KUCHING, Aug 29 — State Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said he expects the state to hit a target of 1,000 Sarawak-Malaysia My Second Home (S-MM2H) approvals by the end of this year with launch of the management online application system (MOAS) today.

He said a total of 446 participants have been approved since January this year.

He said his ministry recently developed the online application with Sarawak Information System Sdn Bhd (Sains) to facilitate the overall application process covering daily operating functions.

"The online application system took off on June 1 this year where submissions are processed online by my ministry and the state Immigration Department,” he told reporters after the launch of the management online application system.

Karim said all applications for the S-MM2H programme will be scrutinised by a committee consisting of his ministry, the Immigration Department, the state Secretary’s Office, state attorney general and police before a decision is made.

He said applications that do not meet the minimum requirements will be rejected.

"We will also reject applications from people with dubious backgrounds, people with incurable diseases or the citizens of Israel and North Korea since Malaysia does not have diplomatic relations with these two countries,” he said.

Karim said the applicants must have proof that they have a minimum monthly income of RM7,000 for an individual and RM10,000 for a couple and have a RM150,000 fixed deposit in any bank in Malaysia.

He said since 2007, the state has approved a total of 2,190 participants to date.

"With the refinement of requirements from September 1, 2022, there were 411 successful applicants in 2022, an increase of 1,422 per cent in the number of successful applications compared to the year 2021,” he said.

"We are now in the early stages, but I believe that once the processes are fully developed, all relevant parties will be satisfied with the services provided through the system.

"With the increasing popularity of this programme, there is a need to utilise the system to make the process more efficient,” Karim said.

He said the top 10 countries for applicants since S-MM2H programme’s implementation in 2007 are United Kingdom (312), China (277), Taiwan (201), Hong Kong (193), Singapore (168), the United States (161), South Korea (129), Australia (99), Indonesia (96), and Japan (91).