Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail told the Dewan Rakyat on Thursday that the government will introduce a special pass for foreign investors starting this April to allow them to stay longer in the country and facilitate investment-related matters.
The issuance process will be carried out electronically through the electronic pass system.
He said the new pass is exclusively for investors to facilitate their entry into Malaysia. The focus is to ensure the ease of doing business for them.
The faster the government processes applications and simplifies procedures, the more positive investors will perceive the country's business climate.
The issuance of this special pass will begin on April 1, allowing foreign investors to stay longer to complete their investment matters.
Saifuddin was responding to a supplementary question from Lee Chean Chung (PH-Petaling Jaya), who asked about the Immigration Department's readiness to streamline procedures and reduce investors' reliance on agents when obtaining relevant passes for their due diligence before making investment decisions.
The government has set up a special Expatriate Service Centre (ESC) system at Terminal 1, Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) to enable investors to process their applications immediately upon arrival.
The ESC, operated by the Immigration Department in collaboration with Talent Corporation, is responsible for issuing various types of passes to expatriates, professionals and their dependents.
These passes allow them to reside and work in Malaysia, with approval times significantly reduced compared to the previous 30-day processing time.
