politically neutral country.

“We already have some inquiries and the number is increasing. They haven’t started submitting applications because they need to verify some documents. So, that will take some time,” he said.

Liew said most enquiries are from people living in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar.

He added that the interested applicants include working professionals, retirees, and parents looking for better education opportunities for their children.

“As these citizens look for a second home, Malaysia is one of their choices,” he added.

Liew said the government should increase promotion efforts to raise awareness of Malaysia among residents and expatriates in the region.

Co-founder and Group CEO of Juwai IQI, Kashif Ansari said Malaysia is a suitable destination for Middle Eastern residents because it is seen as safe and far from regional conflict.

He added that Malaysia is a Muslim-majority country, which makes it comfortable for Middle Eastern buyers as they can find halal food and Islamic banking services.

Kashif said such features are rare outside the Middle East, making Malaysia more attractive.

He expects more people from the region to come to Malaysia for study, travel, and investment.

“We have some evidence that buyers from the Middle East region have shifted their attention to Malaysia,” he said.

He also praised the government’s efforts in promoting the country through the MM2H programme and the Visit Malaysia 2026 campaign.

He noted that the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture has identified the Middle East as a key tourism market for 2026.

The ministry previously said the MM2H programme has generated about RM3.87 billion for Malaysia’s economy as of last year.

Economics Professor, Dr Yeah Kim Leng from Sunway University said Malaysia already has a growing Middle Eastern expatriate community, giving it an advantage over some regional neighbours.

He said this could help Malaysia attract more expatriates if instability in the Middle East continues.

He added that property developers may introduce special housing projects if demand from Gulf nationals increases.

However, economist Geoffrey Williams said the Middle East conflict may not immediately lead to a sharp rise in MM2H applications, as other global visa schemes may appear more attractive.

He also said employers may find it difficult to hire high-skilled foreign workers under the current system.

He added that Malaysia must offer more benefits beyond residency if it wants to compete globally, although he believes the country will remain attractive in the long term to people from conflict-affected regions such as China and Russia.