Despite the apparent imminence of the programme’s kick-off, details and requirements for the Sabah-MM2H visa have still yet to be publicly announced.

The Sabah-Malaysia My Second Home (Sabah-MM2H) programme, which has been teased and long-awaited for months, is poised for implementation by next month.

According to Sabah’s Tourism, Culture, and Environment Minister, Datuk Christina Liew, the programme’s launch hinges on finalising necessary amendments, already greenlit by the state Cabinet. Once gazetted, these changes will be accessible on the programme’s website for prospective applicants to peruse. Presumably, they will also be announced publicly.

Liew made these remarks during a recent Tourism Industry Players Engagement Session 2024, addressing inquiries raised by Sandakan Tourism Association president Teo Chee Kim regarding eligibility criteria for the Sabah-MM2H initiative.

In September 2022, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor had signalled Sabah’s intention to introduce its own version of the MM2H programme, which will not follow the federal MM2H programme’s new stipulations.

At the engagement session, Sabah Tourism Board (STB) CEO Julinus Jeffery Jimit underscored the importance of ongoing dialogue with industry stakeholders in resolving pertinent issues, including the state’s new MM2H efforts. Jimit emphasised the ministry’s dedication, facilitated by STB, towards fostering unity and purpose in fortifying Sabah’s tourism landscape.

“We will sustain this dialogue with stakeholders on a regular basis, as prescribed by Datuk Christina, as collective efforts are pivotal to realising tourism objectives within the Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) development agenda,” Jimit affirmed, expressing confidence in achieving tourism growth targets for 2024.