ISKANDAR PUTERI, May 15 — The local authorities (PBT) do not impose any restrictions on business activities conducted by foreign nationals who are married to locals and use their spouse’s name to operate businesses.

State Housing and Local Government Committee chairman Datuk Mohd Jafni Md Shukor clarified that foreign nationals are permitted to conduct business as long as their names are registered with the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM).

He said so far, SSM has not imposed any restrictions on foreign nationals registering their businesses.

"Under the Trade, Business And Industrial Licencing By-Laws foreign nationals are allowed to conduct business as long as their names are registered with SSM.

"Similarly, for foreign nationals married to locals, the Malaysian Immigration Department (JIM) grants permission for the foreign spouse to work,” he said in reply to an oral question from Baharudin Mohamed Taib (BN-Permas) during the 15th Johor State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting here today.

Mohd Jafni (BN-Bukit Permai) also said that while there are no restrictions on businesses operated by foreign nationals married to locals, hawker licences are not issued to non-citizens and foreigners in all 16 PBTs.

"In this situation, Malaysian citizen spouses are permitted to obtain business licences or hawker licences to operate businesses within the administrative areas of the PBTs.

"PBTs do not impose any restrictions on licence applications if the applicant attaches all the required documents,” he said.

Mohd Jafni also said that the Enforcement Department of all PBTs have been instructed to conduct integrated enforcement operations involving foreign nationals from 2022 until January this year.

"A total of 577 enforcement actions have been taken against foreign business operators through 454 operations conducted during this period.

"The state government, through the Local Government Division secretary is currently preparing a proposed action plan to regulate the business activities of foreigners,” he said. — Bernama