KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 5 — Over 4,000 skilled Malaysians have returned to the country through the Returning Expert Programme (REP) since its launch in 2011, according to the Human Resources Ministry.

In a parliamentary written reply dated Monday (November 4), the ministry shared that REP has seen a total of 11,124 applications, out of which 4,673 overseas Malaysians have successfully relocated back to Malaysia as of June 2024, according to a report published in The Star today.

The REP initiative, managed under the MyHeart platform by TalentCorp, offers a range of incentives aimed at encouraging the return of Malaysian professionals.

Key benefits include a 15 per cent income tax exemption, tax exemptions on personal goods, a vehicle excise duty waiver up to RM100,000, and the option for spouses and children to apply for permanent residency (PR) status.

Alongside REP, the MyHeart Career and Facilitation Fest (MyHeart CaFe), an employment-focused event, has facilitated the return of 1,499 Malaysians, filling 1,981 job vacancies since its inception in 2022.

The ministry added that the MyHeart Innovate programme, which launched in August, has already attracted 10 Malaysian diaspora entrepreneurs by providing early-stage funding and guidance to support business ventures in Malaysia.

"To strengthen support for REP applicants, networking sessions have also been held to help them better connect and possibly find work with large companies locally like Shell, Maybank and Maxis,” the ministry stated.

"The ministry is also paying close attention to diaspora children who wish to return to Malaysia by providing them information on local educational institutions and opportunities such as the Young Global Leader (YGL) and Summer Break programme,” the ministry said.

The ministry’s response came in reply to a query from Chow Yu Hui (PH-Raub) on strategies for attracting local talent back to Malaysia for national development.

* A previous edition of the story contained an error which has since been corrected.