Brent Yap
Apr 23, 2021 4 min read
Updated: Apr 27, 2021
The Covid-19 pandemic hits Malaysia’s foreign direct investment in 2020 as its FDI fell 56% to $3.4 billion in 2020. Malaysia’s economy contracted 5.6% last year, marking its worst performance since a 7.4% fall in 1998 during the Asian Financial Crisis. According to the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA), the net foreign investment totaled 13.9 billion ringgit ($3.43 billion) in 2020, down from 31.7 billion ringgit the previous year.
To combat against further contraction, MIDA recently launched its special portal to facilitate the return of foreign investors and business travellers to Malaysia. The Malaysia Safe Travel (https://safetravel.mida.gov.my/) portal contains the latest information, advisory services and online application to assist both short term and long term business travellers to enter Malaysia for up to 14 days from date of arrival at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) and without mandatory quarantine subject to the conditions attached.
Applicants can submit their application online to the One Stop Center (OSC) which will screen and fast-track the approval of the qualified applicants. Among its other role is to review applications for the entry of Short-term and Long-term Business Travellers into Malaysia. The decision to recommend for approval or rejection of the application of business travellers would be within three (3) working days, including the approval taken by Immigration Department. The Entry Permission Approval letter/ decision letter will be issued by the Malaysian Imigration via MYEntry; and will be copied to the OSC Committee on a daily basis. Any decision made by the OSC Committee will be based on the current Malaysian government criteria and guidelines.
The applicant (not exceeding 5 travellers in a group) will have to bear the costs for the mandatory engagement of a government liaison officer for the duration of the applicant’s stay in Malaysia for the short-term business travellers.
The approved business travellers are still required to take the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test within 72 hours before departure and obtain a certificate of having tested negative for COVID-19.
In summary, this initiative is important to encourage the return of foreign direct investments and investors’ confidence to Malaysia, and to welcome home the long term business travellers who were previously stranded overseas.
The categories of the Short Term Business Travellers and the Long Term Business Travellers are described as follow:
1. SHORT TERM BUSINESS TRAVELLERS (STBT)
The approved short term business travelers will be entitled to a Fast Track facilitation which refers to a dedicated meet and greet at the KLIA arrival gate, an RT-PCR COVID-19 Test at the Business Travelers Centre (BTC), exemption from the mandatory quarantine, usage of the business lounge at BTC and Fast Immigration clearance.
The STBT categories are :
1.1 Potential Investors
This category refers to business travelers that are key decision makers for any business decisions or are planning to invest in Malaysia.
The purpose of the visits may include but not limited to the following:
- meeting with government agencies (federal government, statutory body, state government or local authority)
- meeting business partners in Malaysia
- securing businesses
- attending business-related conferences/events
- visiting project sites
- signing business agreements (e.g. Memorandum of Understandings, MoUs)
- participating in other business-related activities
1.2 Business Customers
This category refers to business travellers that are required to enter Malaysia to qualify and validate their product, before their supplier starts commercial production. This may involve a third-party representative such as a legal consultant, tax advisor or a representative from an accreditation body.
1.3 Technical Experts
This category refers to business travelers who are technical experts serving single or multiple customers, specifically for urgent or ad-hoc emergency cases which may include:
o Urgent maintenance / repair machine
o Aviation-related maintenance
o Health-related services
o ICT expertise / server breakdown
o Natural disaster support services
It is compulsory for the technical expert to provide an invitation letter from their respective customers, which will be required for the submission of the Entry Permission application.
1.4 Existing Investors
This category refers to business travelers that are business owners/ board members/ executives/ associates of existing companies in Malaysia, but do not have the Employment Pass (EP) or are not under the payroll of any registered company in Malaysia.
2. LONG TERM BUSINESS TRAVELL
ERS (LTBT)
This category features foreign business travelers who intends to stay beyond 14 days in Malaysia from the date of entry at the airport to the departure date, and who possess Employment Pass (EP), Professional Visit Pass (PVP) or Resident-Pass Talent (RPT).
The LTBT categories are :
2.1 New/Existing Foreign Technical Experts (PVP- Stranded Abroad)
This category refers to business travellers who are technical experts with a valid Professional Visit Pass (PVP) serving single and multiple customers in Malaysia, but are stranded abroad.
2.2 New/Existing Expatriates (Stranded Abroad)
This category refers to new and existing expatriates with a valid Employment Pass (EP) or Resident Pass-Talent (RP-T) but are stranded abroad. This includes dependents for EP and RP-T, which refers to:
- Spouse, children below 18 years old (Dependent pass),
- Parents, parents-in-law, children above 18 years old, legally adopted children above 18 years old, common law spouse (Dependent with a long term social visit pass)
2.3 Frequent Foreign Business Travellers (Exit & Return)
This category refers to foreign business travelers that frequently exit and return to Malaysia. This includes representatives of Regional Establishments (RE), Regional Offices (RO) or Principal Hubs (PH).
2.4 Permanent Resident Pass Holders
This category refers to travelers with a valid Permanent Resident (PR) Pass who are entering Malaysia for business purposes.
This includes dependents for EP and RP-T, which refers to:
- Spouse, children below 18 years old (Dependent pass)
- Parents, parents-in-law, children above 18 years old, legally adopted children above 18 years old, common law spouse (Dependent with a long term social visit pass)
2.5 Malaysia My 2nd Home Social Visit Pass Holders
This category refers to travellers with a valid Malaysia My 2nd Home (MM2H) Social Visit Pass who are entering Malaysia for business purposes. This includes dependants for EP and RP-T, which refers to:
- Spouse, children below 18 years old (Dependent pass)
- Parents, parents-in-law, children above 18 years old, legally adopted children above 18 years old, common law spouse (Dependent with a long term social visit pass)
2.6 Frequent Malaysian Business Travellers
This category refers to business travellers with a valid Malaysian passport that frequently exit and return to Malaysia. This includes representatives of Regional Establishments, Regional Offices or Principal Hubs.
2.7 Social Visit Pass Holders
This category refers to business travelers with a Social Visit Pass that is valid for a duration of 15 days up to a maximum of either 30, 60 or 90 days according to the respective countries.